TOWN OF AVON CULTURAL PLAN ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION 18 - # [DATE] PAGE 1 OF 11

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1 TOWN OF AVON CULTURAL PLAN ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION 18 - # [DATE] PAGE 1 OF 11

2 Table of Contents Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 8 Page 9 Page 9 Page 10 Why a Cultural Plan? Vision, Mission, Purpose, Strategies Tactics Introduction Tactics Signature Events Tactics - Special Events Tactics Community Enrichment Events Tactics - Invest in Facility Development Tactics - Establish Avon s Special Events Committee and Coordinate with the Avon Creative Founding Committee Communication, Cooperation and Coordination Funding, Application and Post-Event Review Process Avon Town Council & Ad Hoc Special Events Committee PAGE 2 OF 11

3 Why a Cultural Plan? Avon s highly valued quality of life and includes the variety of signature, special and community enrichment events. Throughout Town are art installations and new investments in event venues, improved streetscapes and initiatives to improve mobility. The recently adopted Town of Avon Properties Plan envisions an educational/entrepreneurial/cultural and recreational center in Avon. Taken together, these attributes comprise key elements of Avon s culture, contributing to building community spirit, social cohesion, community engagement and positive experiences. Daily life and tourism centered on music, arts, events, festivals, and heritage thrive in a vibrant cultural environment. Equally important are the Town s cultural enterprises to Avon s business community in Colorado s competitive resort communities. Jobs are generated and Avon s businesses benefit from tourist visits. The potential to have a seasonal balance in Avon s sales and lodging taxes is a viable outcome from investments in cultural offerings and the creative arts. Avon is particularly well poised to continue to create, support and monitor cultural initiatives that nurture community vitality and creativity. The Town of Avon Cultural Plan is a tool to transform vision into strategies, which: Align events with the Avon Brand Platform and be of a quality commensurate with Avon's image as a community Attract and develop cultural, artistic, educational, enrichment and recreational and events that enhance and contribute to Avon's reputation as a great place to live, work, visit and create, and have a positive impact on the community Cultivate creative, educational and enrichment events that will provide opportunity for intellectual dialogue Encourage activation of events to create an expanded presence throughout the community and stimulate the participation of the merchants, residents and restaurants, and lodges Deliver exceptional experiences through a variety of music, recreational, theatre, education and community enrichment programs to our guests and residents Attract destination guests; in-state, out-of-state and international; providing a superior community and guest experience Drive positive economic impact, with increased lodging occupancy, restaurant and retail sales Draw local, regional and national media exposure Grow the status of Avon as the model among mountain communities with respect to the development and implementation of special events strategy delivering significant economic benefits Achieve an optimal and diverse event and cultural activities calendar Demonstrate that cultural activities are a revenue provider for the town, while simultaneously making Avon a more vibrant place to live, work and play. The adoption of the Town of Avon Cultural Plan is a key step in leading the special events, arts and creative growth of Avon. The Town s Special Events Committee will lead the review of the plan, with any needed revisions recommended to the Town Council. An update will be scheduled for PAGE 3 OF 11

4 Vision Cultural offering, including the arts and special events, are valuable contributors to Avon s character, quality of life and economy. Mission Strengthen the vibrancy and activity of the Avon community by recommending and overseeing an annual portfolio of cultural, artistic, educational, recreational, special events and activities. Purpose The purpose of the Town of Avon Cultural Plan is to establish priorities and initiatives which will guide the Town of Avon in developing and supporting a calendar of events, activities and programs that uphold the Avon Brand Platform. Strategies 1. Attract, Retain and Support Special Events The Town will seek to attract, retain and support three categories of special events: 1.1 Develop and Retain Signature Events A signature event is synonymous with the Town of Avon. Recognition of a strong Avon brand for the event must be equal to or greater than the brand and/or name of the sponsoring organization, producer or owner of the event. The event must attract a minimum of 4,000 persons per day and drive overnight visitation with economic benefits, including but not limited to increased lodging stays and higher retail and restaurant sales. The promotion and marketing of the event has wide and successful exposure in State and national markets. Community benefits are required, including participation which reflects the demographic profile of the Town. The event provides a superior community and guest experience 1.2 Develop and Support a Portfolio of Diverse Special Events Events, which have attracted or are expected to attract participants from Avon residents, the Vail Valley and guests from outside of the Vail Valley, are defined as special events. The special events provide entertainment, educational, recreational and/or artistic programming. These events are important economic drivers for Avon businesses and are destination events. The special event must also be supported by Avon residents and its workforce, with a either ticketed, volunteer or free attendance. Over time, a special event may become a signature event. 1.3 Develop and Nurture Community Enrichment Events Community celebration events, which contribute to a sense of community, vitality and fun, are encouraged. Community enrichment events are important to a balanced, year-round cultural activity calendar, are appealing to Avon s diverse demographic population because the opportunities are valued and accessible. PAGE 4 OF 11

