[OregonArts] Oregon Arts Commission Announces Cultural Tourism Grants, Strengthening Links between Arts, Tourism, Economic Development

[D'Arcy, Christine T]

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For immediate release: March 22, 2010

Contact:                   Shannon Planchon, 503-229-6062, shannon.planchon at state.or.us<mailto:Shannon.Planchon at state.or.us>

                                    Christine D’Arcy, 503-986-0087, christine.t.darcy at state.or.us<mailto:christine.t.darcy at state.or.us>



Oregon Arts Commission Announces Cultural Tourism Grant Awards

The Oregon Arts Commission announces eleven Cultural Tourism grant awards totaling $70,000.   Launched in 2008 as part of Governor Ted Kulongoski’s CHAMP cultural reinvestment initiative, the program supports projects and partnerships that advance arts-based cultural tourism activities, strengthening the links between the arts, tourism industry and local economic development.


The funded projects reflect a variety of efforts across the state that will use community or regional arts assets to increase tourism.  “This year’s grants reflect a new level of collaboration between arts groups and local partners who are using and leveraging those relationships to bring more visitors to their region,” said Christine D’Arcy, Arts Commission executive director.


Twenty-two organizations requested over $240,000 in 2010, a 16% increase over 2009.  Proposals were reviewed by Mary Arnstad, principal of Arnstad & Associates, Medford; Frank Geltner, Friends of the Ernest Bloch Legacy Foundation, Newport; Ron Paul, Oregon Arts Commissioner, Portland; Colleen Schafroth, Director, Maryhill Museum, Goldendale, WA; and Libby Tower, Marketing & Public Relations Manager, The Hult Center, Eugene.

The projects selected for Cultural Tourism funding are:

Ashland
Oregon Shakespeare Festival, $10,000
To support the festival’s Ashland Package Partnership, a collaboration with area hotels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts on joint advertising on Google, Yahoo and Bing. The festival and its lodging partners will benefit from real-time, online access to ticket inventory and seat selection, creating a one-stop shopping cultural tourism experience for visitors to Ashland and the Rogue Valley.
Contact:  Deborah Small, deborahs at osfashland.org

Eugene
Oregon Bach Festival, $9,000
To support a strategic marketing campaign aimed at increasing the Latin-American audience for the two week festival in June 2010.  The Festival is expanding its 2010 programming to include Latin-jazz dance band Tiempo Libre and Oregon’s Pink Martini. The efforts target anticipated Latin American visitors to Eugene in conjunction with the Maxi-Basketball pan-American championship during the second week of the Bach Festival.
Contact Information:  Patrick Hosfield, hosfield at uoregon.edu

Hood River
Columbia Arts, $4,500
To support Columbia Arts’ collaboration with the Columbia George Winegrowers Association, Hood River Chamber of Commerce and Hood River Visitors Council to create a series of wine and art events in September to draw visitors from Oregon and the Northwest and create opportunities that encourage them to stay the night.
Contact:  Joanie Thomson, director at columbiaarts.org

La Grande
Union County Chamber of Commerce, $4,500
To support Crossing Blues: La Grande Summer Festival, a two-day festival of art, music, theater and writing to emphasize the area’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, strengthen downtown businesses, enhance community partnerships and draw visitors to La Grande and Eastern Oregon.
Contact:  Judy Hector, info at unioncountychamber.org

Medford
Medford Jazz Jubilee, $8,000
For expanded marketing of the Medford Jazz Jubilee, a 3-day jazz festival founded in 1989. The added   marketing will reach out to jazz enthusiasts in Idaho, Washington and other areas of Oregon to increase participation in the event. The Jubilee will also increase use of social media to attract younger audiences.
Contact:  Brian O'Neil, boneil1949 at yahoo.com

Portland
Artists Repertory Theatre, $9,000
To support increased marketing in partnership with Travel Portland for Artists Repertory Theatre’s (ART) production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night. A collaboration with Australia’s Sydney Theatre Company, the play will star noted actor William Hurt.  ART will use this production to leverage increased audiences from around the region, using its partnership with Travel Portland to establish destination packages.
Contact:  Alyssa Williams, awilliams at artistsrep.org

Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA), $9,800
To support PICA’s continuing efforts to developing media market share in Pacific Northwest urban centers by extending relationships with business partners there, integrating ongoing print and online marketing efforts and developing a new mobile media website with an interface for smartphones to enhance the cultural travel experience for visitors to Portland and the TBA Festival.
Contact: Scott McEachern, scott at pica.org

Portland Jazz Festival, $10,000
To support the Jazz Festival’s partnership with Travel Portland, 17 downtown Portland hotels and the City of Portland to generate tourism in February, a period of typical low hotel occupancy. Now in its 8th year, the Portland Jazz Festival will expand marketing and promotional efforts to increase audiences from across the country.
Contact:  Matthew Jones, mjones at pdxjazz.com

Sisters
Sisters Folk Festival, $3,500
To support September in Sisters, a month-long campaign by the Sisters Folk Festival, Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce and other community organizations to promote and celebrate the American family, arts and culture. Started in 2001, this collaborative promotion will be extended to the Portland Metro area to increase visitors to the eight participating cultural events occurring in the area’s shoulder season.
Contact: Erin Borla, erin at sisterscountry.com

Springfield
Emerald Empire Art Association Inc., $1,700
To support marketing of a series of artist led multi-day visual arts workshops to regional and national artists to encourage cultural travel to the Springfield-Eugene area. Building on success from prior marketing campaigns, the Emerald Empire Art Association will target advertisements in national arts magazines, tourist-focused material and collaborate with Travel Lane County.
Contact:  Cheryl Leontina, director at emeraldartcenter.net


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The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department in 1993 in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grant-making, arts and cultural information and community cultural development.



The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon legislature, federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust.

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Chris D'Arcy
Christine D'Arcy
Executive Director
Oregon Arts Commission - Oregon Cultural Trust
775 Summer Street NE
Salem, Oregon 97301-1280
(503) 986-0087 direct
christine.t.darcy at state.or.us

Give the gift that grows. Contribute to any Oregon Cultural Nonprofit.
Match your gift with one to the Oregon Cultural Trust - and qualify for a generous tax credit.
Learn more or give at www.culturaltrust.org.


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