A&P Commission awards $96,000 during spring 2017 funding meeting

Soldier On Service Dogs was awarded $5,000 for help funding the third annual Dickson Street Slide event, set for Aug. 27 in Fayetteville.

File photo

Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission members awarded $96,000 to help fund 18 upcoming events and projects during the group’s regular spring special funding meeting held Monday afternoon inside the Fayetteville Town Center.

Twice each year, the commission awards funds to groups needing financial help with promoting or starting an event.

The commission recently overhauled its process for distributing grant funds.

Executive Director Molly Rawn and her staff developed the new procedure that aims to add clarity to the grant process, which has in the past been criticized for being confusing and difficult to manage.

The guidelines include a revamped application process that asks applicants to specify one of five focus areas their event falls into: performing arts, visual arts, culinary arts, sports and recreation, and heritage.

Rawn said her team used a defined rubric to come up with recommended award amounts. Applicants were rated on organizational capacity, administrative experience, advertising and promotional plans, and potential sales tax impact.

“We also are aware that other things matter,” Rawn said, adding that her team asked, “Does (the event) have a positive reflection on the city? Does it generate good press for us?”

Rawn said questions regarding those criteria were taken up with individual applicants and answered before recommended awards were determined. Those recommendations were then brought to the commission for approval, which passed unanimously Monday afternoon.

Monday’s quick vote was a departure from the years-old tradition of discussing each application as a full commission before making a decision.

Commissioners praised the new process and said it helps eliminate some of the inherent weaknesses of the previous procedure.

“We can’t always discuss frank matters or organization capacity as easily in public as we mind need to be able to make a fair assessment,” said chair Matthew Petty. “Also, we’ve (traditionally) done this all in more or less one day, without a rubric.”

Petty said it would be up to the group to decide whether to adopt the staff’s recommendations outright, or to continue with the old process of considering each event on a line-by-line basis.

“Personally, I have to say that this is probably the best I’ve ever seen the commission or its staff take on a task,” said Petty. “I would be very comfortable taking an up or down vote on the recommendations.”

Commissioner Matt Behrend agreed.

“From what I see here, it’s really close to what we would probably have decided anyway,” said Behrend.

Others echoed those same sentiments and ultimately voted to approve Rawn’s recommendations.

Of the 21 applicants, three were not given any funding. Rawn said those events either did not meet the required criteria, or had been given awards in the past for events that did not come to fruition.

Approved projects will receive 60 percent of their funds 30 days before the event, with the remainder coming only after a post-event report is submitted.

2017 Spring Funding Awards

The following descriptions were provided by each applicant and are presented here without edit.

Organization: AAO
Event: Summer Event Series
Focus Area: Sports & Recreation
Request: $10,000
Award: $10,000

“Arkansas Athletes Outreach (AAO) respectfully requests support of the Summer Event Series to be held at the AAO Sports Center between 4/1/17-7/31/17. The series hosts 9 events including volleyball and basketball tournaments as well as special events. The series has three main goals: 1) Hosting competitive tournaments in Fayetteville keeps our local teams and families here for events. 2) Generate needed revenue to help sustain and underwrite local AAO programs and provide participant scholarships to underprivileged and at risk youth. 3) Promotes tourism and visitors to Fayetteville. We estimate the series total economic impact to be $604,200.”

Organization: All Sports Productions
Event: Fayetteville Half Marathon
Focus Area: Sports & Recreation
Request: $10,000
Award: $5,000

“Fayetteville Half Marathon, 10K, 5K & Fun Run. Start/finish held at the Gardens on the UA campus. Course will be held on roads not ever used by any other running event. Over 800 athletes, plus friends and family will attend from outside the region.”

