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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrant Request - Sunriver Music Festival7/28 Economic Development Fund Discretionary Grant Program Organization: Sunriver Music Festival Organization Description: The festival, which began in 1977, is a two-week summer celebration of classical music through a series of formal and informal performances. This events seeks to provide an present world-class classical music performances and to support and expand music education for the youth of Central Oregon. In addition to the festival, this mission is achieved through the Fireside Concert Series from November to May, and a year-round schedule of music education programs. Project Name: Expanding Cultural Tourism in Central Oregon Project Description: This grant will be used to enhance the festival's visibility and encourage cultural tourism to the area by promoting the world-class performances and music education programs beyond Central Oregon. The marketing program will include: • Production of a rack -sized brochure • Production and direct mail of Summer Festival ticket brochures • Radio advertising and public service announcements • Production and placement of print ads • Create high-end recordings of the summer concerts for resale Project Period: September 2008 Amount of Request: $3,000 (Total Budget for statewide and local marketing = $13,650) Previous Grants: • August 1999: $5,000 Young Artists Scholarship Fund, computer and software purchases ($4,000 DeWolf; $1,000 Swaringen) • August 2000: $5,000 (DeWolf $5,000) • April 2001: $2,500 (Luke $2,500) • June 2001: $1,000 (DeWolf $1,000) • July 2001: $7,500 Outreach and development ($5,000 DeWolf; $2,500 Daly) • November 2001: $5,000 Music education programs ($5,000 Luke) • July 2002: $5,000 Publicity and advertising ($5,000 DeWolf) • October 2002: $5,000 Instruments and instruction for children ($5,000 Luke) • July 2003: $2,500 (DeWolf $2,500) • September 2003: $2,500 (DeWolf $2,500) • July 2004: $5,000 (DeWolf $5,000) • July 2005: $5,000 (DeWolf $5,000) • May 2006: $1,000 (Clarno $1,000) • March 2007: $1,500 (Melton $1,000; Luke $500) Deschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St., Bend, OR 97701-1960 (541) 388-6570 - Fax (541) 385-3202 - www.deschutes.org DESCHUTES COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION Direct Application to: Commissioner Tammy Baney Commissioner Dennis R. Luke Date. 07/18/08 Project Name: Project Beginning Date: Amount of Request: Applicant/Organization: Address: Commissioner Michael M. Daly All Three Commissioners x Expanding Cultural Tourism in Central Oregon March 2008 $3,000 Project End Date: Date Funds Needed: Tax ID #• City & Zip: Telephone: Email: Sunriver Music Festival PO Box 4308 Contact Name(s): Fax: Pamela Beezley, Executive Director (541) 593-6959 Alternate Phone: (541) 593-9310 September 2008 Sentember 2008 93-0736403 Sunriver, OR 97707 (541) 593-1084 pam@sunrivermusic.org On a separate sheet, please briefly answer the following questions: 1. Describe the applicant organization, including its purpose, leadership structure, and activities. 2. Describe the proposed project or activity. 3. Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity. 4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's economic health. 5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit. 6. Itemize anticipated expenditures*. Describe how grant funds will be used and include the source and amounts of matching funds or in-kind contributions, if any. If the grant will support an ongoing activity, explain how it will be funded in the future. Attach: Proof of the applicant organization's non-profit status. * Applicant may be contacted during the review process and asked to provide a complete line item budget. Amount Approved: By: Date: Declined: By: Date: Sunriver Resort's Historic Great Hall SONRIVf� CAPSTONE. CASCADES 1110 KBND HEWS TALK SPORTS kON ct [CHG IMEENOVai f li W C E;Tiward Jones SCENE1,111-111A a111 WIEPEIMETIEMEMME 0 CALDERA July 18, 2008 Tammy Melton Dennis R. Luke Michael M. Daly Deschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St. Bend, Oregon 97701-1960 ENR JUL 2 1 2008 BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ADMINISTRATION Dear County Commissioners: As the Executive Director of the Sunriver Music Festival, it is with the hope of continued support from the Deschutes County Commissioners that I write seeking funds for our organization. For the last 31 years, our Festival has brought world-class classical music to the residents and visitors of this area, as well as music education for the youth of this region. As indicated by stable audience numbers, continued donations, sponsorships and grants, our organization fills a cultural need in Central Oregon. Our efforts speak to the current and future goals as described in the Deschutes County Community Plan 2001-2010: Central Oregon lacks awareness of the contributions the arts make toward our social health. This lack of recognition