2017 04 18 Festival Development Work Plan
REPORT TO BIN DATE:
April 11, 2017
TO:
BIN Committee
FROM:
Lori Bowie, Director of Recreation
SUBJECT:
PROPOSED 2017 FESTIVAL DEVELOPMENT WORK PLAN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The proposed 2017 Festival Development Work Plan is outlined in this report. The Plan proposes how the $60,000 one-time budget allocated for 2017 (carry forward from 2016) may be distributed among four priority actions: select a Festival Development contractor, create a new grant category for festival funding, develop an Event Kit and streamline the City’s event application and approval processes. The proposal also recommends that a Festival Committee be formed to support these initiatives. RECOMMENDATION: That the proposed 2017 Festival Development Work Plan be approved.
BACKGROUND: Festivals support the City of Port Coquitlam’s vision of a “happy, vibrant, safe community of healthy engaged residents and thriving businesses”. The proposed Festival Development Work Plan for 2017 provides a framework for initiatives and tactical action items that align with the City’s Strategic Plan and Council’s goals of strengthening our sense of community, increasing economic strength and creating a Livable City. The proposed Plan will help us realize the four Cultural Plan goals: 1. Integrate culture into community life; 2. Animate community spaces and optimize facilities; 3. Build capacity and clarify roles; and 4. Enhance communications and marketing.
Community festival delivery by volunteer groups has met with some challenges over the years. During the creation of the Cultural Plan, Council recommended that a Festival Committee be developed to help address these challenges. In order to get a better understanding of the support needed by volunteer festival organizing groups, City staff interviewed organizers of nine festivals taking place in the Port Coquitlam including City-produced festivals and community organized festivals. Four key issues emerged from these interviews. In order for festivals to be sustainable and to grow, community task forces and groups organizing festivals require: 1. Organizational and skill development opportunities, especially in the areas of strategic planning, fundraising, volunteer development, marketing and promotion. 2. Access to venues and public spaces; there is currently a lack of indoor spaces that can accommodate 100 – 200 people. 3. Funding and in-kind support that allows organizations to leverage other funding. For example, seed funding of $2,000 can make a huge difference in small community organizations such as the Hyde Creek Salmon Festival. 4. A streamlined event permit application process; a one-stop shop with one City contact and clear event expectations and conditions for approval. Establishing an external (community-based) Festival Committee was proposed for 2016. This initiative and the allocated funding were carried forward to 2017 to be led by the new Manager of Cultural Development and Community Services. DISCUSSION: The first draft of the 2017 Festival Development Work Plan was presented to 27 members of the Cultural Roundtable in order to test the relevance of the Plan’s priorities and receive feedback from the community. Positive feedback was obtained through focus group discussions. Specific comments were voiced regarding the importance of developing a festival strategy, funding community festivals, creating a festival and event tool kit, and ensuring that there is a paid contractor to champion festival development. A number of the focus group members may be interested in participating in a Festival Committee. The 2017 Work Plan, detailed in the table, below outlines initiatives and opportunities that will build upon Port Coquitlam’s current festivals attract new festivals and help to maximize return on investment for the community — culturally, economically and socially. 2017 Festival Development Work Plan (Budget: $60,000) Action Contract Festival Development Contractor
Budget 2017 $25,000
Timeline Expected Outcome Q2
Develop a 3-year Festival Strategy including: Festival Funding Guidelines and guidelines for measuring event and festival impacts and benefits Provide festival information and resources such as a PoCo Events and Festival Tool Kit
Action
Budget 2017
Timeline Expected Outcome
Create a Festival Committee
N/A
Q2
Provide funding for $20,000 festivals by expanding the Community Cultural Development Funding to include a category for festivals
Q2
Promote festival funding Produce festival development workshops – event planning, fundraising, volunteer development, marketing and promotion Liaise with the City and guide organizing groups regarding sponsorship opportunities and development for community festivals and events Assist organizing groups with volunteer recruitment and liaise with the City’s Volunteer Services staff Guide Festival Strategy and ensure initiatives are community-relevant Assist with the planning of a Festival Strategy and Action Plan that outlines initiatives to implement over the next 3 years Identify the assistance and support community organizing groups require from the City and other resources Review not-for-profit organization opportunities to develop a society that oversees festival and cultural development for the City (similar to the Sports Alliance) and put forward a plan to ensure that the society is sustainable Assist with the development of Festival Development Workshops Stimulate excellence in festival programming Promote funding to attract new festivals Enable organizations to leverage other funding sources Provide guidelines for measuring and reporting benefits Explore options to increase festival funding by an additional $10,000 from the CCD fund or include festivals as a category in the CCD grant and increase the total to $65,000 annually. (Cultural Development Grant funding has been distributed up to $35,000 of the $45,000 available, over the past three years)
