A&P Commission awards $80,900 during spring 2014 funding meeting

A&P Commissioner Bobby Ferrell (right) speaks with Last Night Fayetteville Organizers David and Lauren Embree about their funding request inside the Fayetteville Town Center last month.

Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commissioners awarded $80,900 to help fund 15 projects during its regular spring special funding discussion Monday afternoon.

Twice each year, the commission awards funds to groups needing financial help with promoting or starting an event. The funds available depend on what’s left over from the commission’s budget, which is funded mostly by half of the city’s 2 percent HMR sales tax.

Spring A&P funding awards

 RequestedAwardedMore info
2014$232,414$80,900 
2013$261,861$161,950Full story
2012$294,345$159,200Full story
2011$157,385$61,800Full story
2010$284,869$149,292Full story

Source: Staff report

The commission had $85,770 to award on Monday, but voted to keep about $5,000 on hand to put toward future arts-related projects such as a new mural program that Commissioner Matthew Petty said he’d soon propose.

Topping the list of awards Monday was Lights of the Ozarks, whose organizers received $15,000 to help purchase new LED light strands for the festival, set to kick off Nov. 21 on the Fayetteville downtown square.

Other top awards went to the annual Last Night Fayetteville celebration ($11,500), the Ozark Regional Transit Map project ($7,900) and the Offshoot Film Festival ($5,500).

Groups sometimes receive donations to cover rental fees for events held at venues around town, including the commission’s Fayetteville Town Center building. The Little Craft Show was given a $7,000 award for Town Center rental fees on Dec. 5 and 6, and TheatreSquared received $3,000 to cover Town Center costs for its Gala for Education event in November. The Hooten’s Kickoff Classic received $5,000 to help cover costs needed to rent the University of Arkansas’ Razorback Stadium on Sept. 1.

Organizers of the ARK Challenge did not receive any funding for this year’s mentorship-driven accelerator program for tech startups. Commissioners said while they liked the event, they weren’t willing to foot the bill for the travel and airfare costs that the organizers said they’d spend their award on.

Below is the list of projects considered on Monday, including award amounts for each organization.

Spring 2014 funding awards

  1. ARK Challenge – Request: $28,000 | Award: $0
    ARK Challenge, a mentorship-driven accelerator program for tech startups, sought $28,000 for a an accelerator program for tech start-ups and a mentor camp to be held later this year. The group said it planned to use the money for travel, airfare and food costs, something commissioners said they weren’t comfortable paying for.
  2. Banff Mountain Film Festival – Request: $3,500 | Award: $1,000
    The Community/Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour requested $3,500 for the 2014 festival, set for Sept. 12-13 at the UA Global Campus auditorium on the Fayetteville square. The group plans to use the money for a marketing budget which includes posters, radio advertising and a website.
  3. Hero Half Marathon – Request: $19,000 | Award: $4,000
    The Fayetteville Firefighters’ Association, IAFF – Local 2866 asked for $19,000 for the Hero Half Marathon and 1 Mile run, set for Oct. 18 on the city’s trail system. The group plans to use the money toward marketing costs like flyers, signage, stickers, office supplies, website development, t-shirts, and various media advertisements.
  4. Hispanic Heritage Festival – Request: $15,000 | Award: $5,000
    The Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce sought $15,000 for the 2014 Northwest Arkansas Hispanic Heritage Festival celebrating the culture and history of Hispanic Arkansans, set for Oct. 4-5 at Mae Farm, adjacent to Lake Fayetteville.
  5. Ozark Highlands Trail Map – Request: $5,000 | Award: $5,000
    Ozark Highlands Trail Association requested $5,000 to pay for 25 percent of the estimated costs of development, printing, and distribution of the first in a series of a four waterproof/tear-proof maps of the Ozark Highlands Trail, a 256-mile route through parts of seven counties in northwest Arkansas, from Lake Fort Smith State Park to the White River near Mountain View.
  6. Ozark Regional Transit Map – Request: $7,900 | Award: $7,900
    The Ozark Regional Transit Authority asked for $7,900 to help publish maps and create table tents advertising available local transit routes.
  7. Artists’ Laboratory Theatre – Request: $8,514 | Award: $5,000
    Artist’s Laboratory Theatre sought $8,514 to support expected marketing costs for the upcoming season, including a fundraising event scheduled for sometime in September.
  8. Fayetteville Half Marathon – Request: $20,000 | Award: $1,500
    All Sports Productions requested $20,000 to help fund and promote the 2014 Fayetteville Half Marathon, set for Nov. 9 in Fayetteville. The group has received $38,000 for the event over the past four years, and commissioners said it was time to wean the event off from funding.
  9. Hooten’s Kickoff Classic – Request: $10,000 | Award: $5,000
    Hooten Publishing, Inc. asked for $10,000 to help promote the 2014 Hooten’s Kickoff Classic, set for Sept. 1 at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. Commissioners said they were only willing to help with the $5,000 rental fee of Razorback Stadium.
  10. Last Night Fayetteville – Request: $16,000 | Award: $11,500
    Last Night Fayetteville, Inc. sought $16,000 to help fund and promote the 2014 Last Night Fayetteville event, set for Dec. 31 on the Fayetteville downtown square. Their award includes $4,500 for use of the Town Center building.
  11. Lights of the Ozarks – Request: $15,000 | Award: $15,000
    Fayetteville Parks and Recreation requested $15,000 to help operate the 2014 Lights of the Ozarks display on the downtown square from Nov. 21 to Dec. 31. The money will go toward the purchase of new LED light strands for the festival.
  12. Little Craft Show – Request: $24,500 | Award: $7,000
    The Little Craft Show asked for $24,500 to help expand the fourth annual show to include a Friday night VIP event the evening before the Dec. 6 craft show. Commissioners agreed to give $7,000 to the event’s organizers for two days worth of rent at the Town Center.
  13. Offshoot Film Fest – Request: $17,500 | Award: $5,000
    The Seedling Film Association sought $17,500 to help promote the 2014 Offshoot Film Fest, set for Oct. 2-5 at the UA Global Campus on the downtown square.
  14. Oktoberfest – Request: $20,000 | Award: $2,500
    Dickson Street Merchants Association, Inc. requested $20,000 for the 2014 Oktoberfest event, set for Oct. 4 in the Walton Arts Center parking lot. Commissioners said they were disappointed in the organizers’ one-page application which didn’t include a budget, sponsor information, or any details on how the event would be organized.
  15. Puppets in the Park – Request: $7,000 | Award: $2,000
    The Art Experience, Inc. asked for $7,000 to help fund and promote the 2014 Puppets in the Park event on Oct. 18 at Wilson Park.
  16. Theatre Squared Gala for Education – Request: $15,000 | Award: $3,000
    TheatreSquared sought $15,000 for its 2014 Gala for Education event, set for November at the Town Center in Fayetteville. Commissioners said they’d help the group with rental fees for the Town Center, but weren’t willing to pay for performer booking, catering or decor for the event.