LT-2023-007-PunchProjects_R - Laserfiche WebLink

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9129122, 10;53 AM LTAC Clerk Review Additional lnformation ln the fall of 2021, PUNCH Projects signed a lease on a building in the small rural- community of Thorp and began our re-emergence with what we call the "Fire House Project" - creating a space that now, after our first year, houses a gallery, outdoor stage/performance area, and an upstairs residency space for visiting out- oftown artists. Exhibitions in the gallery change every month and we have musicians and other performers on the stage Saturdays, May-October. ln our second year, we plan to add a hospitality component, be open additional days, and increase public programming to include workshops and more events. Our re-emergence over the past yeBr has shown steady growth in attendance, with recent opening receptions totaling an excess of 60 visitors (approximately 15% of them out-of-county) and a total visitor count of 1127 over 40 weekends between November 2021 and September 2022. Retail sales for 2022 have also increased each month and we are on target to breakeven in our first year. ln the attached budget, note that 2021 numbers are Nov-Dec and 2022is Jan-Sept. Combining both will you give you a one-year snapshot. An investment in our marketing/promotions and talent fees is not only a benefit to our organization, but to the community of Thorp. We are the only public gathering place with regular hours in Thorp, filling a void left behind after the demise of popular Thorp businesses such as the Rills General Store and the T&E Tavern. Thorp Hwy has always been a popular scenic byway for road trippers, motorcyclists and bicyclists, but has dropped in popularity since the loss of places to stop, rest, get a beer or beverage, and take in the beauty of the valley for a moment. Part of our mission has always been to bridge the urban rural divide and connect communities across Washington state and the Greater Northwest. We hope to become a popular destination for visitors and out-of-towners to mingle with locals while experiencing art, music and other events. We want central Washington to be known as an arts destination and we want to contribute to the plethora of reasons to visit Kittitas County from galleries and museums, to food, adventure and more. Lodging Tax Funds will enable us to bring talented artists to the county, expand our programming and most importantly, spread the word across the Northwest to get butts in seats, heads in beds and provide opportunities to experience the wealth of activities and attractions in our county. 2500 character limit Supporting Documents You may upload any supporting documents such as graphs, images, diagrams, marketing materials, etc. Punch_Lodging_Tax_Supplemental. pdf 3.63M8 You are allowed to submit up to 3 single page (US Letter) documents in JPG, PDF or TIFF format 7l Previous Lodging Tax Grant lnformation lf-app-16-03.co.kittitas.wa.us/Forms/form/submission/history/77618/85645?hideHeader=true 11t17