Action Streamlined Event Permit Process
Budget 2017 $2,500
Timeline Expected Outcome Q3
Develop new online event guidelines outlining costs and responsibilities along with an online application process for festival and event permits Online content will be created in collaboration with Communications and Information Services Permit review team will involve Parks, RCMP, Planning, Events, Facilities and other divisions such as Bylaw Services as needed Offer a one-stop application approval process for events that will be held on City property – one City staff contact from the Cultural Development and Community Services Division will receive applications, support applicants and coordinate permit approval with review team (road closures, use of public spaces, signage approval, etc.) Applications will also identify support requested from the City – street sweeping, garbage bin delivery and pick up, signage posting, set up and take down, electrical, equipment, etc. City will identify what support can be provided inkind and what fees may be applied based on resources available
Promote Festival Funding and Calendar of City Festivals
$2,500
Q3-4
Attract new festivals Brand the City as a fun place to live Work in collaboration with Communications and Information Services
Festival Workshops
$5,000
Q4
Deliver two Festival Development Workshops in Fall 2018
Festival Tool Kit
$5,000
Q4
Create and distribute a Festival Tool Kit for community groups (event planning template, event permit checklist, information about grant opportunities, site plan template, list of community resources, sources for equipment rental, etc.)
Expected Outcomes: Implementation of the proposed 2017 Festival Development Work Plan is expected to achieve the outcomes listed below:
Increase the capacity of local organizations to produce events and festivals, specifically in the areas of planning, fundraising, marketing and promoting;
Animate public spaces and maximizing facility use;
Increase the number of visitors and the amount that visitors spend, specifically in the downtown core;
Attract new festivals and events to Port Coquitlam; and
Develop key performance indicators to measure the success of festivals and events.
SUMMARY The proposed 2017 Festival Development Work Plan responds to the strong interest in the community to further develop existing festivals and to increase the number of festivals and events in the City. It provides the framework for successfully implementing initiatives to provide the community with the information, expertise, tools and resources necessary to attract and develop festivals in Port Coquitlam. If approved, the early impacts of the 2017 Festival Development Work Plan will help to inform recommendations for the 2018 budget process. Prepared by Carrie Nimmo, Manager of Cultural Development and Community Services Approved by Lori Bowie, Director of Recreation
Attachment:
List of Current Festivals and City support (in-kind and cash)
List of Port Coquitlam Festivals
The following is a list of Port Coquitlam Festivals. In order to be considered a festival, the event must be a celebration, with a specific theme, and an organized series of events taking place over several hours, usually held annually in the same location. The following festivals are produced by the City of Port Coquitlam:
May Day
Canada Day
Rivers and Trails Festival
PoCo Grand Prix
The City also supports the following festivals produced by community groups:
Hyde Creek Salmon Festival: in kind and $2,500 cash
The Polish Cultural and Heritage Day: in kind and $2,500 with CCD grant
The Annual Downtown Car Show (in-kind)
PoCo Heritage Christmas Tree Festival (in-kind)
Other community festivals include:
CDMF Performing Arts Festival
Port Coquitlam Winter Blues Festival (new Rotary event for 2017)
April 11, 2017
TO:
BIN Committee
FROM:
Lori Bowie, Director of Recreation
SUBJECT:
PROPOSED 2017 FESTIVAL DEVELOPMENT WORK PLAN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The proposed 2017 Festival Development Work Plan is outlined in this report. The Plan proposes how the $60,000 one-time budget allocated for 2017 (carry forward from 2016) may be distributed among four priority actions: select a Festival Development contractor, create a new grant category for festival funding, develop an Event Kit and streamline the City’s event application and approval processes. The proposal also recommends that a Festival Committee be formed to support these initiatives. RECOMMENDATION: That the proposed 2017 Festival Development Work Plan be approved.