5 2. Establish Avon s Special Events Committee and Coordinate with the Avon Cultural Founding Committee Adopt an ordinance establishing the Town of Avon s Special Events Committee to oversee all special events, including but not limited to purposes, authority, membership numbers, qualifications, and residency requirements. The Avon Special Events Committee will coordinate with the Creative Founding Committee regarding funding for the arts, creative industries and actions to obtain a Creative District designation. 3. Identify and Support in Facility Development Identify and support event facilities and public spaces to meet the needs of all cultural events and community programming. Venues should reflect Avon s creative spirit, with public art and design, which supports the Avon brand. Tactics Introduction Tactics are the methods and actions to implement the Cultural Plan strategies. Some tactics are singular actions, while others require longer term development to fully achieve the objective. IMPLEMENTATION TACTICS Retain and Develop Signature Events TACTIC SUCCESS MEASURE 1 Designate Salute to the USA as a signature event, secure funding Sustained number of attendees of approximately 19,000 persons; High Net Promoter Score 2 Annually evaluate special events as potential Signature Events Signature event criteria applied PAGE 5 OF 11

6 IMPLEMENTATION TACTICS Develop and Support a Portfolio of Diverse Special Events TACTIC SUCCESS MEASURE Determine gaps in event calendar and types of events desired; solicit events to fill gaps With the Creative Founding Committee, identify activities, both standalone and which can interface with special events Attract and develop special events, including entertainment, educational, artistic and recreational, which enhance and contribute to strengthen Avon's reputation and have a positive impact on businesses and the community. Develop and implement a strategy to attract two (2) annual major music events which feature A-list talent, including but not limited to releasing a RFP to hire a promoter and accelerating funding and contracting for these music events Develop and implement a strategy to attract one (1) more top special event, such as a literary, film and/or thought festival. Ensure that the special event funding and use of facilities are commensurate with the investment of public funds. Ensure that events are sustainable: Implement sustainability requirements, including but not limited to: Event pro forma presents projection of profitability in three (3) years; environmental practices at the event; funds are leveraged with a significant ratio of sponsorship and vendor sales Annually assess whether any special events should be designated as a Signature Event 12-month calendar; diverse events Increased cultural interactivity; and creative activities provided in event production elements Number and type of events; Post-Event Reports; MuniRev and Innotopia Data; High Net Promoter Score Major music events are held successfully, with annual attendance growth, as evaluated through Post-Event Reporting A top special event is held successfully, with annual attendance growth, as evaluated through Post-Event Reporting Post-Event Report, with budget/actual information Applications from producers meet sustainability criteria; Post-Event Reports Review of Post-Event Surveys 9 Develop an Entertainment District, which includes the Avon Performance Pavilion, Nottingham Park s upper field and adjacent eastern properties and the Main Street Mall. District established IMPLEMENTATION TACTICS PAGE 6 OF 11

7 Develop and Nurture Community Enrichment Events TACTIC Determine gaps in event calendar and types of community enrichment events desired; solicit events With the Creative Founding Committee, identify activities, both standalone and which can interface with community enrichment events Encourage events to activate within and outside of the venue to create an expanded presence throughout the community and stimulate the participation of the merchants, residents and bars restaurants, and lodges. Ensure that the special event funding and use of facilities are commensurate with the investment of public funds. Ensure that events are sustainable: Implement sustainability requirements, including but not limited to: Event pro forma presents projection of profitability in three (3) years; environmental practices at the event; funds are leveraged with a significant ratio of sponsorship and vendor sales SUCCESS MEASURE 12-month calendar; diverse events Increased cultural interactivity; and creative activities provided in event production elements Post-Event Report; Diversity of participants Post-Event Report, with budget/actual information Applications from producers meet sustainability criteria; Post-Event Reports Establish Avon s Special Events Committee and Coordinate with the Avon Cultural Founding Committee 1 2 TACTIC Develop Special Events standing committee ordinance recommendations for Town Council consideration. Create and maintain civic engagement and active participation of Avon's creatives to maximize and expand cultural resources, enjoyment and opportunities with special events and activities. SUCCESS MEASURE Ordinance adopted by the Town Council and implemented The significance of arts, special events and culture will be raised and leveraged in the Town of Avon; a strong community based alliance will form PAGE 7 OF 11

8 Invest in Facility Development TACTIC SUCCESS MEASURE For all special event venues: Complete a facility evaluation of other similar venues in Colorado constructing a comparative list with Avon s facilities and recommendations for investments. Engage the creative community in identifying art opportunities, such as interactive art, additions of spoken performance, ah haa moments, etc. in the built and performance spaces. Participate as a stakeholder in the Town of Avon Properties Plan, for Tract G, which envisions a cultural/educational/ entrepreneurial/recreational center Evaluation completed and prioritized capital and resource plan developed for funding Avon has a reputation as being creative and culturally rich Participation yields facility development to support the Avon Performance Pavilion, including but limited to restrooms, and enclosed performance space 4 Develop a guide for all venues including potential layouts, size, location, capacity, operational and production requirements. Guide completed and provided to promoters 5 Develop a marketing tool kit for promoting Avon s event venues for different types of cultural events, with maps and pictures to create allure, appeal and attract cultural events Tool kit completed and disseminated Communication, Cooperation and Coordination Communication, cooperation and coordination are essential for the success of Avon s special events and cultural activities. Key guidelines to meet these important, on-going actions include but are not limited to: Engage the Avon community to ensure cultural offerings enrich the resident s quality of life. Ensure that event investments are closely coordinated with the economic needs of the community, with financial input solicited from Avon businesses and the Vail Valley Partnership. Annually provide data from MuniRevs and Innotopia hotel occupancy reports and Post- Event surveys to local businesses. PAGE 8 OF 11

