March 31 deadline for Bend Cultural Tourism Fund applicants

The Bend Cultural Tourism Commission met in January and discussed almost 20 letters of interest received for the first year of the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund. The next step in the process is the application submittals, which are due March 31 by 5:00 pm.

The application is open to organizations with proposals supporting cultural tourism activity in Bend, with priority given to those activities occurring during its shoulder season and winter months. Guidelines, eligibility information and the online application can be found here: http://visitbend.culturegrants.org/

The Commission will review, rank and make grant recommendations for all completed applications at an extended public meeting on May 4, from 9 am to 4 pm. The Commission anticipates awarding over $100,000 in support of cultural tourism activities.

The Commission is pleased, but not surprised, by the amount of cultural activity that occurs in Bend throughout the year. The proposals reflect a wide variety of activities that will be enjoyed by the community as well as encourage visitors from outside the region, with projects including Design Conferences, A Cappella Music Festivals and other creative activities.

The Bend Cultural Tourism Fund (BCTF) is a grant program dedicated to enhancing the local economy through the promotion and cultivation of Bend’s cultural tourism programs, with an emphasis on activities that help attract cultural tourists during the shoulder seasons and winter months, when cultural tourism organizations are most active.