BACKGROUND: Festivals support the City of Port Coquitlam’s vision of a “happy, vibrant, safe community of healthy engaged residents and thriving businesses”. The proposed Festival Development Work Plan for 2017 provides a framework for initiatives and tactical action items that align with the City’s Strategic Plan and Council’s goals of strengthening our sense of community, increasing economic strength and creating a Livable City. The proposed Plan will help us realize the four Cultural Plan goals: 1. Integrate culture into community life; 2. Animate community spaces and optimize facilities; 3. Build capacity and clarify roles; and 4. Enhance communications and marketing.
Community festival delivery by volunteer groups has met with some challenges over the years. During the creation of the Cultural Plan, Council recommended that a Festival Committee be developed to help address these challenges. In order to get a better understanding of the support needed by volunteer festival organizing groups, City staff interviewed organizers of nine festivals taking place in the Port Coquitlam including City-produced festivals and community organized festivals. Four key issues emerged from these interviews. In order for festivals to be sustainable and to grow, community task forces and groups organizing festivals require: 1. Organizational and skill development opportunities, especially in the areas of strategic planning, fundraising, volunteer development, marketing and promotion. 2. Access to venues and public spaces; there is currently a lack of indoor spaces that can accommodate 100 – 200 people. 3. Funding and in-kind support that allows organizations to leverage other funding. For example, seed funding of $2,000 can make a huge difference in small community organizations such as the Hyde Creek Salmon Festival. 4. A streamlined event permit application process; a one-stop shop with one City contact and clear event expectations and conditions for approval. Establishing an external (community-based) Festival Committee was proposed for 2016. This initiative and the allocated funding were carried forward to 2017 to be led by the new Manager of Cultural Development and Community Services. DISCUSSION: The first draft of the 2017 Festival Development Work Plan was presented to 27 members of the Cultural Roundtable in order to test the relevance of the Plan’s priorities and receive feedback from the community. Positive feedback was obtained through focus group discussions. Specific comments were voiced regarding the importance of developing a festival strategy, funding community festivals, creating a festival and event tool kit, and ensuring that there is a paid contractor to champion festival development. A number of the focus group members may be interested in participating in a Festival Committee. The 2017 Work Plan, detailed in the table, below outlines initiatives and opportunities that will build upon Port Coquitlam’s current festivals attract new festivals and help to maximize return on investment for the community — culturally, economically and socially. 2017 Festival Development Work Plan (Budget: $60,000) Action Contract Festival Development Contractor
Budget 2017 $25,000
Timeline Expected Outcome Q2
Develop a 3-year Festival Strategy including: Festival Funding Guidelines and guidelines for measuring event and festival impacts and benefits Provide festival information and resources such as a PoCo Events and Festival Tool Kit
Action
Budget 2017
Timeline Expected Outcome
Create a Festival Committee
N/A
Q2
Provide funding for $20,000 festivals by expanding the Community Cultural Development Funding to include a category for festivals
Q2
Promote festival funding Produce festival development workshops – event planning, fundraising, volunteer development, marketing and promotion Liaise with the City and guide organizing groups regarding sponsorship opportunities and development for community festivals and events Assist organizing groups with volunteer recruitment and liaise with the City’s Volunteer Services staff Guide Festival Strategy and ensure initiatives are community-relevant Assist with the planning of a Festival Strategy and Action Plan that outlines initiatives to implement over the next 3 years Identify the assistance and support community organizing groups require from the City and other resources Review not-for-profit organization opportunities to develop a society that oversees festival and cultural development