has led to the erosion of arts programming in our schools and early childhood development, as well as a deficit of funding and support of our existing cultural organizations and practitioners. This trend must be reversed. Additionally, the results announced in 2006 by the Bend 2030 project indicate that Bend residents envision thriving artistic and cultural programs as ingredients in the ideal Bend community. Our organization strongly supports these community goals and seeks your financial commitment to help us market our programs statewide and in Central Oregon. By bringing tourists to the area to participate in our two-week summer music festival, we broaden our support base. Your grant award will ensure that we maintain our financial viability. This in turn strengthens our community throu h cultural and artistic awareness. With h pe f Pa ela Beezle Executive Director Enclosure Sunriver Music Festival P.O. Box 4308 Sunriver, OR 97707 541.593.1084 fax 541.593.6959 tickets@sunrivermusic.org www.sunrivermusic.org APPLICATION FOR FUNDING FROM THE DESCHUTES COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM JULY 2008 1. Describe the applicant organization, including its purpose, leadership structure, and activities. Sunriver Music Festival: 31 Years of Harmony The mission of the Sunriver Music Festival is to provide and present world-class classical music performances and to support and grow music education for the youth of Central Oregon. As classical music orchestras across the nation struggle to remain financially stable and classical music audiences decline, the Sunriver Music Festival remains financially healthy due to steady audience numbers, donations, sponsorships and grants. It grew from a fledgling organization in 1977 started by a handful of classical musicians that loved Sunriver as a vacation destination. Now enjoying its 31St season, the Festival is committed to making the understanding and fulfillment of music a significant and vital part of life in Central Oregon. The Festival achieves its mission statement through a two-week long summer celebration of classical music that includes an ever-expanding series of formal and informal performances, through a November — May Fireside Concert Series and through a year- round schedule of music education programs. Summer festival concert patrons plan their vacations to Sunriver around the timeframe of the Festival, purchasing tickets as early as April for the August performances. Formal concerts are performed in the Sunriver Resort Great Hall and Bend's Tower Theatre. Informal performances include free outdoor concerts and the popular free Family Concert. Other informal and free concerts are performed by soloists and small groups of the orchestra members, such as duets, quartets and quintets. There is a free outdoor concert in the park provided as a gift for the community and as a marketing tool to introduce the Festival to new visitors and residents. Additionally, the free "Unleashed" series concerts take place throughout Sunriver and Bend and feature small ensembles from the summer orchestra. In addition to the free concerts, a number of orchestra members conduct free instrument -specific "master classes" for both adults and children, and the community is invited to attend all orchestra rehearsals free of charge. The Sunriver Music Festival has expanded the audience size of its popular Fireside Concert Series, by moving it to larger venues including the Great Hall and the Tower Theatre. The Fireside concerts feature small ensembles and soloists and offer a mix of musical styles. Not only has this series increased the Festival's revenue stream, it has enlarged the demographic of its patrons, attracting a broad range of ages and a diversity of music lovers. Sunriver Music `Festiva( 1 Music Education: Nurturing Our Youth Educational outreach programs continue to be an important focus throughout the year. Music education is a major part of the Festival's mission statement. Programs as diverse as in -school educational performances, workshops, master classes, and artist -in -residence programs occur at Sunriver's Three Rivers Elementary and Middle School and throughout the Bend / La Pine School District. The Festival provides grants to Three Rivers School for the purchase of musical instruments, to the Central Oregon Youth Choir, and to the Cascade Community School of Music. This is in addition to the unique and very successful Young Artist Scholarship Program, providing financial assistance to Central Oregon classical music students who aspire to make a career in the field of music. Leadership: At Multiple Levels The Sunriver Music Festival is governed by a 23 member Board of Trustees and managed by an Executive Director, Executive Assistant and a Ticket Office Manager. One or two contractors are hired during peak summer season to manage and coordinate the major fundraiser, Summer Gala. A college student majoring in music is hired as a summer intern. Over 250 volunteers and businesses provide time and finances to support the year round activities. 