Amended LT-2020-008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Future Plans*Most years r,lre have been financially in the black and vlere able to accumulate reserves. Unfortunately, because of increasing e)qcenses and our declining attendance, ue have had to dip inio those reserves. As a result, becoming self- sustaining has been a major focus for our board. - For example: ln 2016 ure eperimenied with e4canding the types of music to attract a bigger audience. ln 2017, uire erperimented with a change in ticket pricing, vr,hich assisted us in partially overcoming some addiiional costs such as the new City admissions tax ln 2018, with a major change in board members, \€ embarked of developing a five-year business plan. A major focus was to attract more major festival sponsors by reassessing wtrat that might look like for them. This r,rc accomplished, moving from two sponsors in 2017 to five in 2018 including KVH wtrich sponsored Sunday's pedormances as a free concert to fesiival goers and our community. We also reduced our costs by reducing the number of venues to eight from ten. Subsequently, in 201 8 ue covered all e43enses and ended with a small surplus for the next year. For 2019, vre increased our corporate sponsorships to seven and again KVH subsidized the free concert on Sunday. - Our newsletter is still in it's infancy, but we already see the potential of eryanding our message. - CWU has committed to having a Jaz.Camp the week prior to the 2020 festival, They changed the name to JIV-CWU Jaz.Camp, and 87o/o of those attendees live outside of Kittitas County. - Our new Hotel Windrow has epressed interest In a collaboration. - Although u,e still have enough reserves to put on a festival next year, our attendance was dovu-r slightly and urre did not make our 2019 budget. The Ellensburg Arts Commission helped us defray some of the cosls and u,e will be looking to them again to help us out for specific needs. - The Festivals biggest contribution comes from our board members and the approx 150-200 community volunteers that uacrk to set up and put on the festival. Keeping them involved and attracting new people to help is a focus for us. - The board is uorking with a facilitator to help us develop a cohesive, \ €ll- functioning board and committees, vr,hile developing a lraell-defined long-term plan for Jaz.in the Valley. A key element for our longevity is attracting more community members to help our varlous committees throughout the year. 2500 character linit Application Questions: Parl. 4 6l Additional lnformation Provide any additional information which will assist the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee in evaluating your project and its benefit to tourism. Additional lnformation - This will be our 23rd year offering the festival and every year festival board members have done informal surveys of the restaurants and motels, The feedback we have received indicates this is one of their busiest and best u€ekends during the year. We knowrrre are not the only reason but certainly help. - The only paid staff is during the festival: ticket booth staffing, security officers, and the musicians along with the sound techs. - Volunteers are our lifeblood. This festival is truly a community effort. Attached is a brief history of our journey: See Exhibit E. - We are \4orking to re-create our image. We have established a recognizable entity/festival; hou,rever, \ /e are more than the traditional/straighl up jaz- Changing the name and promoting the variety of music ue offer is seriously being looked at. Although, when r,rc asked our patrons on Survey Monkey their opinion, the majority \mnted it to stay Jazz in the Valley. 2500 character linit