Mission StatementTo research, document, interpret and present the living traditional arts and expressions of everyday life of the folk and ethnic communities of the multi-national Arizona-Sonora region.

The folk and traditional arts are rooted in and reflective of the cultural life of a community.

Community members may share a common ethnic heritage, language, religion, occupation, or geographic region.

National Endowment for the Arts

2012 Festival Dates• October 12, 13, 14

2012 Festival Hours• Friday, October 12: 11am - 10pm

• Saturday, October 13: 11am - 10pm

• Sunday, October 14: 11am - 6pm

Something good happens when people eat, dance, move, make, and experience things together.

BackgroundTucson Meet Yourself is different from other large events: it is a “folklife” festival. This means that our focus is on presenting artists and communities that carry on living traditions rooted in a group’s own definition of identity, artistry, and cultural significance.

The festival has been held each year in Downtown Tucson, Arizona since 1974.

TMY was founded by University of Arizona folklorist and anthropologist Dr. James “Big Jim” Griffith, who in 2011 was honored by the National Endowment for the Arts with a prestigious recognition as a “National Heritage” treasure.

In 2010, TMY underwent a major transformation that doubled the size of the festival,revamped all internal systems, hired staff, and increased local support.

In 2012, TMY was designated by the National Endowment for the Arts as the state of Arizona’s official “folk arts agency” to receive federal funds dedicated to the preservation of living cultural traditions.

In addition to the annual festival, TMY leads several other projects year-round:

• We teach a Folklore Field School to help people document stories of their cultural heritage, in their own voice, through photography, writing, interviews, and exhibits.

• We work with youth in neighborhood-mapping projects to seek out the strengths of cultural knowledge among residents utilizing photography and interview skills.

• We maintain a permanent, accessible, worldwide record of the incredible diversity of cultural practices in our region through the James & Loma Griffith Arizona-Sonora Folklore Digital Archives.

• We present lectures, exhibits, and workshops with several partner organizationsthroughout the Tucson metro area.

TMY funnels the revenue generated at the festival directly back into the local

economy. In 2011, participating ethnic clubs and nonprofit associations raised

collectively $250,000 through their sales at the festival.

Budget at a Glance - 2012

INCOME• Earned Revenue 58,000• Corporate/Business 42,000• Foundations 55,000• Government and Sovereign Nation 65,000

• Individuals 30,000 $250,000

In-Kind Support: $40,000

EXPENSES• Artists/Performers 38,000• Administration 29,000• Security 12,000• Program Production 88,000• Space and Facilities 12,000• Fees and Licenses 7,000• Marketing 23,000• Equipment Rental 41,000 $250,000

Festival FavoritesBack by popular demand, the 2012 festival will include many of the public’s favorites:

• Folk artists demonstrations and sales

• Special pavilions for and performances by Tohono O’odham and Yaqui artisans and dancers

• Lowrider car show

• Sonoran Pavilion, promoting tourism and cultural heritage of our neighboring state

• Tucson Meet Your Soul—African American musical traditions stage at La Placita Village

• Cultural Kitchen, featuring food demos all weekend

• Pima County Meet Yourself and the Common Causeway featuring dozens of county and city services on display, ready to share information and referrals

• Passport to the World which allows children and parents to enhance their experience at the festival by collecting cultural “visas” by visiting and interacting with artists and tradition bearers

And of course, there’s always an

abundance of delicious, inexpensive,

homemade, and authentic ethnic and

American regional foods (after all,

Tucsonans call the festival

affectionately “Tucson EAT Yourself”)

Special Themes & Events at 2012 Festival• 25th Anniversary AIDS Walk – (Sunday morning October 14, 2012) within perimeter of Tucson Meet Yourself footprint in downtown Tucson, culminating in ritual unfolding of NAMES Quilt Panels (national and local) in partnership with Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF).

• Symbols and Traditions of AIDS Activism – exhibit of artifacts and mementos of the folk commu-nity and folk practices that came together around the AIDS crisis starting in the early 1980s, one of the most complex epidemics in modern history (plus complimentary program of lectures, story circles, health prevention education booths, and select performances).

• Quilts Making a Difference – mirroring the 2012 theme of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington D.C. “Creativity and Crisis,” exhibit and activity area including hands-on quilting demonstrations, sewing circles, and storytelling about quilts made to raise awareness about a range of social issues.

• Lowrider Car Club “Dukes” 50th Anniversary – commemorative exhibit, story circles, and special events about the world’s oldest lowrider car club in continuous existence, with over 30 chapter all over the USA (including Tucson) as well as Australia and Japan.

• Lowrider Car Show and Contest (organized by Unidos) – complimented by live auto-parts and modifications demonstrations, story circles, and special events commemorating America’s auto-mobile industry’s unique and authentic folk traditions.

• Kidlore: The Culture of Kids – activity area and educational hands-on programs focused on the traditions of children between the ages of about 6 and 15 such as games, riddles, jokes, pranks, superstitions, rhymes and games played in the school playground; concerned with those activities which are learned and passed on by children to other children.