2. Describe the proposed project or activity. Goal: Expand Cultural Tourism and Enhance Musk Educational Experiences The Sunriver Music Festival is seeking continued support from Deschutes County's Economic Development Fund (EDF) to enhance the Festival's visibility and encourage cultural tourism to our area by both tourists and Oregon residents. As it has each year since 1999, the Festival would dedicate an EDF grant to expand its marketing program outside of Central Oregon promoting the world-class performances and the music education programs that occur throughout the year. The statewide marketing program includes: • Production of rack card -size brochures and distribution to all Oregon Welcome Centers and Visitor Centers. These centers are located in Astoria, Brookings, Klamath Falls, Lakeview, Ontario, Portland, Umatilla and Ashland. • Production and direct mail of the Summer Festival ticket brochures to over 7,000 targeted ticket purchasers and donors. • Radio advertisements and public service announcements on classical radio station KBPS out of Portland and KWAX out of Eugene. These cities are specifically targeted for radio ads because Sunriver attracts a large number of second -home owners and summer renters from these areas. • Production and placement of print ads in strategic publications, especially publications that promote Arts & Entertainment, classical music and Sunriver Resort amenities. • Create high-end recordings of the summer concerts to reproduce, sell and play over classical music radio stations throughout the state. Sunriver 'Music `Festiva( 2 In conjunction with the statewide campaign, marketing of the Sunriver Music Festival summer series will continue in Central Oregon. This campaign includes: • Television ads, created in Central Oregon, will appear on local TV stations beginning in July 2008 and continuing through the summer festival, concluding on August 23. • Regional radio stations will broadcast ads between mid-July 2008 and August 23. • Print ads will appear in Central Oregon cultural program handouts including those for Central Oregon Symphony, Obsidian Opera and Cascades Theatrical Company. • Print ads will appear in local Arts and Entertainment publications. • Central Oregon Visitors Centers will display the Festival's rack card -size brochures. • Direct mailings will target past supporters and attendees of the Festival. • Festival banners will be displayed in the Old Mill District and at the Sunriver Village Mall. • Sunriver Scene center spread in the August issue featuring the Sunriver Music Festival. 500 extras copies are printed and distributed to all property management companies and visitor information centers in Sunriver. • Featured cover story in Cascade Arts & Entertainment magazine's August issue. • Production, printing, display and sales of the beautiful summer Festival poster showcasing a Central Oregon artist. 3. Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity. Statewide and Central Oregon Campaigns: March — September 2008 The statewide marketing program, including the production and distribution of brochures for the summer festival, begins in March and ends at the end of the summer festival on August 23. This includes all distribution in Welcome Centers, Visitor Centers and Chambers of Commerce. Printing direct mail brochures also begins in March and ends in August. These ticket brochures are mailed primarily to Oregon residents, but also go to patrons and donors throughout the U.S. Radio, TV and print ads begin July 2008 and run through the end of the summer festival. The Festival is fortunate to receive a number of in kind ads or matching fund ads allowing a expanded number of ads to be created and run with a very small Festival advertising budget. High-end recordings would be produced at the end of the summer festival with the raw recordings that the Festival's production company produces. The Festival has not been able to afford high end editing and CD mastering of our summer concerts due for the past five years to the increased cost associated with this process. The benefit of having a good recording is twofold: Sunriver Music Testivaf 3 • Classical music radio stations, such as KBPS out of Portland and KWAX out of Eugene, would use the CD recordings as part of their daily broadcasts and during special programs highlighting the Sunriver Music Festival. • Good quality CD recordings would allow the Festival to sell and distribute the summer festival recordings. Hanging of banners and poster display throughout Central Oregon begins in May 2008 and continues into September. • The large vinyl banners displaying the Sunriver Music Festival logo and dates of the summer festival will hang in the Old Mill until the end of the summer festival. • The beautiful Sunriver Music Festival posters that are created by a local Central Oregon artist continue to be displayed and sold through September. 