The Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission awarded $222,176 to help fund 35 separate projects during its regular fall funding discussion meeting Monday afternoon.
Nearly all of the organizers who asked for help received some money, but only a few were awarded their full requests.
Some of the top amounts went to AAA All Star Games ($30,000), Artosphere ($20,000), and TheatreSquared ($20,000).
New events which received startup help include the Arkansas Entertainers Walk of Fame ($5,000) and Songs in the ‘Ville ($1,000).
Below is a breakdown of what each organizer asked for and how much they were awarded. Below that is a brief description of each event.
Fall 2010 Fayetteville A&P Funding Requests
| Date | Event | Requested | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 101 Runners Mardi Gras Indian Funk Band | $8,000 | $4,000 |
| June | AAA All Star Games | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| June | AAA Coaches Clinic and golf tournament | $27,500 | $17,250 |
| June 2013 | Air Race Classic | $7,500 | $5,000 |
| April-Oct | Arkansas Music Pavilion (AMP) | $80,000 | $5,000 |
| - | Arkansas Entertainers Walk of Fame | $15,000 | $5,000 |
| May | Art Everywhere Storefront Project | $26,740 | $0 |
| April-June | Artosphere | $45,000 | $20,000 |
| April/May | Arts Live Theatre | $2,000 | $1,000 |
| October | Bikes, Blues & Hot Rods Too | $25,000 | $5,000 |
| Yearlong | Botanical Garden of the Ozarks | $40,000 | $0 |
| October | Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival | $20,000 | $5,000 |
| April | Fayetteville Earth Day Festival | $21,975 | $2,600 |
| Q1 2011 | Fayetteville Underground | $29,057 | $3,000 |
| February | FHS DECA Fashion Show | $2,028 | $1,828 |
| May | Weekend of Champions & Tri-State Volleyball Challenge |
$14,500 | $10,000 |
| April | Hogeye Marathon & Relays | $24,000 | $3,000 |
| Aug/Sept | Hooten high school football games | $15,000 | $2,500 |
| April | Iron Pig Festival | $7,500 | $1,250 |
| May | Joe Martin Stage Race | $12,500 | $1,250 |
| June | Kids and Family Triathlon | $2,500 | $1,250 |
| June | Ozark Valley Triathlon | $5,000 | $1,250 |
| Yearlong | Mural Project | $13,000 | $5,000 |
| Yearlong | NWA Community Creative Center | $10,000 | $3,000 |
| Yearlong | Ozark Military Museum | $10,000 | $1,000 |
| - | SEC Track & Field Championships | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| Monthly | Songs in the ‘Ville | $5,000 | $1,000 |
| Jan-April | Artist’s Laboratory Theatre | $14,000 | $1,500 |
| - | The Story of Fayetteville | $30,000 | $15,000 |
| Yearlong | TheatreSquared | $30,000 | $20,000 |
| Yearlong | Uptown Fayetteville | $70,000 | $15,000 |
| July | USSSA Softball World Series | $11,995 | $5,998 |
| - | Washington County Fair | $25,000 | $10,000 |
| June/July | WordCamp Fayetteville | $10,000 | $1,000 |
| June | Regional Baseball Tournament | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| May | Fulbright Concerto Competition | $20,000 | $5,000 * |
| April | Rockit- NWA Music Week | $14,000 | $0 * |
| Totals | $737,295 | $222,176 |
* Earlier this year, “International Fulbright Concerto Competition” asked for $20,000 in advanced funding for 2011 and received $10,000. “Rockit- NWA Music Week,” requested $14,000 in advanced funding and received $7,000.
Project Descriptions
101 Runners Mardi Gras Indian Funk Band
Arkansas Convention & Event Marking, Inc. requested funding for a February event to bring the 101 Runners Mardi Gras Indian Funk Band featuring Big Chief Monk Boudreaux to Fayetteville for the first time ever.
AAA All Star Games
The Arkansas Activities Association requested funding for the 2011 AAA All Star Games held in June at various UA athletics facilities. High school baseball, soccer, softball, volleyball, basketball and football are all a part of the event which features over 600 girls and boys coaches and athletes from all over the state.
Arkansas High School Coaches Clinic and golf tournament
The Arkansas Activities Association requested funding for the 56th annual ASHCA Coaches Clinic and golf tournament, an event held in June which draws an estimated 1,500 Arkansas coaches who use the clinic sessions to obtain their required professional development credit.
Air Race Classic
The Arkansas Air Museum requested funding for the June 2013 Air Race Classic (formerly the Powder Puff Derby), a 2,600-mile race flown by women only. The Arkansas Air Museum would be the the base of operations for the decades old annual event
Arkansas Music Pavilion (AMP) 2011 Concert Series
The AMP requested funding for musical talent and expansion of the AMP’s 2011 season offerings to include art, comedy and variety acts. The owners also plan to offer at least one free show, possibly teamed with a July 4 fireworks display.
