News Flash

Durham Seeks Nonprofits to Submit Cultural Festival Request for Proposals

New Application Process Begins This Year; Deadline for Submittals is August 2

DURHAM, N.C.  – If your organization is interested in planning a special event or festival in the Bull City, the City of Durham Cultural and Public Art Program wants to hear from you.

The City’s General Services Department, which administers the Festivals and Special Events Request for Proposals (RFP) application process, is now seeking proposals from qualified entities to support planning projects for the enhancement of new or existing cultural and arts festivals.

The Cultural Advisory Board worked in partnership with the City’s Innovation Team and other City staff to develop new goals and review criteria for this RFP application process. Successful respondents must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Not-for-profit entity
• Suitable experience in festival planning or similar projects
• Sufficient insurance against any potential liabilities
• Adequate financial capacity

“The Cultural Advisory Board worked to integrate new goals that sustain the economic impact of the arts, value equity and inclusion, and embrace the artistic and cultural merits of Durham’s unique festivals and events,”  said Chair Tom Jaynes of the Cultural Advisory Board.

A complete RFP, application, and guidelines can now be found at https://durhamnc.gov/3884/Festival-Funding, or at the General Services Department’s physical location at 2011 Fay Street. Completed packets will be accepted until 3 p.m. on Friday, August 2, 2019. Application packets must be submitted through the online application portal, located on the department’s website at https://durhamnc.gov/3884/Festival-Funding. Three hard copies of the complete RFP packet must also be mailed to the City’s General Services Department, Attention Cultural Festivals RFP, 2011 Fay Street, Durham, N.C. 27704.

For technical questions on the RFP and submission process, email Cultural and Public Art Program Analyst Rebecca Brown with the Arts, Culture, and Sustainable Communities Division of City’s General Services Department at [email protected]. For more information, contact Division Manager Stacey Poston with the Arts, Culture, and Sustainable Communities Division of City’s General Services Department at [email protected] or (919) 560-4197, ext. 21254.

About the City of Durham General Services Department

 The General Services Department builds and maintains City properties to make Durham a great place for people to live, work, and play. Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan, the department’s core functions include the acquisition and sale of properties, design and management of new construction and renovation projects, building maintenance, landscaping and urban forestry services, cemeteries management, sustainability and energy management, cultural and public art program management, and supporting the nonprofit Keep Durham Beautiful.

About the City of Durham Cultural Advisory Board 

The Cultural Advisory Board serves as an advisory board to the City Council and the City Manager, and its functions include: assisting the City’s General Services Department on matters related to the Cultural Master Plan; advising the City on funding for local arts and cultural organizations; and the promotion of economic and workforce development through arts and culture, including the recruitment and retention of cultural non-profit organizations and for-profit cultural businesses.

To further help artists connect with opportunities, the City has a Durham Calls for Artists page on its website, which lists a number of upcoming opportunities for artists in and around Durham. Artists and other stakeholders who would like to be notified of current and future art-related opportunities and news can now sign up for alerts through the Cultural and Public Art mailing list. For more information about the City’s Public Art Program, visit the City’s public art web page. Artists interested in more information about the Public Art program may also contact Special Projects Manager Stacey Poston with the Arts, Culture, and Sustainable Communities Division of City’s General Services Department at (919) 560-4197, ext. 21254 or by email.