HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.2 Classic Affair Event CITY OF DUBLIN
HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION
AGENDA STATEMENT
MEETING DATE: November 13, 2003
SUBJECT: Classic Affair Event
ATTACHMENTS: None '
RECOMMENDATION: - Receive report and support Staff recommendation to cancel the
event.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None
DESCRIPTION: The "Classic Affair" is a cultural arts event designed to showcase
local artists and give the City of Dublin a more formal special event. Although the event was created as a
"kick-off' to the Summer Concert Series, it has transformed into more of an art exhibition and musical
performance. The event was first held in June of 2001 and was again held in June of 2002 and May of
2003. The event has featured gourmet food, wine and champagne tasting, instrumental music, and an
exhibition of local artists. This past year the City partnered with the Dublin Senior Foundation to
coordinate a silent auction to benefit the Foundation and generate more interest in the senior citizen
population.
After three years, attendance at the event has remained low. Additionally interest in the event by artists
and sponsors has declined. Table 1 below summarizes the attendance and cost to the City over the past
three years:
Table 1 —Classic Affair Attendance and Cost Summa
2003 2002 2001
Total Expenditures $6,643 $5,326 $5,571
Total Revenue $1,410 $710 " $1,170
Cost to City $5,233 $4,616 $4,401
Tickets Sold 47 24 41
Artist Tickets (Comp) 11 11 14
Volunteer/Sponsor Tickets (Comp) 9 11 20
Total Attendance 67 46 75
Cost per Participant $78 $100 $59
As shown in Table 1, each year the event has generated a significant cost to the City. Although $5,200
may not seem like a large cost in comparison with the total Special Events budget, it is a fairly significant
cost when you consider the number of participants served by the event. The cost per person has averaged
$79 over the past three years.
COPIES TO:
ITEM NO. 8.2
G:\HERITAGE COMMISSION\AGENDA STMTS\2003\11-13 Classic Afair.DOC
The low attendance has continued despite a significant effort by Staff to promote the event in the ,
community. These efforts have included newspaper and magazine ads, the Activity Guide, full-color
posters, website postings, targeted direct-mail postcards, presentations to community groups, mailing
flyers with the registration confirmations for other City programs, mailing flyers to over 500 people on the
Senior Center Supporters mailing list,, and distributing promotional materials through the Chamber of
Commerce, Convention&Visitors Bureau, and local wineries.
Typically an event that is going to have longevity will generate community interest and break-even or
have a relatively low net-cost after three years. Despite committing significant Staff time and general
fund money to support this event during the past three years, Staff does not believe the event has the
necessary community support to be a successful event for the City. Therefore Staff recommends
canceling the event in the future and exploring other venues to more effectively expand appreciation of
cultural arts in the community.
This report was also presented to the Parks and Community Services Commission at their October 20th
meeting and they concurred with Staffs recommendation to cancel the event.
RECOMMENDATION: Receive report and support Staff recommendation to cancel the event.
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