economy

Businesses Invited to Join Holiday Arts Tour

The North Central Louisiana Arts Council (NCLAC) is currently planning its 13th Annual Holiday Arts Tour, scheduled for November 19-21, and we would like to invite local businesses to participate as hosts for one or more of our artists. We are making some changes this year to make participation easier:

1. Businesses pay $150 instead of the traditional $250. 2. Businesses apply sales tax and process all art sales. 3. Businesses receive a 20% commission on all art sales.

Your $150 fee will go toward Tour advertising, which is designed to increase tourism and business. Americans for the Arts Economic Prosperity Calculator shows the economic impact of the 2009 Tour was $64,480.

We want to grow the Tour this year and ensure that you recoup your fee. By allowing you to handle art sales, we can keep a better record of just how much the Tour impacts our local economy, but more importantly, we can ensure all artists and businesses are treated equally and that businesses receive a commission on sales.

As a host business, you can also take advantage of these optional benefits:

1. Host businesses who complete and submit their paperwork and fee by September 10 will receive a feature article on NCLAC’s new blog. Visit online at www.nclac.wordpress.com. We will also post photos and logos. Just send them to us at nclac5@gmail.com.

2. Host businesses can be featured prominently in Tour advertisements by sharing the cost with NCLAC. Call Leigh @ 255-1450 for more info.

3. Host businesses who opt to make a tax-deductible donation of an additional $100 or who opt to donate items valued at $100 or more to our Artoberfest Silent Auction will be considered a Tour sponsor and will be thanked publicly in the November 5 issue of the Ruston Daily Leader’s “Art Talk” column.

If you are interested in participating this year, please consider taking advantage of the optional benefits. Otherwise, simply fill out the HAT Business Application Packet along with a check made payable to NCLAC for $150, and deliver or mail to NCLAC by September 17. You can download the Application Packet from our Shared Files below. If you have any questions about participating or donating, please feel free to call Executive Director Leigh Anne Chambers at 318-255-1450, Tuesday-Friday from 9 am to 3 pm.