About the OPPORTUNITY
Blockbuster & Special Events Fund Mission: To encourage marquee-type blockbuster events — result in regional, statewide and national attendance; include significant collaborations among the local arts and culture community. Eligible applicants must be a nonprofit organization.
Blockbuster Special Event Definition: A Blockbuster Special Event is defined as an arts and cultural event that sustains exceptional and widespread popularity and achieves enormous public participation.
Determination:
The determination to be made with respect to funding events from the Blockbuster & Special Events Fund will be based upon four guiding principles as set forth below:
- The Blockbuster & Special Events shall be of a nature that will result in regional, statewide, and national or international attendance that is planned to result in significant attendance of at least 50,000. Minimum two years of advance planning are preferred to result in this extraordinary attendance.
- The Blockbuster shall include significant participation with local arts organizations. Collaboration with and among the local arts and culture providers is important to the citizens of Orange County.
- The Blockbuster proposal must be financially feasible. Each proposal shall provide details of its process, finances and impact. While “in-kind gifts” are a component of financial feasibility, actual cash sponsorship will be considered as part of the analysis.
- The Blockbuster proposers must have a demonstrated background of successfully handling significant events.
Applicants must be from a nonprofit organization, and demonstrate their history of and capacity to successfully design and implement an event of this magnitude.
Next steps:
Appointments must be made with Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs, for initial discussions. When an applicant has developed a solid business plan, has defined milestones for investment, and has a refined proposal ready, they will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Blockbuster & Special Events Committee. If the Blockbuster & Special Events Committee feels the project has potential, they will arrange for a presentation to the Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Council for future consideration. Blockbuster & Special Events Committee or Advisory Council may request additional information or presentations to arrive at a funding recommendation. Final approval comes from the Board of County Commissioners.
Any successful applicant will be required to sign a contract with Orange County’s fiduciary, United Arts of Central Florida. The agreement details grants-management requirements that ensure the funds are being properly used, and reported on, including a timeline of milestones, collaborative partnerships, event revenue and expenditures, marketing and attendance outcomes, etc.
Ongoing opportunity — Contact: Arts & Cultural Affairs, P.O. Box 1393, Orlando, FL 32803, (407) 836-5540, ArtsandCulturalAffairs@ocfl.net
Funded projects:
- 2020/2019/2018, Creative City Project, IMMERSE
- 2019, Orlando Science Center, Pompeii: The Immortal City
