CHA and CADA Announce Remarkable Experience Accelerator Partnership
December 1, 2011 - The Calgary Hotel Association and CADA are pleased to announce The Remarkable Experience Accelerator. This innovative new partnership will invest up to $825,000 DMF dollars over three years to accelerate medium to long-term (at least two years) plans for remarkable downtown arts experiences. The goal is to enhance the emerging story of Calgary as a cultural hotbed and give people even more reasons to visit Calgary as leisure travelers.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi, who has long been an advocate of the arts—especially as a driver of economic development in Calgary believes this is the kind of partnership we, as a community, should consider more often. “Collaboration that creates programs like The Remarkable Experience Accelerator is great to see because it creates cross-sector benefits that start with investment in arts and culture. I’m looking forward to attending some of the amazing downtown experiences that will result from this fund.”
The fund has opened up new opportunities for CADA, says Patti Pon, Director of Resource Development. “The Remarkable Experience Accelerator is another example of how CADA is leveraging public investment from The City of Calgary to create innovative arts development programs to make Calgary a culturally-vibrant city that inspires and engages the world.”
“We believe that an exciting and active arts, festival and events community is integral to a city becoming a must-visit destination,” says Jon Jackson, Director of Marketing, Calgary Hotel Association. “This program will allow us to take our city’s growth to the next level and make our community an internationally-recognized place to live and visit. We will be able to give a few organizations a one of a kind opportunity to grow beyond what they may have been able to do themselves.”
The fund has opened up new opportunities for CADA, says Patti Pon, Director of Resource Development. “The Remarkable Experience Accelerator is another example of how CADA is leveraging public investment from The City of Calgary to create innovative arts development programs to make Calgary a culturally-vibrant city that inspires and engages the world.”
“We believe that an exciting and active arts, festival and events community is integral to a city becoming a must-visit destination,” says Jon Jackson, Director of Marketing, Calgary Hotel Association. “This program will allow us to take our city’s growth to the next level and make our community an internationally-recognized place to live and visit. We will be able to give a few organizations a one of a kind opportunity to grow beyond what they may have been able to do themselves.”
The Remarkable Experience Accelerator is designed to fund applicants whose proposed activities are high-quality, remarkable, cultural experiences that will enhance Calgary's reputation. This unique funding model will nurture relationships with applicants that demonstrate a proven track record, sufficient capacity and a readiness to accelerate the experiences of their audiences. It is intended to provide risk-capital for applicants to enhance and/or build on an existing initiative or program and is not intended to fund single-time programs, projects or events.
The program will place a premium on downtown activity that occurs over long weekends or during the months of January, February or August. Successful applicants will enter into a partnership with Calgary Arts Development for their proposed initiative and vision and will work closely in partnership with CADA to create the best possible conditions for success.
Applicants may be organizations, groups or committees who operate under non-profit or for-profit models and demonstrate a strong contribution to the economic and cultural vibrancy of Calgary's downtown core. Letters of Intent to participate in the program will be received on an invitation-only basis and on a rolling deadline schedule. Interested parties must contact CADA program staff to discuss their initiative and the suitability of being invited to prepare an initial letter of intent.
Interested parties are requested to review the Program Guidelines before contacting Patti Pon at 403-264-5330 ext.103 to discuss the initiative.