9 Outreach to the local business community and organizations to ensure that event investments have a positive impact and to welcome new ideas or initiatives for events Create an accurate calendar of special events to share with organizations, guests, community members, businesses and other governmental agencies Maintain coordination and communication among Town committees, including the Special Events Committee, Trails Committee, Creative Founding Committee, and with the Vail Valley Partnership, Beaver Creek Resort Company and other Eagle County governmental agencies through staff meetings and announcements Disseminate to the public who are the Town s primary points of contact for funding, administration, production, marketing, communication and facility use Continue to foster a culture that welcomes special events and provides a can do attitude of cooperation between town departments, event producers and local businesses Develop marketing recommendations to assist in successful participation Continue development of producer handbooks for facility use and resource selection Provide written report updates to the Avon Town Council twice per year on special event activity Funding, Application and Post-Event Review Process In keeping with the public trust and economic realities, every event investment will be held to a high level of accountability. It is the responsibility of the Special Events Committee to annually solicit special events and activities through a written Request for Proposals, recommend funding and/or facility dates to the Avon Town Council for approval, attend events and conduct Post- Event surveys to determine event success. The Special Events Committee will: Encourage and recruit independent event organizers to produce events in Avon by identifying new possible events, seeking funding for the development of new events, as well as funding consideration for existing events that continue to contribute to the vitality of the community Provide guidance to event producers on date recommendations, event concepts, sponsorship, venue, marketing and any other relevant topics, as appropriate Ensure events support the Avon brand and contribute to community spirit, social cohesion, community engagement and positive experiences. The Committee is entrusted to ensure all events provide measurable results in terms of specific goals: economic impact, optimization of the event calendar, positive community experience and integration, as well as positive Net Promoter Score results that lead to future loyalty. The Committee also will place events not performing up to the stated criteria in the approved application/or event agreement on notice. The process the Committee follows to meet funding, application and post-event review responsibilities is as follows: 1. Makes recommendations to Town Council for changes to the Town of Avon Cultural Plan 2. Provides a request for cultural event funding to the Town Council during budget preparation 3. Identifies specific changes to calendar dates and/or types of special events and activities which the Committee would like to attract to Avon 4. Develops the application form(s), which include, at a minimum: PAGE 9 OF 11

10 Committee s Evaluation Criteria and Scorecard for applicants Requirements for environmentally sustainable event practices in order to preserve our surrounding environment. Three (3) year projection of attendance and funding requests; with statement regarding ability to reach profitability within three (3) years Previous year s event actuals and next year event budget Marketing program and expenditures to meet marketing requirements set forth by the Committee Post-event Report i. Intercept or Post-Event report and analysis ii. Total attendance versus projected iii. Actual versus budget financials iv. Statement of successes and challenges v. Meeting with the Committee prior to release of final Town monies, if awarded 5. Releases a Request for Proposals 6. Receives and vets applications making funding recommendations to the Town Council 7. Monitors events once funded 8. Oversees Town s post-event survey process and results The event recap template is comprehensive and serves as a detailed guideline for the event producer to present results, successes and areas for improvement for his/her event and build partnership with the Town for a future event Each event recap answers these strategic questions as well as others and is accompanied by a detailed report on specifics: Did the event investment increase Avon's economic performance? Is the event investment being fully leveraged to increase both revenue and marketing reach? Does this event contribute to a strong sense of community and better quality of life? What is the potential for event growth? How did the event results meet the AHSEC scorecard criteria? Was the event budget maximized for best results? 9. Annually presents a cultural events summary report to the Town Council PAGE 10 OF 11

11 Avon Town Council & Ad Hoc Special Events Committee Avon Town Council Jennie Fancher, Mayor Sarah Smith Hymes, Mayor Pro tem Megan Burch, Councilor & AHSEC Liaison Matt Gennett, Councilor Amy Phillips, Councilor Scott Prince, Councilor Jake Wolf, Councilor & AHSEC Liaison Ad Hoc Special Events Committee (AHSEC) Bobby Bank, Chair Lisa Mattis, Vice-chair Tom Butz, Member Pedro Campos, Member Chris Cofelice, Member Derek George, Member Timothy Haley, Member Kathy Ryan, Member Ruth Stanley, Member PAGE 11 OF 11