Agenda Abstract for Joint Meeting Discussion Items

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4 • Visitors Bureau supported ArtsCenter Carrboro with a $2,500 marketing sponsorship. • Visitors Bureau staff successfully worked with editors of OUR STATE magazine to create a feature story on Carrboro in the November 2018 edition. • Production of visitor materials: Carrboro street map and correlating restaurants on Visitor Map which was recently produced by Visitors Bureau staff. • Visitors Center staff makes daily referrals to Carrboro restaurants through the walk-in Visitors Center's daily guests who visit the County's 501 W. Franklin Street Center. • Carrboro's hospitality industry was featured in the 2019 Official Visitor Guide, went to press in December, with the completion of 40,000 editions in January 2019 to be used at RDU Airport and throughout the Triangle. • Successful advertising of Carrboro's breweries during Beer Month promotions. • Carrboro's Hampton Inn was represented at several national meeting planner trade shows attended by Visitors Bureau's staff. • Client gifts purchased by the Visitors Bureau for VIPS were purchased at Cameron's • Public relations support was provided through media contacts on news such as construction, round-about timetable, Orange County Southern Branch Library, and Shelton Square. • Mercato Restaurant was chosen by the Visitors Bureau as an ideal farm-to- fork restaurant using locally sourced products in the Farm to Fork promotional video with the N.C. Department of Agriculture, led by Duarte Morais. Video production will begin in November. • Music Fest organizer Jackie Helvey was featured on the Visitor Bureau's weekly "This is Tourism" on WCHL radio with Ron Stutts, amplifying the Music Fest and Carrboro's overall vibe. • Photo shoots have taken place in Carrboro, from the Visitors Bureau photo team, and for use in publication and online. New to the photo library are images of Carr Mill Mall, Weaver Street Lawn, Elmo's, West Carrboro, Hampton Inn hotel and adjoining shops; and along East Main Street. • Tourism staff has a strong relationship with economic development director, Annette Stone, who sits on the Visitors Bureau's advisory board, and Town and County staff meet regularly. In addition, Mayor Lydia Lavelle is on the Visitors Bureau board and provides important updates on an ongoing basis. (3) Arts Promotion — examples of collaboration The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) office awarded $19,446 (or about 30% of total available funds) to support Carrboro-based projects and programs during the 2018-19 Grants Cycle, to include: • 50% of funds were used for youth-based programs geared towards increasing in-school and after-school access to the arts. • 30% of funds went to Carrboro artists for them to pursue community based programs and professional development opportunities. • 20% of funds went to support the operations expenses of Carrboro-based arts organizations.