City Stages
City Stages is "Birmingham's World Class Music Festival." It was launched on Father's Day weekend 1989 by George McMillan. The first year's festival occupied three stages arranged around downtown's Linn Park. The festival was an immediate success with music lovers and downtown promoters. At the time the idea of holding a major music festival on city streets was relatively novel. It inspired the creation of Atlanta's Music Midtown, Chattanooga's Riverbend Festival, Mobile's BayFest, and others (several of which have been managed by McMillan's company).
Over the years City Stages has grown to a dozen or more stages occupying several blocks of the city. Its growth, however, has been accompanied by financial problems and the festival has reached out for public and private funding to sustain itself.
Management
McMillan formed the Birmingham Cultural and Heritage Foundation, a non-profit organization which produces the festival. The foundation pays McMillan an annual salary and expense account and contracts with his firm, McMillan Associates to manage food vending and secure corporate sponsorships. Festival vice-president Guy McCullough serves as marketing director, and his firm, McCullough Advertising receives approximately $85,000 to promote the festival.
Between 2001 and 2003 the festival was moved to a weekend in May in hopes of milder weather and more flexibility in securing bookings. Inclement weather in each of those years contributed to mounting debts which threatened the continuation of the event. It was returned to its "traditional" Father's Day schedule and the scope was somewhat reduced (while ticket prices crept up incrementally). Talent bookings were pursued more scientifically and fund-raisers were instituted as part of a three-year plan to eliminate the festival's debts.
In 2004 the law firm of Vines & Waldrep signed on as "title sponsors," providing a significant boost to the balance sheet. The firm split the following year, but both successors continued as title sponsors through 2006. Ticket sales continued to fall below expectations and recent festivals have managed only to break even. In 2007 it cut its overall budget to $2.25 million and raised the price of weekend passes to $50. Through fund-raising and benefit concerts, the festival's debts were reduced from over $800,000 to less than $60,000. In 2008 the 20th anniversary festival was given a total of $700,000 in city funding and expected to break even. However, the festival ended 2008 with $168,000 in debt for the year and a total of $400,000. In June 2009 festival organizers asked Birmingham to increase its support of the festival from $300,000 to $550,000, citing a 60% drop in corporate ticket sales.
The festival operates as a non-profit and awards music scholarships for high school seniors and has participated in AmeriCorps' INTUNE program in Smithfield and West End.
Chronology
- 1989 City Stages | 1990 City Stages | 1991 City Stages | 1992 City Stages
- 1993 City Stages | 1994 City Stages | 1995 City Stages | 1996 City Stages
- 1997 City Stages | 1998 City Stages | 1999 City Stages | 2000 City Stages
- 2001 City Stages | 2002 City Stages | 2003 City Stages | 2004 City Stages
- 2005 City Stages | 2006 City Stages | 2007 City Stages | 2008 City Stages
- 2009 City Stages
See also
References
- Pelfrey, David (May 29, 2008) "Hat in Hand: After 20 years, City Stages is still panhandling." Black & White
- Colurso, Mary (July 18, 2008) "Grousing's not the way to build a better City Stages." Birmingham News
- Colurso, Mary (January 23, 2009) "Birmingham's City Stages $168,000 in the red for 2008, about $400,000 total." Birmingham News
- Bryant, Joseph D. (June 16, 2009) "Alabama's City Stages asks Birmingham for $250,000 more." Birmingham News