Organization: The Art Experience
Event: Puppets in the Park
Focus Area: Performing Arts
Request: $7,000
Award: $3,500

“Puppets In The Park is an annual event offered by The Art Experience. This is our 9th year and is led by Jo Ann Kaminsky. This family friendly festival takes place in Wilson Park. Activities include music, workshops, shows and a parade. This year we are adding a Puppet Slam on Friday night. This adult-oriented event is similar to a poetry slam. Performances will be short. A professional puppeteer will headline and community members of various ability will be allowed to participate. Attendees come from across Arkansas and surrounding states.”

Organization: Artist’s Laboratory Theatre (ALT)
Event: Season Marketing Support
Focus Area: Performing Arts
Request: $9,153
Award: $0

“Artist’s Laboratory Theatre (ALT) seeks support in marketing and advertising expenses for the FY18 Season in theatre, radio, and outreach programs. ALT is a year round presenting organization based in South Fayetteville with a 501(C)3 tax status and a governing board of directors. Much of our programming is free, and most of our funding comes from individual donations, grants, and sponsorships from local businesses. The requested funding from the A & P is intended to supplement the cost of general marketing and advertising expenses during 2017.”

Organization: Arts Live Theatre
Event: Season Advertising
Focus Area: Performing Arts
Request: $10,000
Award: $5,000

“Arts Live Theatre is requesting $10,000 for advertising for the 2017-2018 season, which will include 14 Broadway-style productions, summer and spring break camps and fall and spring after-school classes. Located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Arts Live Theatre is the premiere dedicated children’s and youth theatre company in the region bringing patrons in from throughout the region and beyond.”

Organization: Audrey Harris Vision Foundation
Event: Neo-Natal Nursing Conference
Focus Area: not listed
Request: $2,000
Award: $2,000

“The Audrey Harris Vision will be hosting the 14th Annual Neonatal Conference of northwest Arkansas on September 14, 2017. The conference serves as continuing education for our area neonatal nurses, as well as improving the care our community patients receive. The event attracts national speakers and an audience of neonatal nurses, therapists, and physicians from all over Arkansas, Eastern Oklahoma, and Southwest Missouri. The Audrey Harris Vision is a non-profit organization founded in memory of Audrey Harris, a neonatal nurse committed to furthering education of nurses. Since 2015, the Audrey Harris Vision has provided 10 scholarships for area nurses to attend national conferences for professional development. With your help we can provide programs to continue furthering education for our nurses and improving care for our smallest community members. We look forward to your partnership to make a difference for our Northwest Arkansas medical community.”

Organization: The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
Event: 10th Birthday
Focus Area: Ozark Heritage/Attraction
Request: $2,000
Award: $2,000

“The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks is celebrating 10 years of being open to the public. This is a perfect opportunity to bring attention and celebration to this very successful local attraction. We are planning a public event on October 10, 2017, advertised regionally and a private event for all past and present supporters, civic leaders and key citizens. While the events themselves will likely draw from the region, we plan for this event to be a catalyst for future growth and recognition.”

Organization: The Cattywampus Co-op
Event: The Wampus Wonderland
Focus Area: Visual Arts
Request: $8,900
Award: $4,500

“The Cattywampus Co-op is an organization that hosts indie craft shows. The Co-Op was started by Chad Maupin/Big-Bot Design and along with Olivia Trimble/Sleet City Signpainting, Rhonda Maupin and Amy Ha we hosted our initial holiday show, The Wampus Wonderland in 2016. On December 9, 2017 at the Washington County Fairgrounds we will host our second holiday indie craft show. Our purpose is to give the community the opportunity to experience our local creatives and makers in a unique way and to create growth for the community as a whole. We had over 4,500 attendees many of whom were out of state and out of city visitors along with over 100 vendors many of whom came from other states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Missouri and Louisiana.”

Organization: NWA Creative Arts Network
Event: Last Night Fayetteville
Focus Area: Performing Arts
Request: $10,000
Award: $10,000

“Last Night Fayetteville is a performing arts festival taking place on the downtown Fayetteville square on New Year’s Eve. As Arkansas’ largest New Year’s Eve celebration, Last Night employs more than 100 performance and visual artists and welcomes guests from around the world. Of the average 3,000 guests in attendance, more than 65% are from outside of Fayetteville. Led by Lauren & David Embree, the event is heading into its 7th year. We are respectfully requesting $18,000* to assist in the production of this one of a kind festival.”