for the City (similar to the Sports Alliance) and put forward a plan to ensure that the society is sustainable Assist with the development of Festival Development Workshops Stimulate excellence in festival programming Promote funding to attract new festivals Enable organizations to leverage other funding sources Provide guidelines for measuring and reporting benefits Explore options to increase festival funding by an additional $10,000 from the CCD fund or include festivals as a category in the CCD grant and increase the total to $65,000 annually. (Cultural Development Grant funding has been distributed up to $35,000 of the $45,000 available, over the past three years)
Action Streamlined Event Permit Process
Budget 2017 $2,500
Timeline Expected Outcome Q3
Develop new online event guidelines outlining costs and responsibilities along with an online application process for festival and event permits Online content will be created in collaboration with Communications and Information Services Permit review team will involve Parks, RCMP, Planning, Events, Facilities and other divisions such as Bylaw Services as needed Offer a one-stop application approval process for events that will be held on City property – one City staff contact from the Cultural Development and Community Services Division will receive applications, support applicants and coordinate permit approval with review team (road closures, use of public spaces, signage approval, etc.) Applications will also identify support requested from the City – street sweeping, garbage bin delivery and pick up, signage posting, set up and take down, electrical, equipment, etc. City will identify what support can be provided inkind and what fees may be applied based on resources available
Promote Festival Funding and Calendar of City Festivals
$2,500
Q3-4
Attract new festivals Brand the City as a fun place to live Work in collaboration with Communications and Information Services
Festival Workshops
$5,000
Q4
Deliver two Festival Development Workshops in Fall 2018
Festival Tool Kit
$5,000
Q4
Create and distribute a Festival Tool Kit for community groups (event planning template, event permit checklist, information about grant opportunities, site plan template, list of community resources, sources for equipment rental, etc.)
Expected Outcomes: Implementation of the proposed 2017 Festival Development Work Plan is expected to achieve the outcomes listed below:
Increase the capacity of local organizations to produce events and festivals, specifically in the areas of planning, fundraising, marketing and promoting;
Animate public spaces and maximizing facility use;
Increase the number of visitors and the amount that visitors spend, specifically in the downtown core;
Attract new festivals and events to Port Coquitlam; and
Develop key performance indicators to measure the success of festivals and events.
SUMMARY The proposed 2017 Festival Development Work Plan responds to the strong interest in the community to further develop existing festivals and to increase the number of festivals and events in the City. It provides the framework for successfully implementing initiatives to provide the community with the information, expertise, tools and resources necessary to attract and develop festivals in Port Coquitlam. If approved, the early impacts of the 2017 Festival Development Work Plan will help to inform recommendations for the 2018 budget process. Prepared by Carrie Nimmo, Manager of Cultural Development and Community Services Approved by Lori Bowie, Director of Recreation
Attachment:
List of Current Festivals and City support (in-kind and cash)
List of Port Coquitlam Festivals
The following is a list of Port Coquitlam Festivals. In order to be considered a festival, the event must be a celebration, with a specific theme, and an organized series of events taking place over several hours, usually held annually in the same location. The following festivals are produced by the City of Port Coquitlam:
May Day
Canada Day
Rivers and Trails Festival
PoCo Grand Prix
The City also supports the following festivals produced by community groups:
Hyde Creek Salmon Festival: in kind and $2,500 cash
The Polish Cultural and Heritage Day: in kind and $2,500 with CCD grant
The Annual Downtown Car Show (in-kind)
PoCo Heritage Christmas Tree Festival (in-kind)
Other community festivals include:
CDMF Performing Arts Festival
Port Coquitlam Winter Blues Festival (new Rotary event for 2017)