Arkansas Entertainers Walk of Fame
Arkansas Entertainers, Inc. requested funding to launch a new annual event commemorating Arkansas entertainers that would include an induction reception and the installation of bronze emblems in the sidewalk on Dickson Street based on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Art Everywhere Storefront Project
FFEAC Creative Economy Action Group requested funding for the Art Everywhere Storefront Project which would transform vacant storefronts into temporary works of art to educate the public about Fayetteville arts as well as potentially bring occupants to the empty buildings.
Artosphere 2011
The Walton Arts Center requested funding to help with year 2 of Artosphere: Arkansas’ Arts and Nature Festival. The April-June event features performing and visual arts, which access to high-quality artistic experiences for students, families and community members at reduced or no cost.
Arts Live Theatre 2011 productions
Arts Live Theatre requested funding to help with the second stage production of The Secret Garden and the main stage production of The Jungle Book in April and May 2011.
Bikes, Blues & Hot Rods Too
GMS.Group, Inc requested funding for the third season of Bikes, Blues & Hot Rods Too, an event held in late Sept./early Oct. that brings classic car and hot rod owners, builders and enthusiasts to Fayetteville for an annual car show with concerts, exhibits and other activities.
Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks requested funding for 2011 marketing and promotion of the garden including ad placement in regional, state and local media outlets.
Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival
Chile Pepper, Inc. requested funding to help with the 2011 Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival, a 22-year-old running event designed to raise money for area high school cross country programs. Each October, over 80 college teams and 120 high school teams attend from over 17 states.
Fayetteville Earth Day Festival
Treadwell Institute requested funding to help co-market the lineup of over 20 earth/sustainability/conservation-related events that occur around town as well as a B-Earth Day Card installation event in April.
Fayetteville Underground
Fayetteville Underground Inc. requested funding for a media campaign to help continue the First Thursday event by expanding the awareness of Fayetteville Underground and the downtown square as a destination for the arts.
FHS DECA Fashion Show
Fayetteville High School requested funding to rent the Fayetteville Town Center and for hospitality and stage pieces for the 9th annual DECA Fashion Show, a February 2011 community service event benefiting Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Weekend of Champions
Fayetteville High School requested funding for the 13th annual Weekend of Champions event in May 2011 which includes baseball and fast pitch softball games.
Tri-State Volleyball Challenge
Fayetteville High School requested funding to host the Tri-State Volleyball Challenge volleyball tournament at Fayetteville High School and Barnhill Arena in September 2011.
Hogeye Marathon & Relays
Hogeye Marathon & Relays, Inc. requested funding to help promote the 35th annual Hogeye Marathon & Relays event in April 2011. The event is in competition with the Bentonville Half Marathon and is looking to get a jump to help promote itself as the long distance running event in NWA.
Hooten high school football games
Hooten Publishing, Inc. requested funding for two high school football games in late August/early September 2011.
International Fulbright Concerto Competition
FCC requested funding to help with a piano concerto competition in Fayetteville in May 2011.
Iron Pig Festival
All Sports Productions requested funding for the 3rd annual Iron Pig Festival to be held in April 2011. The event features a duathlon, a 5K run, an 18-mile bike time trial and a 1-mile fun run/walk.
Joe Martin Stage Race
All Sports Productions requested funding for the 2011 Joe Martin Stage Race to be held in May 2011. The event brings teams from over 17 countries to Fayetteville each year.
Kids and Family Triathlon
All Sports Productions requested funding for the Kid’s & Family Triathlon to be held in June 2011. The event is a promotional tool to encourage attendance of the Ozark Valley Triathlon.
Ozark Valley Triathlon
All Sports Productions requested funding for the 2011 Ozark Valley Triathlon, an event held in June which began in 2003 and expects attendance of about 450 participants including 600 family/friends from 12 states.
Mural Project
Matt Miller requested funding for the Mural Project. The project aims to gain attention for Fayetteville as an Arts destination by creating transportable murals which can be installed around town.
Northwest Arkansas Community Creative Center
NWACCC requested funding to support its 2011 marketing efforts. The organization provides year-round art classes to area children and adults.
Ozark Military Museum
Ozark Military Museum requested funding for 2011 advertising and restoration of museum artifacts. The museum was founded in 1982 and moved to Fayetteville in 2003. It is the only military museum in the area and has the largest display of artifacts in Arkansas.
Rockit- Northwest Arkansas Music Week
NAMA organizers requested funding to help expand the NAMA Awards to a weeklong event in April 2011 that includes seminars, performances and a vendor fair.
SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships
The University of Arkansas Athletics Department requested funding to help promote the 2011 SEC Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field National Championships held in February at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
Songs in the ‘Ville
SITV requested funding to market and promote the monthly Songs in the ‘Ville event held at the UARK Ballroom on Dickson Street. The event features guest songwriters each month along with local musician Effron White and has recently seen the participation of two-time Grammy winner Carl Jackson as well as Jerry Salley and Brice Long.
The Artist’s Laboratory Theatre
The Artist’s Laboratory Theatre requested funding to help promote the ALT’s 2011 season. Organizers are currently developing an original play and plan to have at least five events in 2011.
The Story of Fayetteville documentary film
Fayetteville Public Library Foundation requested funding to help the library produce the first-ever documentary. Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, Larry Foley, will produce the 60-minute film.
TheatreSquared
TheatreSquared requested funding for five productions and 70 public performances in its 2011 season. Organizers say 46% of the theatre’s annual audience comes from outside Fayetteville bringing in an estimated $700,000 in added annual revenue to the local economy.
Uptown Fayetteville
Uptown Fayetteville Association Inc. requested funding to promote North Fayetteville businesses by creating guides, ads, additional web development as well as co-sponsoring annual events and bringing back the Fourth of July Freedom Fireworks celebration.
USSSA Youth Fast Pitch Softball World Series
Fayetteville Parks and Recreation requested funding to bring the USSSA Youth Fast Pitch Softball World Series to Fayetteville in July 2011 at the Gary Hampton Softball Complex and the Lake Fayetteville Softball Complex.
Washington County Fair
Washington County Fair Association requested funding to update its shower and restroom facilities. The fairgrounds are home to the Washington County Fair and have hosted guests and events during the last two years of Bikes, Blues & BBQ.
WordCamp Fayetteville
WordCamp Fayetteville requested funding to help with year 2 of WordCamp Fayetteville, a June/July conference that teaches people about WordPress, an open source online Content Management System.
Regional Baseball Tournament
The University of Arkansas Athletics Department requested funding to help promote a 2011 NCAA Baseball Regional and Super Regional in June 2011.
On behalf of WordCamp Fayetteville, we appreciate the vote of confidence given to us by the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission by awarding the group $1,000 for the event. Thank you so much!
Is it just me or does this distribution seem really sports-heavy?
It does. The AAA events seem to be overfunded in particular. Does anybody in town even notice when those things are going on? Are those events really bringing in that much more traffic and people and money to Fayetteville to justify such heavy funding?
I understand the SEC and NCAA events more, because they seem well attended and also offer some national television exposure for Fayetteville in the process.
According to materials submitted by AAA:
Games and clinics are held at Baum Stadium, Razorback Soccer Complex, Bogle Park, Barnhill Arena, Bud Walton Arena, Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville Town Center, and the UA Continuing Education Building.
This will be the 56th year for the events (the 8th in Fayetteville). Next year will be the fourth of a 5-year commitment to Fayetteville.
Expected participation is 600 boys and girls, and 1,500 coaches from all over the state.
The dates are June 18-24, 2011.
“Expected participation is 600 boys and girls, and 1,500 coaches from all over the state.”
Does 2.5 coaches per student seem a little weird to anyone else?
A lot of coaches come because there are classes/clinics they can attend during the week which fulfill their continuing education requirements. Also many volunteer their time to help put on the events.
It’s two different events. Coaches are here for clinics. Students are here to compete.
What’s with the snub for Art Everywhere? This sort of thing usually goes over well in bigger cities, and the brief statement above seems in accord with the mission of these funds. I don’t know much about the direction of this group, but it shouldn’t be terribly difficult to drum up support for a project with such potential aesthetic and economic benefit.
And yeah, I see lots of sports-related programs around here. More than a few 1-3 morning events to which a fairly small number of mostly regional people will attend. There was a lot of talk when Babes & Bling got funding accusing those in the arts community of not taking the initiative to request funds, but it seems that applications are not the only problem. I take little issue against any of the groups that did receive funding, but it seems that many have a one-sided benefit (a little boost to HMR funds), ignoring the immense contribution to the character of the city that others (BGO, ALT, and the Mural Project, to name a few) hold as a primary goal.
I would love to see the Art Community get some more funding but at the current time sporting events are the economic driver for the city throughout the summer. As for the ratio of Coach’s to player mentioned above, it’s every Coach in state from 8th – 12th grades and only the All Star players. So some teams don’t even have player that come up but their Coach’s do. There is nothing “fishy” like you wanted it to be.
I would love to have an “Art’s” festival that would make the cash register ring, and welcome anyone to come up with a plan, but until then the balance of money will lean towards the events that make the City of Fayetteville money.