* Maximum request amount is $10,000

Organization: Evergreen Cemetery Association
Event: History Comes Alive
Focus Area: Ozark Heritage
Request: $3,000
Award: $3,000

“In History Comes Alive, Artist’s Laboratory Theatre presents stories from the past as actors portray residents of Fayetteville’s most historic cemetery by bringing to life some of the pivotal characters in Fayetteville’s history in a performance created for Fayetteville Evergreen Cemetery Association. Audiences can put a human face on history through a promenade performance throughout the grounds of Fayetteville Evergreen Cemetery.”

Organization: Fayetteville Film Festival
Event: Fayetteville Film Fest
Focus Area: Performing Arts
Request: $3,000
Award: $3,000

“Fayetteville Film Fest draws large numbers of film enthusiasts from all over the country. With a 300% increase in attendance between 2015 and 2016, we see room to continue to expand exponentially. The event showcases the art and craft of filmmaking and provides educational opportunities in the form of workshops, panels and roundtable discussions. In order to grow our capacity and attract even more attendees, we respectfully request $3000 in funding to promote our 9th annual event in addition to a sponsorship of the rental cost of the Fayetteville Town Center for September 14, 15 and 16 to allow us to keep the event on the downtown square. We will use other venues on the square for September 12 and 13.”

Organization: Fayetteville Hoops Committee
Event: Bulldog Classic
Focus Area: Sports and Recreation
Request: $10,000
Award: $10,000

“The FPS Bulldog Basketball Classic for high school boys & girls basketball at the FHS Bulldog Arena. We request $10,000 to help fund our event. We will host 12 out of town teams (Ark, OK & MO). Jeff Koenig & Scott Berna along with FPS athletic & administrative staff will work together to support the event. The target audience is the parents, fans & school officials of the fourteen (14) teams (Including two Fayetteville HS Teams) to compete in the tournament.”

Organization: March of Dimes
Event: Signature Chefs Auction
Focus Area: Culinary Arts
Request: $4,119
Award: $0

“The event showcases NWA’s top culinary talent. Guests will enjoy exquisite cuisine, fine wine, craft beer, signature cocktails and enticing silent and live auction packages.”

Organization: Natural State Burial Association
Event: 2017 Death Fest: A Celebration!
Focus Area: Ozark Heritage
Request: $3,500
Award: $0

“2017 Death Fest: A Celebration! is an educational forum designed to inspire, entertain, and engage the public with the green burial/ home funeral/ death positive movement. Workshops, presentations, speakers, an art expo, and films are scheduled at the Fayetteville Senior Activity & Wellness Center and the Fayetteville Public Library during the last week of October.”

Organization: NWA Center for Equality
Event: Northwest Arkansas Pride
Focus Area: Ozark Heritage
Request: $10,000
Award: $5,000

“Northwest Arkansas Pride (NWA Pride) is a multi-day, multi-event, multi-venue, weeklong festival celebrating diversity and promoting the visibility of Arkansas’ lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally (LGBTQA) community. NWA PRIDE will draw an estimated 8,500 people from Arkansas and surrounding states.”

Organization: Fayetteville Parks and Recreation
Event: Square to Square Bike Ride
Focus Area: Sports and Recreation
Request: $6,500
Award: $6,500

“The Square 2 Square Bike Ride, a partnership between Fayetteville and Bentonville, is requesting $6,500 in funding. This community event, held on September 16th on the Razorback Regional Greenway, is hosted by each cities Parks and Recreation Departments to promote physical activity, bring exposure to local businesses, and highlight alternative transportation options by demonstrating the convenient connectivity between all the Northwest Arkansas communities. This 30-mile ride starts on the square in Bentonville, finishes in the Downtown district of Fayetteville where participants will experience the local farmers market, area restaurants and shops, and the Town Center Plaza.”

