Downtown Festivals and Events

Summary

The City of Urbana is excited to continue and expand the Downtown Festivals and Events Program. In order to develop, expand, and maintain a diverse range of events that attract visitors, engage residents, and contributing to the overall vibrancy of Downtown Urbana throughout the year, the City is seeking proposals from community partners to organize and operate public festivals and events. Throughout calendar year 2026, the City anticipates funding up to 4 events with a maximum award amount of $20,000 per event, depending on the nature of the proposed events. This program is open to all arts and entertainment festivals and events open to the public, including but not limited to creative writing, dance, film, video, music, theatre, visual arts, crafts, food, performing arts, spoken word, environmental arts, multimedia arts, architectural arts, landscape architecture, and emerging media. Respondents may submit proposals for one or more events.

Full description

The Urbana Arts and Culture Commission supports opportunities to engage all residents with the arts in its many forms, including festivals, events, and public gatherings (“Events”). These Events are essential to the vitality and development of the city and to enhance our quality of life while encouraging economic development, community building, and social tolerance. The City has long offered limited sponsorships of events and festivals through its Public Arts Grants. To increase the number of events, community collaboration, and long-term viability, the Tier III Festival Arts Grants are being incorporated into this request for proposals. In 2023, the City completed the Public Realm Study. The purpose of the Study is to reinvigorate Downtown Urbana by identifying and creating places where the public can gather and be entertained outdoors. To that end, the City will provide financial assistance to organizations planning community-focused Events in the Downtown Business District as defined as the Central TIF District. (see “Boundary Map” attached).

Attachments

• Downtown_Festivals_and_Events.pdf
• Downtown_Festivals_and_Events_Grant_Agreement.pdf
• Central_TIF_-_Aug_2023.pdf

Contact

Email:

vivian.krishnan@urbanail.gov

Phone:

(217)328-8265

Title:

Program Specialist

Address:

[object Object]

Addenda

Addenda tracking is being rolled out. You will receive updates as soon as changes are detected.