Arts Fest organizers update business community on preparations
by Fili Sagapolutele
Samoa News Correspondent
The business community has started stepping up to assist with preparations for the 10th Pacific Arts Festival.
Although the arts fest organizing committee’s original budget for preparations was $6.1 million, the committee believes the number will go down as final revisions are made at the end of the month.
One of the contributing factors to this is the many “in-kind” donations received by the committee through volunteer labor force, said committee co-chair Fagafaga Daniel Langkilde during Thursday night’s meeting at the Tradewinds Hotel with the Chamber of Commerce.
The meeting discussed preparations for the regional event to be held here July 20-Aug. 2.
“For the past couple of months the business community has really stepped up and offered their assistance and we really appreciate it,” said Fagafaga. “We know that it’s only through this team work not only from the business community but everyone in our community, that we are going to really put this festival together and make it a big success for American Samoa.”
The latest donation was made by Bank of Hawaii yesterday for $50,000 — the first major corporate contribution. And at the meeting on Thursday, Mapu Jamias, who owns a beach resort and bar in Fogagogo, gave the committee a $500 check.
“I don’t have much money but I give it from my heart,” Mapu said.
Fagafaga said all in-kind contributions from businesses and others help with their budget. He said the last budget revisions brought the total amount down to $5.4 million.
“And as we go toward the next revision we are looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of a $3.5-$4 million budget realistically,” he added.
According to the co-chair, the $6.1 million budget was put together by former treasurer Dave Buehler and this was based on models from previous festivals, which included a lot of construction work and personnel costs.
But businesses and the government are helping reduce costs. For example, the Department of Public Works is carrying out construction projects for the festival.
Fletcher Construction, a private company, has offered to provide labor for construction projects and another big local firm will soon provide the same offer, according to the committee.
Also saving the committee money is their rent-free office space from when they were headquartered at Pago Plaza and now at their new location in the Tedi of Samoa Building.
The biggest expenditure so far, estimated to be around $2 million is for logistics, which covers accommodations, transpiration and food.
For personnel, Fagafaga said the committee haven’t had to hire a lot of personnel because a lot of people have been volunteering their time.
One businessman asked during Thursday night’s meeting about rumors circulating that some committee members are receiving huge salaries. Fagafaga said the committee has heard similar rumors, adding that the salaries for the marketing team are funded from the Interior Department’s (DOI) technical assistance grant while salaries for the rest of the staff are funded by ASG.
(DOI awarded $339,000 to be used specifically for personnel, travel, marketing and promotion, which are areas identified by the governor in his technical assistance proposal.)
Fagafaga said the committee is making sure that it knows where every dollar is spent and records are kept because the festival spending will be audited. He said the final budget including expenditures will be released once it is completed and approved by the board.
The committee reminded business members about their corporate package and sponsorship.
Asked about any other monetary donations from local or off-island corporate sponsors, Fagafaga said the committee has visited New Zealand, Hawaii, the West Coast and received a lot of positive feedback. He said many of these corporations are looking at this month to make their official commitment.
Ethan Lake, who works for Blue Sky Communications, said many local companies want to help but don’t want their contribution or donations to end up elsewhere.
Chamber president David Robinson reminded the meeting participants about the importance of this festival to American Samoa because of the economic benefits and the exposure the territory will receive,
He asked businesses with ties off island, such as Pepsi and Toyota, to contact them “to get behind the festival” through corporate support.
“Whether it’s $500 or $5,000 that’s a lot of support,” he added.
Reach the reporter at fili@samoanews.com.
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