Lansing, Mich. (Nov. 13, 2012) - Several festivals produced by Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art (MICA) were recognized for their event marketing excellence recently in the Michigan Festivals and Events Association's MichiganFun Awards.
Local festivals Old Town BluesFest, Michigan Mosaic Music Festival, and Lansing JazzFest walked away with seven awards in the "promotion budget under $15,000" category, including being named "best of the best" of all entries for a collage of photographs documenting the performers at 2012's Lansing JazzFest.
Awards included:
- 1st place & "Best of the Best," event photograph collage: Lansing JazzFest 2012 performers
- 1st place, social media marketing: Lansing JazzFest 2012 Facebook and Twitter
- 1st place, best partnership: Tripp's Autoshop - Michigan Mosaic Music Festival 2012
- 1st place, website: Michigan Mosaic Music Festival 2012
- 2nd place, best green practice: Old Town BluesFest 2011
- 3rd place, promotional poster: Old Town BluesFest 2011
The photography collage presents Lansing JazzFest performers sharing their craft, as captured by photographers Miriam Garcia, Mike Lewycky, and Robert McGowan.
"I was completely surprised and overjoyed in the way each photographer illustrated the feeling and vibe of the festival," said Paul Schmidt, production director of UnoDeuce Multimedia and JazzFest documentation chair. "It was an honor to work with them and for them to receive this recognition."
JazzFest's social media marketing boasted almost 1,800 Facebook fans and over 700 Twitter followers.
The "best partnership" was between Mosaic and Tripp's Autoshop & Collision Centers, the new title sponsor of the festival for 2012.
"We are proud to be the title sponsor of the Michigan Mosaic Music Festival," said Phil Tripp, owner of Tripp's Autoshop.
This partnership provided funding for entertainment booking and promotion; Tripp's had their own commercial produced promoting Mosaic and paid to have it run during the 2012 Summer Olympics.
"Our partnership with Tripp's is one of the best we've ever developed," said Therese Roth, director of sponsorship development for the festival. "Their support made it possible for us to increase attendance and quality and provide a wonderful time for so many over Labor Day weekend."
The website was developed by The Media Advantage, with artwork developed by local creative firm MessageMakers.
"To reflect Mosaic's country music focus, I worked to create a rustic yet clean and modern look," said Andy Doerr, graphic designer for the site. "The decorative flourishes reflect the performances of the dancers and other cultural entertainers."
"It's great to see small communities like Old Town Lansing recognized for their dedication to sustainability and event greening," said Erin Slayter of The Sweaty Mouse, greening chair of the BluesFest. "So many organizations like MICA are making the effort with little or no budget simply because they understand the importance of protecting our environment for future generations. These efforts most certainly deserve recognition."
The winning BluesFest poster features an illustration of a blues diva, performing with the buildings of Old Town as her jewelry. The iconic artwork was produced by local favorite Dennis Preston, known for his caricature work as well as his illustrations. The poster was designed by local creative firm MessageMakers.
The Michigan Festivals and Events Association (MFEA) is a statewide organization serving communities and volunteers throughout Michigan, promoting local events, festivals and destinations throughout the Midwest and providing technical assistance, training, and education to its 800 members. MFEA's MichiganFun Awards acknowledge the skill, creativity, and resourcefulness of members' event marketing efforts.
Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art is a 501(c)3 federally tax-exempt nonprofit organization serving as a catalyst for community development through quality arts programming, such as Lansing JazzFest, Michigan Mosaic Music Festival, and Old Town BluesFest. See www.micharts.org or call 517-371-4600 for more information.