Artown Executive Director Beth Macmillan shares the Artown story at the 6^th annual Cultural and Heritage Tourism Symposium Jan. 27 – 29 in Chico, Calif. The session she leads focuses on arts and culture as an economic tool to revive a region, much the way Artown did in Reno. The symposium, produced by the California Cultural and Heritage Tourism Corps, provides educational and networking opportunities to build innovative tourism partnerships, find worthwhile funding opportunities in a challenging economy and collaborate with partners for more profitable marketing exposure.

Check out the details on the California Cultural and Heritage Tourism Corps site.

Considering including your arts or culture event in Artown 2010 and don’t know where to start? Wondering if there’s a list of tips to make your event come off without a hitch? New and returning Artown presenters are encouraged to attend the festival’s Presenter “Support Group” meetings to learn more about including their events in Artown’s annual summer festival. Attendees can get answers to their presenter questions and receive assistance from the festival manager specific to their events.

Where: Artown, 300 E. Second St., Suite 1000, Free parking is available in the building’s parking garage

When: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Jan. 29, Feb. 5 and Feb. 11

Artown’s presenter submission process is Feb. 3 – 17 and is the only opportunity for local arts organizations to submit their events to be a part of the July festival. Artown 2010 is July 1 – 31 and combines more than 400 arts and culture events produced by local arts organizations and artists as well as by Artown.

For more information on Artown and becoming a presenter, visit www.RenoIsArtown.com or call 775-322-1538.   

U.S. Bank’s support of Artown goes beyond July with the recent donation of 60 tickets for the Washoe County high school orchestra students to the Encore Artown event, Itzhak Perlman. The young music enthusiasts are provided a once in a lifetime experience to attend this live performance in the classical tradition and gain a greater appreciation for music as a fine art.

Every high school in the Washoe County School District was provided with tickets to the performance. Students were selected from honor orchestra members or students in each school’s music program. Thanks to U.S. Bank’s contribution, more than 50 students will attend the extraordinary performance, some with a parent or loved one.  

U.S. Bank is an annual Artown festival sponsor supporting youth participation in the arts, notably with the children’s mural showcased each July.