The October 2011 A&P funding requests are in and 30 event organizers are asking for a total of $433,745.
The request total isn’t nearly as high as last year’s ($737,295), but it’s about twice as much as was eventually awarded ($222,176).
While we’re not sure how much money is available to distribute this time around, the $500,000 in reserve funds the commission recently gave to the Walton Arts Center for a renovation of the AMP shouldn’t have any effect.
In fact, A&P Director Marilyn Heifner told the commission they “probably wouldn’t even see a blip on the radar” at the September meeting.
Below is a brief overview of each of the events that have requested financial help. For full details on each request application, see the complete, 135-page packet in our Documents section.
- Last Night Fayetteville – $19,500
Creative Economy Action Group, Inc. requests funding help for a New Year’s Eve celebration on the Fayetteville Square with multiple activities including the Hog Drop countdown to midnight and a fireworks finale. - DECA Fashion Show – $1,800
Fayetteville High School would like help to rent the Fayetteville Town Center for the 10th annual DECA Fashion Show, a February 2012 community service event benefiting Arkansas Children’s Hospital. - NWA Men’s Expo – $2,995
Big Hats Consulting is requesting marketing funds for a March 2012 event at the Washington County Fairgrounds for men including a golf expo as well as activities related to “health and wellness, cooking and entertainment, sports, leisure and life style.” - Iron Pig Festival – $5,000
All Sports Productions is requesting funds to help with the 4th annual Iron Pig Festival to be held in April 2012. The event features a duathlon, a 5K run and an 18-mile bike time trial. - Earth Day Festival – $8,450
Treadwell Institute is requesting help for another set of Earth Day-related events in Fayetteville in April 2012. - 2012 SEC Women’s Golf Championships – $7,500
The University of Arkansas Athletics Department would like funding help to promote and offset expenses related to its hosting of the 2012 SEC Women’s Golf Championship in April 2012. - Fayetteville Foam Fest & NWA Cheese Dip Classic – $25,000
Arkansas Convention & Event Marketing, Inc. requests funding assistance for advertising costs, merchandising, and website development for the Fayetteville Foam Fest & NWA Cheese Dip Classic to be held in late April 2012. - RockIT Music Week – $24,000
NAMA organizers are requesting help for a weeklong music event in April 2012 that includes seminars, performances and a vendor fair. - Joe Martin Stage Race – $15,000
All Sports Productions is requesting help for expenses related to the 2012 Joe Martin Stage Race to be held in April 2012. - Dogwood Walk – $15,000
The Humane Society of the Ozarks would like help paying expenses required for the 20th annual Dogwood Walk including t-shirts, goody bags, tent rentals, tables, chairs, posters, registration forms, brochures, marketing and entertainment. - Arts Live Theatre – $2,000
Arts Live Theatre would use any funds distributed towards the fourth second stage production The Bridge To Terabithia and the main stage production Honk!. - Weekend of Champions – $12,000
Fayetteville High School is requesting help for the 14th annual Weekend of Champions event in May 2012 which includes baseball and fast pitch softball games. - NCAA Baseball Regional and Super Regional – $12,000
The University of Arkansas Athletics Department would like help promoting the 2012 NCAA Baseball Regional and Super Regional (if held) in June 2012. - Arkansas H.S. Coaches All Star Games – $30,000
The Arkansas Activities Association is requesting funds to go towards the 2012 AAA All Star Games held in June at various UA athletics facilities for over 600 girls and boys coaches and athletes from all over the state. - Arkansas H.S. Coaches Clinic – $27,500
The Arkansas Activities Association is requesting help funding the 57th annual ASHCA Coaches Clinic and golf tournament, an event held in June 2012 which draws an estimated 1,500 Arkansas coaches. - Ozark Valley Triathlon – $5,000
All Sports Productions is requesting money to help fund the 2012 Ozark Valley Triathlon, an event held in June which began in 2003 and expects attendance of about 450 participants. - Fayetteville Freedom Fireworks – $25,000
Uptown Fayetteville Association Inc. would like help funding the promotion of a Fourth of July Freedom Fireworks celebration in 2012. - Fayetteville SCR Water Ski Championships – $12,000
The Cedar Creek Water Ski Park requests funding assistance for the 2012 South Central Regional Water-ski Championships, a 300+ competitor event held in late July. - WordCamp – $2,000
