The Delta State University Foundation and the city of Cleveland are still in the running to bring a 10-week live music series to town in the fall of 2015.
Sponsored by Levitt Pavilions, the national nonprofit behind the largest free concert series in America, and Delta State University Foundation, the hope is to qualify Cleveland as one of the 10 winning organizations competing in the Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards.
The program is an exciting, new matching grant opportunity created by Levitt Pavilions to serve small to mid-sized towns and cities up to 400,000 people. Ten nonprofits, or municipalities partnering with a nonprofit, will receive up to $25,000 each in matching funds to produce their own Levitt AMP Music Series — an outdoor, free concert series featuring a diverse lineup of professional musicians.
The Delta State University Foundation submitted the application for Cleveland, coined Concerts on the Crosstie. It has been approved and is now posted on the Levitt Pavilions website for public viewing.
The proposal Cleveland is now posted on the Levitt Pavilions website for public voting. The proposed venue site is the downtown Cleveland Walking Trail (Crosstie Walk) near College Street.
A successful campaign depends on community participation to get as many online votes as possible to bring the concert series to town. Community support, as measured by the number of online votes received, will be one of the key factors when Levitt Pavilions selects the 10 winners.
Supporters are asked to visit http://amp.levittpavilions.org/voter-registration-page to register and vote. Online public voting is open now and ends Nov. 30 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. The Top 20 finalists will be selected through online public voting. Levitt Pavilions will then review the Top 20 in December and the 10 winners will be announced Dec. 15, 2014.
Robin Boyles, director of Delta State’s Office of Institutional Grants, said this is a great opportunity for both the university and local citizens.
“The concert series will be an opportunity to engage the entire community of Cleveland in advancing the creative place-making and creative economy of this great town,” said Boyles. “The railroad tracks that used to lie where the Crosstie Walking Trail is now once separated communities, neighborhoods and their people — now people will be coming together. It is fitting to hold a music series in this location as ‘music connects people.’”
Delta State University Foundation asks supporters to start spreading the word to family, friends, colleagues and neighbors ‑ to rally the community’s votes for Cleveland’s proposal.
Learn more at http://amp.levittpavilions.org/.