Organization: Soldier On Service Dogs
Event: Dickson Street Slide
Focus Area: Sports and Recreation
Request: $10,000
Award: $5,000

“Soldier ON Service Dogs, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, partnering with UB Productions, will host its 3rd annual “Dickson Street Slide” event August 27th on Dickson Street in Fayetteville, AR. We invite people from the Northwest Arkansas region to enjoy a day of fun in the middle of downtown Fayetteville where we will have a 1000 ft. water slide, a community village, live music and a ” splashdown” kids zone. The slide reaches from Collier’s Drug Store to the Walton Arts Center. The event attracts as many as 20,000 attendees each year.”

Organization: The Spark Foundation
Event: Fayetteville Firefighters Hero Half Marathon
Focus Area: Sports and Recreation
Request: $10,000
Award: $5,000

“The Fayetteville Firefighters Hero Half Marathon is a fundraising race and community event hosted by the Fayetteville Firefighters Association in partnership with The Spark Foundation, Inc. The Hero Half Marathon started in 2014 as a 9/11 memorial event to commemorate the sacrifices made then and now by firefighters, law enforcement, and first responders. All proceeds support organizations that meet community needs, celebrate an active lifestyle, and honor the heroes in our everyday lives. This 13.1 mile race highlights Fayetteville, AR by winding through the scenic Razorback Greenway with a Finish Line Festival right on Dickson Street.”

Organization: The Community
Event: Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
Focus Area: Visual Arts
Request: $1,500
Award: $1,500

“The Community (TC) began hosting the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour in 2009. We began with one night of films with approximately 180 people in attendance. Over the past 8 years we have expanded to two nights of films with nearly 700 tickets sold in 2015 & 2016. Each night of the festival consists of approximately six to eight individual films made by independent film makers from all over the world. These films originate out of the Banff Mountain Film Competition which showcases a selection of films from around the world during a nine day Festival. TC, as the local host, then selects what it feels are the films best suited for our audience. TC hosts this event every year in an effort to bring a high quality social and artistic film festival into NWA, specifically Fayetteville, for the enrichment of the general public. The films display a rich global diversity highlighting mountain culture, sports, and environmental issues. In addition, the funds raised from the event are used to provide financial assistance for local and global non-profit entities focused on the development of children and families. Locally, funds raised will support Prism Education Center. Our requested funding amount from this grant would cover the advertising and rental cost of the facility.”

Organization: Tri Cycle Farms
Event: Pesto Fest
Focus Area: Ozark Heritage
Request: $10,000
Award: $5,000

“Tri Cycle Farms: Home of the Pesto Fest & Pesto Contest is requesting grant support from Experience Fayetteville to improve the capacity of an already established and annually anticipated “Farmraiser”. The Pesto Fest has grown in attendance every year and with the addition of an expanded performance stage, artistic informative signage, and greater advertising reach the capacity will be greatly enhanced for the City of Fayetteville’s 2016 Sustainable Landscape Award winner. Director Don Bennett and the Tri Cycle Team along with local artisans are growing a must see and experience farm park in the heart of the city.”

Organization: Walton Arts Center
Event: Voice Jam Festival
Focus Area: Performing Arts
Request: $10,000
Award: $10,000

“Walton Arts Center requests $10,000 to support the VoiceJam A Cappella Festival, a multi-day celebration of contemporary a cappella music. The Festival includes multiple performances and vocal workshops and culminates in a high-energy competition. VoiceJam builds cultural bridges among its international competitors and promotes regional, national and international tourism to Northwest Arkansas. More than 3,500 visitors from China, South Korea, and several states flocked to Fayetteville for the third annual VoiceJam in 2017. Additionally, our partnership with the Vocal Asia Festival allows each festival’s winners to travel to the reciprocal festival, representing their respective country in a musical, cultural exchange.”