4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's economic health. Spreading the Word: Cultural Depth Historical data indicates that the Festival attracts a number of statewide and out-of-state visitors (over 30% of summer festival audiences) who plan their trips to Sunriver to enjoy the summer Festival concerts and other regional events and activities. On the way these tourists stop by towns and sites such as Sisters, Redmond, Suttle Lake, LaPine and Smith Rock, and contribute to the county's economy as they shop, dine, lodge and recreate along the way. Additionally, they often take advantage of other cultural opportunities such as visits to the Warm Springs and High Desert Museums. With the average tourist group of 2.3 people spending $219 per day in Central Oregon (Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau, 2006), the entire region has much to gain by attracting visitors. Additionally, a strong statewide marketing campaign raises the awareness that Central Oregon is artistically and culturally deep. Along with the unmatched recreation opportunities of our area, more visitors are drawn to Central Oregon if they can be ensured of cultural offerings such as the Sunriver Music Festival and a number of other Central Oregon cultural arts organizations. With the sad news of the closure of the Cascade Music Festival, the Sunriver Music Festival has a larger responsibility to provide classical music offerings to the classical music lovers in Central Oregon and to the region's visitors who have always incorporated the arts into their visits. Another benefit of attracting tourists to the Sunriver Music Festival is that classical music lovers have significant demographic clout, according to the American Demographics, Simmons Market Research Report. The report states that, "Classical music fans are apparently a dream market for purveyors of upscale products and pursuits." It goes on to summarize that classical music audiences tend to fall in the categories of affluent, highly Sunriver ¶Music `Festival 4 educated, curious and adventurous. The classical music audience is a prime target for bringing positive economic benefits to Central Oregon. 5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit. Broad reaching: Our Youth and Beyond Statewide exposure of the Festival's summer series will mostly benefit the Sunriver and Bend communities. In addition, the region's tourism industry will benefit as these visitors travel to the area to take part in Festival events. Youth in Central Oregon receive substantial benefits as the Festival provided over $30,000 in 2007 to youth music education programs. This includes educational outreach programs in the schools, grants to purchase musical instruments, artist -in -residence programs, master classes, the successful Young Artist Scholarship program and grants to help sustain and grow important Central Oregon educational programs, such as the Cascade Community School of Music. The Festival also seeks new and improved ways of making musical experiences more readily available to those who are restricted due to geographic locations or economic constraints. For example, in November of 2006 the Festival brought two professional classical crossover* musicians from Portland to Three Rivers School to teach Kindergarten through eighth grade students how to write their own songs, put them to music, and record them to create their own CD. The Classroom Music Project took three days. Each class worked independently on the song lyrics, and then with the musicians on the music and performance. The school viewed this as such a successful music appreciation program that the Festival offered the program again in December 2007. Three Rivers School is the recipient of Title 1 financial support and has a high number of underprivileged students (more than fifty percent come from families living at or below the Federal poverty level). In addition to Artist in Residence programs, master classes, workshops and educational performances in schools, the Sunriver Music Festival has provided grant money over the past five years to Three Rivers School to assist them in purchasing musical instruments for their band and orchestra students. Many of these young musicians at Three Rivers are not in a financial position to rent or purchase their own musical instruments. There are numerous heart-warming stories from the school's music teachers about the underprivileged students who were able to be part of the band or orchestra due to these newly purchased musical instruments. *The adaptation of a musical style, as by blending elements of two or more styles or categories, to appeal to a wider audience. Sunriver ?vtusic Festiva( 5 6. Itemize anticipated expenditures and sources. Statewide Marketing Plan Quantity Sunriver Music Festival Budget Amount In Kind Sponsorships Sunriver Music Festival rack card- size brochures for statewide Welcome Centers: Includes annual Center fees, design, print costs, postage 7,000 $550 to design, produce, print and mail Ticket brochure production and direct mail costs 7,000 $5,100 to design, produce, print and