Cultural Tourism Initiative

Description

The Cultural Tourism Initiative was created to support projects that expand the linkages between the arts and culture sector and the tourism industry, understanding that the promotion of arts and cultural projects serves to attract new visitors, stimulate local economies, generate new jobs, and create renewed pride and recognition of the value of the arts and cultural heritage of Dallas communities.

The Cultural Tourism Initiative will support projects that increase visitors’ awareness and participation in the City of Dallas arts and cultural resources. In keeping with the objectives of this initiative, priority will be given to projects that will attract and maintain overnight visitors to the City, encouraging extended stays and increased expenditures by visitors. Applicants may consider projects that market existing cultural assets to visitors in a new way or to a new tourism market. Cultural heritage projects will be expected to demonstrate viable tourism marketing strategies to attract visitors from outside the City of Dallas.

We encourage collaborative/partnership projects involving:

• More than a single cultural organization; each partner is expected to actively participate in the development, management, promotion, and financial responsibility of the project.
• Marketing partners such as concierges, restaurants, tour operators, and local publications aimed at the tourism market.
• Partnerships with regional, statewide or adjoining states media to market local events.

Please note that we expect this opportunity to be highly competitive; contract awards will generally be in the $10,000 to $25,000 range. A cash match of 1:1 is required (in-kind services will not be allowed for matching purposes).

Evaluation Criteria

The Cultural Tourism Initiative will only consider applications that have a demonstrated impact in the development of cultural tourism in Dallas as noted above. Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Quality of services: Artistic and cultural merit and innovation in the artistic discipline; organization’s expertise and track record in the field; reasonable and achievable project objectives; impact on cultural tourism; the quality and depth of the partnership involvement of an appropriate tourism partner.
• Need: How great is the City’s need for the services to be provided by the organization through the proposed project? To what extent would procuring these services serve to meet the needs of cultural tourism in Dallas?
• Comparison of private and public support: Has the organization actively pursued or secured funds for the project from the private sector and individual contributors? Is the project budget consistent with the organization’s fiscal resources? Is the project budget cost effective? Please note that OCA will only support up to 50% of the project cash costs, so a minimum of 1:1 cash match is required.
• Cultural Diversity: Does the organization have a demonstrated commitment to cultural diversity in all aspects of its operations, including programs, audience development, board and staff?
• Outcomes: Evaluation plan to measure economic and tourism impact of the project; number of room nights booked for or through the project; number of visitors served by the project; regional, state or national marketing and media coverage as projected in a well-developed marketing and advertising plan with specific and measurable strategies to reach the cultural tourism market.
  

Organization Eligibility Criteria

The Cultural Tourism Initiative is open only to arts and cultural nonprofit organizations based in the City of Dallas that meet the following criteria:

• Have a mission focused on presenting or producing arts and cultural programs
• Have an operational history of at least three years presenting or producing year-round arts and cultural programs
• Have an annual operating budget of at least $75,000, based on prior year actual revenues
• Have at least one paid part-time professional staff person
• Produce a season of arts and cultural programs, exhibitions, performances or publications for the public, consistent with the medium and mission of the organization
• Have a board of directors that represents a broad cross section of the population of the City of Dallas
• Be in compliance with all applicable local, state and federal laws which prohibit discrimination
• Demonstrated and viable community outreach programs
• Demonstrated commitment to cultural diversity in all aspects of the organization’s operations and programming
• Primary focus of the organization’s operations is to provide services to the citizens of Dallas (outside of the cultural tourism project for which the application is being submitted)
• Administrative offices permanently located in the City of Dallas
• Current IRS status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation

Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations that have been awarded cultural services contracts this fiscal year (2006/07) through the Office of Cultural Affairs (Cultural Organization Program, Cultural Projects Program, Neighborhood Touring Program, Cultural Tourism Initiative, Cultural Centers, facility support or any other cultural services contract) may apply, provided the combined total of all City cultural services contract awards and indirect support does not exceed 50% of the contracted organization’s annual operating budget, based on the most recent year’s completed audit.

Ineligible Activities

Consistent with the City of Dallas Cultural Policy, Cultural Tourism Initiative funds may not be used to procure services from organizations that office outside of the City of Dallas, nor can funds be used to procure services from organizations that have not met the terms of prior year cultural services contracts. In addition, city funds may not be used to pay direct costs for:

• Activities which do not have a cultural or artistic focus, or whose primary focus is religious or political in nature
• Projects planned primarily for fundraising purposes
• Activities restricted to an organization’s membership or which do not benefit the general public
• Tuition expenses
• College/university or school projects that are part of a required course or curriculum that does not involve and serve the general public
• Fellowships or contracts to individuals
• Scholarships, cash prizes, purchase awards
• Out-of-city travel
• Underwriting of capital expenditures
• Activities which have occurred prior to the signing of a cultural services contract
• Underwriting of past deficits
• Activities of Dallas-based organizations that occur outside of City limits unless, (a) there is a clear benefit of the activity to the citizens of Dallas; and (b) there are no appropriate facilities within the City of Dallas for the particular activity (in terms of availability, affordability and size); and (c) specific activity locations are approved by the City Office of Cultural Affairs prior to the signing of a contract for services with the organization
• Endowments
• Non-contract related services, lobbying, attorney’s fees, fees for penalties, and fees for incorporation or obtaining tax-exempt status
• Projects already funded through an Office of Cultural Affairs cultural services contract or other city funding

For the Cultural Tourism Initiative, activities that do not have a demonstrated and measurable impact on cultural tourism in Dallas will not be funded.

For more information, contact Charla Sanderson at (214) 670-4065
or Charla Sanderson.