Arts & Entertainment
Future of Art and All That Jazz in Jeopardy
Annual Burnsville event seeks community donations to keep August event hitting the high notes.
The annual Burnville Arts and All That Jazz event has hit a financial low note and may be canceled for this year.
Event founder Dan Gustafson said that some of the corporate sponsors have withdrawn their support for the event planned for Aug. 19-20.
“We have to make a decision in the next week or two. We have some national acts that are waiting to confirm,” he said.
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A recent post to the organization’s website states:
“The event has always depended on the generosity of our corporate sponsors and a small percentage of food and beverage sales, but the changing economy and priorities for our corporate sponsors have reduced the amount of money available.”
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Gustafson, a member of the Burnsville City Council, said, with a $15,000 budget, he is hoping for community support to save the event that has been held annually on the third weekend of August.
He got the idea for a jazz festival after the Nicollet Commons Park was completed in the Heart of the City. The first event was held in 2004, and has steadily grown in popularity, attracting performers with national name recognition.
“I love jazz, and thought it would be a great place for a jazz festival,” Gustafson said. “It’s sad. We’ve gone from a local event to one that gets national exposure.”
For more information about the event, or how to make a contribution, call 952-201-3507, or send a tax deductible donation to Art and All That Jazz, Inc. 1305 Lacota Lane Burnsville MN 55337.