mail Print advertising in cultural arts, Arts & Entertainment and Sunriver news publications 10 ads in cultural arts, 2 A&E ads, full 3 page insert in Sunriver Scene, summer festival program printing $2,000 some ads are "swapped ads" with arts organizations $2,500 in kind 10 ads are swapped with other arts organizations Radio advertising in Portland , Eugene and Central Oregon 2 key radio ads running 20X per ad statewide / 5 radio ads running 61X $600 for Eugene and Portland ads $350 for Central Oregon ads $1,050 in kind radio ad match for Central Oregon ads Recordings of concerts to reproduce and play over classical music radio stations 7 concert recordings $2,500 for recording and editing Festival vinyl banners in Old Mill and Sunriver Mall 30 banners @ $85 each $2,550 - banners will last for at least 5 years Sunriver Music Festival Marketing budget for March - September: $13,650 total budget for statewide and Central Oregon marketing Funds requested from Deschutes County Economic Development fund: $3,000 requested from Deschutes County to - Expanded print advertising promoting - Production of concert recordings for duplication important marketing tool and commemorative - In 2008, direct mail to Cascade Festival to an added special concert just for Cascade - Expanded direct mail to personally invite fundraising events, both in Central Oregon provide: summer festival and sales - sale item patrons to invite them ticket holders guests to important and statewide. Sunriver Music `Festiva( 6 Internal Revenue Service Department of the Treasury District Director Date: MAY 2 0 19,8 Sunriver Music Festival, Inc. P. 0. Box 4308 Sunriver, OR 97707-1308 Dear Sir or Madam: P. 0. Box 2508 Cincinnati, OH 45201 Person to Contact: Gordon Schnur Telephone Number: 513-241-5199 Fax Number: 513-684-5936 Federal Identification Number: 93-0736403 This letter is in response to your request for a copy of your organization's determination letter. This letter will take the place of the copy you requested. Our records indicate that a determination letter issued in June 1979 granted your organization exemption from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. That letter is still in effect. Based on information subsequently submitted, we classified your organization as one that is not a private foundation within the meaning of section 509(a) of the Code because it is an organization described in section 509(a) (1) and 170(b) (1) (A) (vi) . This classification was based on the assumption that your organization's operations would continue as stated in the application. If your organization's sources of support, or its character, method of operations, or purposes have changed, please let us know so we can consider the effect of the change on the exempt status and foundation status of your organization. Your organization is required to file Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, only if its gross receipts each year are normally more than $25,000. If a return is required, it must be filed by the 15th day of the fifth month after the end of the organization's annual accounting period. The law imposes a penalty of $20 a day, up to a maximum of $10,000, when a return is filed late, unless there is reasonable cause for the delay. All exempt organizations (unless specifically excluded) are liable for taxes under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (social security taxes) on remuneration of $100 or more paid to each employee during a calendar year. Your organization is not liable for the tax imposed under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA). Organizations that are not private foundations are not subject to the excise taxes under Chapter 42 of the Code. However, these organizations t -e not automatically exempt from other federal excise taxes. -2- Sunriver Music Festival, Inc. 93-0736403 Donors may deduct contributions to your organization as provided in section 170 of the Code. Bequests, legacies, devises, transfers, or gifts to your organization or for its use are deductible for federal estate and gift tax purposes if they meet the applicable provisions of sections 2055, 2106, and 2522 of the Code. Your organization is not required to file federal income tax returns unless it is subject to the tax on unrelated business income under section 511 of the Code. If your organization is subject to this tax, it must file an income tax return on the Form 990-T, Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return. In this letter, we are not determining whether any of your organization's present or proposed activities are unrelated trade or business as defined in section 513 of the Code. Because this letter could help resolve any questions about your organization's exempt status and foundation status, you should keep it with the organization's permanent records. Please direct any questions to the person identified in the letterhead above. This letter affirms your organization's exempt status. Sincerely, ►- '�� 40tl C. Ashley Bullard District Director