Bend Cultural Tourism Fund awards $400,000 in grants to 15 local arts and culture organizations

Since its 2015 inception, fund has given over $2 million in grants to over 100 projects

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend Cultural Tourism Commission, a Visit Bend Project overseeing the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund, announced it has awarded $400,000 in funding to 15 local grantee organizations in arts and culture.

The funds announced Tuesday will help local organizations leverage marketing resources to attract more cultural tourists during the shoulder seasons and winter months. Funding begins July 1.

The Bend Cultural Tourism Fund, now in its eighth year, invests in cultural activities that draw visitors from beyond a 50-mile radius, benefiting the local economy and community, funding new activities through the Catalyst Grant program (Intended to support the bold ideas that aren’t yet fully developed, but can demonstrate extraordinary potential for increasing Bend’s off-season cultural tourists), as well as long-standing cultural traditions via the Marketing Grant program (intended to support high quality cultural tourism activities that demonstrate a clear and measurable economic benefit in Bend).

Since its inception in 2015, the BCTF has awarded $2,032,105 for 102 projects. For a full list of past projects and funding amounts, visit the BCTF website here.

“The Bend Cultural Tourism Fund is an important way for Visit Bend to diversify tourism offerings in our city, especially during our shoulder seasons,” Dugan said. “We are thrilled about the grantees, all of whom will bring enriching cultural and arts experiences to Bend as long term investments into our city.”

The Bend Cultural Tourism Commission met Monday, June 5, for its annual grant review meeting, scoring and ranking 32 completed applications (21 Marketing Applications, 11 Catalyst Grant Applications) with a total requested amount of $1,257,075.

The following 15 applicants all scored over 79 points or more (out of 100) in the scoring matrix and were recommended by the commission, then approved by the Visit Bend Board of Directors:

• High Desert Museum
  • $48,000: To fund marketing efforts for "Something in the Woods: Sasquatch in the High Desert," a new exhibit that will use art, science, history, and popular culture to highlight the diverse stories and perspectives around this popular creature in the High Desert.
• Lay It Out Events
  • $42,000: To fund marketing efforts for the Bend Fall Festival's Art in Action Avenue. 
• Scalehouse
  • $30,000: To fund marketing efforts for Bend Design 2023, a two-day creative conference.
• BendFilm
  • $47,000: To fund the marketing efforts for the 20th annual BendFilm Festival.
• The Greenhouse Cabaret
  • $23,000: To fund marketing efforts for four plays and musicals in the shoulder season.
• Bend Yoga Festival, LLC
  • $37,000: To fund marketing efforts for the Bend Yoga Festival, a four-day yoga immersion, with more than 65 yoga intensives, 32 presenters, wellness sessions, photography & art workshops and more.
• 1988 Entertainment LLC
  • $35,000: To fund marketing efforts for shoulder season concerts. 
• OUT Central Oregon
  • $30,000: To fund marketing efforts for WinterPride Fest activities, including Wigs…an Ice Breaker, Welcoming Snocial, Drag Brunch and more.
• Old Mill District
  • $20,000: To fund marketing efforts for three post-Labor Day concerts: Kidz Bop on Sept. 8, Jelly Roll on Sept. 12, and The Counting Crows on Sept. 14.
• Downtown Bend Business Association
  • $20,000: To fund marketing efforts for Downtown Holiday events.
• High Desert Makers
  • $26,500: To fund marketing efforts for the Central Oregon Maker Faire, held at COCC campus in September 2023.
• High Desert Music Collective
  • $9,000: ​​To fund marketing efforts for the HomeGrown Music Festival 2024, the fourth annual High Desert Music Collective’s 4/20 celebration and 2nd annual HomeGrown Music Festival.
• 4 Peaks Presents LLC (Catalyst Grant)
  • $10,000: To fund the research and development of a new October Festival. 
• Central Oregon Center for the Arts (Catalyst Grant)
  • $12,500: To partially fund planning and consulting for COCA, which intends to build a facility that will be Central Oregon's home for the performing and visual arts.
• Vamonos Outside (the Children Forest of Central Oregon)  (Catalyst Grant)
  • $10,000: To fund the first outdoor-focused film festival for Latinx community members.

 ABOUT VISIT BEND: Visit Bend is a non-membership, non-profit economic development organization dedicated to promoting tourism responsibly on behalf of the City of Bend. We’re a leading provider of information on Bend, Oregon hotels, restaurants, activities, and Oregon vacation planning. To learn more or to order a complimentary Official Visitor Guide to Bend, contact Visit Bend at 1-800-949-6086 or visit visitbend.com

ABOUT THE BEND CULTURAL TOURISM FUND: 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. For more information, please see the website at https://culture.visitbend.com.