WordCamp Fayetteville is requesting financial help promoting the third year of WordCamp Fayetteville, a July conference that teaches people about WordPress, an open source online Content Management System. - Hooten high school football game – $18,000
Hooten Publishing, Inc. requests help to fund two high school football games in late August 2012. - Fest of All – $3,000
The City of Fayettevil Ie Community Services Division would like help funding the 2nd annual FEST of ALL celebration of cultures in the Ozarks. - Tri-State Volleyball Challenge – $3,000
Fayetteville High School is requesting financial help to host the Tri-State Volleyball Challenge volleyball tournament at Arkansas Athletes Outreach facility in September 2012. - Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival – $20,000
Chile Pepper, Inc. would like help funding the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival, a 23-year-old running event held in October designed to raise money for area high school cross country programs. - Arkansas Entertainers Walk of Fame – $5,000
Arkansas Entertainers, Inc. is requesting help to launch a new annual event commemorating Arkansas entertainers that would include an induction reception/concert and the installation of bronze emblems of famous Arkansans in the sidewalks along Dickson Street based on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. - Fayetteville Underground – $45,000
Fayetteville Underground Inc. would like financial assistance to move the gallery from East Square Plaza to 101 W. Mountain Street and for a gallery guide. - Mural Project – $13,000
Matt Miller is requesting advertising help for a launch event for his ongoing Mural Project. - Northwest Arkansas Community Creative Center – $10,000
NWACCC is requesting funding support for its 2012 marketing efforts. - Ozark Military Museum – $10,000
Ozark Military Museum would like financial assistance for advertising and restoration of museum artifacts. - TheatreSquared – $30,000
TheatreSquared is requesting sponsorship help for its 2012 season. - Washington County Fair Livestock Arena – $25,000
The Washington County Fair Association would like financial assistance to renovate its Livestock Arena.
Oct. 2011 applicants
| Event date | Event | 2011 Request | 2010 Received |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 31, 2011 | Last Night | $19,500 | - |
| Feb. 23 | DECA Fashion Show | $1,800 | $1,828 |
| March 9-10 | Men’s Expo | $2,995 | - |
| April 7 | Iron Pig Festival | $5,000 | $1,250 |
| April 14-29 | Earth Day Festival | $8,450 | $2,600 |
| April 20-22 | 2012 SEC Women’s Golf Championships | $7,500 | - |
| April 20-21 | Fay. Foam Fest & the NWA Cheese Dip Classic | $25,000 | - |
| April 23-29 | RockIT Music Week | $24,000 | $7,000 |
| April 26-29 | Joe Martin Stage Race | $15,000 | $1,250 |
| May 5 | Dogwood Walk | $15,000 | - |
| March 7-11, May 17-20 | Arts Live Theatre | $2,000 | $1,000 |
| May 18-19 | Weekend of Champions | $12,000 | $10,000 |
| June 1-4, June 8-10 | NCAA Baseball Regional and Super Regional | $12,000 | - |
| June 17-25 | AAA All Star Games | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| June 21-25 | AAA Coaches Clinic | $27,500 | $17,250 |
| June 24 | Ozark Valley Triathlon | $5,000 | $1,250 |
| July 4 | Fayetteville Freedom Fireworks | $25,000 | $15,000 |
| July 26-29 | Fayetteville SCR Water-Ski Championships | $12,000 | - |
| July | WordCamp | $2,000 | $1,000 |
| Aug. 30 | Hooten High School Football game | $18,000 | $2,500 |
| Sept. 6 | FEST of ALL | $3,000 | - |
| Sept. 22 | Tri-State Volleyball Challenge | $3,000 | - |
| Oct. 12 | Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival | $20,000 | $5,000 |
| Arkansas Entertainers Walk of Fame | $5,000 | - | |
| Fayetteville Underground | $45,000 | $3,000 | |
| Mural project | $13,000 | - | |
| Northwest Arkansas Community Creative Center | $10,000 | ||
| Ozark Military Museum | $10,000 | ||
| TheatreSquared | $30,000 | ||
| Washington County Fair Livestock Arena | $25,000 | Grand Total | $433,745 |
Source: Flyer staff report
I’m offended at the notion that UA athletics would ask the taxpayers for money. I mean, some of these are for lesser-watched sports such as cross country and women’s golf, but another of them is BASEBALL, and our team is one of the top collegiate baseball draws in the nation year in and year out and the attendance numbers prove that. I’m not sure how many more of my dollars (I already contribute $12 per game via ticket sales) are necessary to promote an event that is consistently drawing 10,000 for playoff games already.
The academic side of the university may not be flush with money, but athletics isn’t exactly hurting. I’m not in favor of giving them another cent.
Next, BMFP will be asking for some dough so we can let everyone in Arkansas know there is some sort of football team that plays in this town.