Bend Cultural Tourism Commission

Grant Review Meeting June 11 at 9am

The Bend Cultural Tourism Commission is pleased to announce they will review grant applications for the 2018 grant cycle. The Commission invited applications from organizations that will help us meet the goal of bringing people to Bend, and supporting our local cultural activities – the priority is projects that occur in the shoulder seasons and winter months.

The public meeting will be held Monday, June 11 from 9am-4pm.   The order of the day will include Commission business, with application review beginning around 9:30am at: The Oxford Hotel, 10 NW Minnesota Avenue.

Commissioners, and two external panelists will review the applications prior to the meeting and then convene for panel deliberation. The Commissioners will make grant recommendations to the Visit Bend board of directors, with the final recommendation following action by that board. We expect to adjourn no later than 4pm.

The Commission received a total of 15 eligible grant requests in its Marketing and Catalyst grant categories, totaling $376,143. The Commission expects to award about $200,000 in 2018.

Following is the list of 15 applications organizations and requests that have applied for funding:

Bend Art Center $27,543
Bend Art Center will host the 2nd Annual Weekend of Art in Bend on April 26-28, 2019. Weekend of Art offers a wide range of programs and activities for all ages to experience art.

BendFilm, Inc. $45,450
The 15th Annual BendFilm Festival will be held October 11-14.

Crow’s Feet Commons $35,000
The Crow’s Feet Commons Apres Ski Bash is a series of FREE downtown concerts hosted from November through April.  Its purpose is to create cultural music experiences in the heart of Bend that support the economic vitality of Bend.

Deschutes County Historical Society $12,900
The Deschutes County Historical Society (DCHS) seeks funding in support of Cruisin’ 97 an exhibit and heritage program highlighting the history of Highway 97 as it relates to life and tourism in Central Oregon and Bend during the 1930-60s.

High Desert Mural Festival $9,000 (Catalyst)
The High Desert Mural Festival will bring a nationally known artist to Bend to paint a large scale public mural, creating a local event, and the mural, once completed, will be a landmark destination for tourists interested in Bend’s cultural offerings.

High Desert Museum $43,000
The High Desert Museum’s innovative, interdisciplinary exhibition, Water in the West, will use art, science and history to explore this past, waters’ continued role in the West, and its future.

Lay It Out Events $25,000
Oregon Winterfest features artistic pyrotechnics in the form of the Fire Pit & Fire Sculpture event, with over 20 local, regional and national stature sculptors and blacksmiths.

Network 911 $39,750 (Catalyst)
Through a unique and dynamic partnership with Network 911 and BendTel, an opportunity exists to rapidly implement technology improvements to cultural and tourism-relevant areas of Bend which will both attract visitors and significantly enhance the ‘quality-of-visit’ experience and connection for future visits.

Oregon State University – Cascades MFA in Creative Writing $25,000 (Catalyst)
Words In Action is a two-day literary festival sponsored by OSU-Cascades Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing. The festival is designed to celebrate the literary arts while also teaching participants how to tune up their humanity via storytelling, flexible thinking and communal creativity.

OUT Central Oregon $10,000 (Catalyst)
OUT Central Oregon proposes to further develop and establish an LGBTQ winter festival in Bend: Winter Pride Festival.

ScaleHouse Contemporary Creative Center $28,500
ScaleHouse presents: BEND DESIGN 2018, A two-day event for creators, designers, and thinkers.

Sunriver Music Festival $15,000
The Sunriver Music Festival is teaming up with the Tower Theatre to present the 3rd Annual Piano Showcase on April 12 & 13, 2019 at the Tower Theatre in downtown Bend.

Tower Theatre Foundation $25,000
The Tower Theatre Foundation will hold the fourth annual “Bend A Cappella Festival” February 7-10, 2019.

Up.St.ART Bend $15,000 (Catalyst)
Up.St.ART Bend is a brand new quarterly arts and culture magazine that can help strengthen tourism and community by presenting the experiences and narratives of local creatives. It presents timeless and timely stories about local people places and events that have relevancy, spark curiosity and encourage readers to explore around Bend.

World Muse/Muse Conference 2019 $20,000
Muse Conference is a four-day event hosted by World Muse, the 7th annual event is open to all and includes panel discussions, art exhibits, live performances, interviews, keynote presentations, in-depth workshops, a reception, and a special dinner.

ABOUT THE BEND CULTURAL TOURISM FUND: The purpose of the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund is to enhance the local economy through the promotion and cultivation of Bend’s cultural tourism programs. The awarded grant funds will be used to: help attract cultural tourists during the shoulder seasons and winter months, when cultural tourism organizations are most active; diversify Bend’s tourism offerings; and build on efforts to establish Bend as a premier year-round cultural tourism destination.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *