Project Name: Farm to Fiddles
What is your first and last name?
Sarah Ayers
What are your preferred pronouns?
She/her/hers
What city or village do you live in?
[534]Does your neighborhood have a name? If so what is it?
[535]Are you connected with anyone in your local government?
[536]Are you applying as a business owner, artist, non-profit, DDA, or Commercial Improvement District?
[280]Where will your project take place?
Village of Marcellus Downtown Corridor
Briefly describe your project idea:
We, the DDA, will partner with local farms, artists, businesses, and bands to showcase music and rural farm life. As we look to broaden the DDAs community engagement, this approachable event will serve as a way for residents to gather, celebrate, and learn how to engage with our local leaders.
How will you be involved in this project? Who will you worth with?
Providing this event for free, our community members will have an opportunity to casually approach municipal leadership, support local businesses, and gather for a day of fun, food, and music! This will support not only our business community but our artistic community, agricultural community, and our incredible residents!
Describe the artist’s or artists’ work. This is not about credentials—what do they do as an artist?
Tony Ruacho is a diverse and experimental multi-media artist that would be leading the musical coordination of the event.
Please upload a letter of support for your project from your local governing body:
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Additional Attachments (if any)
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Why does your community need this project?
With a population of 1200 residents, Marcellus’s downtown corridor has long since been on a downward decline with very few remaining businesses. In an attempt to re-energize our downtown corridor, the DDA is actively seeking ways to recruit volunteers, broaden relationships, encourage remaining businesses, and demonstrate to residents that we can come back! Having recently secured funding for downtown beautification projects and working toward business recruitment, this funding would be a huge jumpstart to a brighter and better downtown Marcellus!
What do you hope to achieve through this project?
We hope to:
celebrate our local artistic talent
showcase our local agricultural community
demonstrate the DDA’s presence in the downtown corridor
increase interest and civic participation
have fun!
The residents of the Village of Marcellus have been through a lot trying to sustain a small agricultural community in the face of big box stores, amazon, and a changing downtown landscape. Their fortitude and hard-working attitude have kept the town alive and we as the DDA want to recognize that and give folks a reason to let loose, mingle and meet their neighbors, and celebrate their dedication to the community.
How do you plan to spend the $5,000 microgrant?
The $5000 grant money will include:
paying for five local bands
advertising in local newspapers and online
cover temporary food permits for the festivities
offset costs incurred by local farmers in an attempt to expand accessibility in participation
What resources do you already have to make this project successful? Resources could include things like time, partners, expertise, donated goods/materials/space, matching funds, and more. Please approximate the in-kind value if possible.
DDA Member Seth Carlson has organized Farm to Fiddle events in the past.
Economic Development Director Sarah Ayers brings 20 years of cultural event planning.
DDA Chair Kay McAdam is a journalist that can spread the word/provide advertising
Will your project require special permits from the community you are in? For example, anything that requires a street closure or installing a permanent art piece will likely require a special permit from your local governing body or zoning board. If your project is funded, the MML Foundation is happy to help you navigate that process. Please note that all applicants must obtain any necessary permits for their projects, if selected for funding. *
No
Anticipated project launch date:
October 6, 2023
Will you serve as the primary point of contact for this application?
[291]Lead Artist First and Last Name:
Tony Ruacho
Lead Artist Website (If Applicable):
Business 1: Business Name:
Patch & Remington
Business 1: Business Type:
Art gallery
Business 1: Business Owner First and Last Name:
Sarah Ayers
Business 1: Physical Location Address
115 E. Main Street, Marcellus MI
Business 1: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
Business 1: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
Business 1: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
Business 2: Business Name:
Marcellus News
Business 2: Business Type:
Newspaper Office
Business 2: Business Owner First and Last Name:
Kay McAdam
Business 2: Business Physical Location Address:
149 E. Main St, Marcellus, MI
Business 2: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
Business 2: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
Business 2: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
Business 3: Business Name:
[325]Business 3: Business Type:
[507]Business 3: Business Owner First and Last Name:
[326]Business 3: Physical Location Address
[327]Business 3: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
[374]Business 3: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
[373]Business 3: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
[383]Please list the names of any additional partners:
[336]Image Caption 1 (if any): Downtown Marcellus
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Image Caption 2 (if any): Downtown Marcellus during Event
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