• Pow Wow 101 – the first installment of TMY’s new statewide folk arts scope “Arizona Tradi-tional Arts” introduces the public to everything they always wanted to know about a pow wow but were afraid to ask: the rules of comportment in this inter-tribal Native gathering, different styles of Northern and Summer drumming and singing, drum maker demonstration, sales of Native crafts, fancy and traditional dancers, and community dance where everyone is welcomed to join.

• Traditions of Caribbean Music and Ritual – (three days of fun, festivities and educational workshops) A local celebration of the many strands and cultural objects and sounds of one of the world’s most exuberant celebrations, the annual Carnival from Trinidad. Authentically led by Tucsonans who hail from the island. Expanded in 2012 to include dress-making demonstrations, calypso, soca, and limbo demonstrations as well as hands-on workshops. Also featuring presentations over three days of other related Afro-Caribbean sounds and rituals—including Puerto Rican “bomba y plena,” Cuban Orisha chanting and drumming, and Jamaican reggae.

Added Value Menu of Benefitsfor Sponsors

• Visibility on Social Media• Company acknowledgement and link

on Facebook (3,000+)• Company acknowledgement and

shout-out on Twitter

• Visibility on Printed Materials• Company logo or mention on Festival Poster

• Company logo or mention on Festival Flyer/Hand Bills

• Company logo on Festival Magazine (3,000)

• Company logo on Festival Program (30,000)

• Company logo on Kids “TMY Passport” (30,000)

• Company logo or mention in Newspaper Ads (AZ Daily Star and Tucson Weekly)

• Visibility in Public Relations• Company mention in media releases

• Company mention in Radio/TV/credits

• Company representative at Press Conference

• Company representatives included in radio/TV interviews

• Visibility during Festival• Company banner at Music/Dance Stage

• Company logo/imaging at Fences

• Company logo or mention in A-Frame signage: thank you donors

• Company logo on Welcome banners (gateways)

• Company logo on Theme Area banners

• Company On-stage recognition by TMY MCs

• Sponsor representative appearance/ greeting on stage

• Company Knick-Knack giveaways at stages

• Company logo on 600 Volunteer t-shirts (limited to 1-3 sponsors of t-shirts only)

• Company logo or company Goodie Bags for all volunteers/vendors/artists (potential impressions: 5,000)

• Hospitality Tent

• Company logo on Folk artists table tops Information Sheets

• Company logo on Shopping bags - TMY store

• Company logo on Garbage boxes

• Visibility on Internet• Company logo on TMY website for

1-year (rotating) : 33,716 unique visitors from July to October 2011

• Company logo on monthly E-Newsletter (rotating) : 6,800 subscribers x 4 months: 27,200 impressions

Customizable depending on fit with festival theme/area of sponsorship, level of sponsorship, and further negotiations

TMY Strategic Advantages

• Tucson Meet Yourself is a not-for-profit organization run by a Board of Directors made up of 11 community leaders, professionals, educators, and local entrepreneurs.

• Tucson Meet Yourself shares a Memorandum of Agreement with the University of Arizona/Southwest Center that loans Dr. Maribel Alvarez (Associate Research Professor) to TMY to serve year-round as Folklorist and Program Director (at no cost to TMY). In addition, the UA provides office space, computer, and administrative support.

• Tucson Meet Yourself is the designated official “folk arts agency” for the state of Arizona as determined by the National Endowment for the Arts. TMY is eligible to receive federal funds dedicated to the preservation of living cultural traditions and to document folk practices and serve folk artists statewide.

• Tucson Meet Yourself is a Member of the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau (MTCVB) and of FEATsAZ (Festival Event Association of Tucson and Southern Arizona) and collaborates regularly with other organizations, festivals, and special events dedicated to promoting a vibrant cultural life for downtown Tucson and the region.

• Tucson Meet Yourself is a trusted and respected organizational brand, with a reputation for attracting one of the most diverse audience demographics in Arizona.

Overview: By the Numbers

• 5 stages and 10 distinct Activities and Theme areas

• 2,500 steps to cover the TMY Festival Trekking Path

• 60 acres of Festival Grounds in Downtown Tucson

• 50 Local Ethnic Food Vendors

• 300 Folk Artists, Musicians, Dancers & Tradition Bearers performing

and demonstrating

• 3,000 volunteers with local cultural clubs presenting and sharing

music, dance, arts, and food

• 500 service volunteers attending to festival logistics

• 100,000+ attendees

• $250,000 raised for Tucson’s folk, ethnic and non-profit and

minority owned business communities

• $250,000 cost to produce the Festival

• $3.1 million of economic impact in local economy over 3 days

• 100% of proceeds reinvested in the local community

• $0 Admission to the free Tucson Meet Yourself Festival

Traditions of Caribbean Musicand RitualThree days of fun, festivities and educational workshops; a local celebration of the many strand, cultural objects and sounds of one of the world’s most exuberant celebrations, the annual Carnival from Trinidad. Authentically led by Tucsonans who hail from the island.

Expanded in 2012 to include dress-making demonstrations, calypso, soca, and limbo demonstrations as well as hands-on workshops. Also featuring presentations over three days of other related Afro-Caribbean sounds and rituals—including Puerto Rican “bomba y plena,” Cuban Orisha chanting and drumming, and Jamaican reggae.

Preparations for Carnival in Trinidad and several other Latin American countries and U.S. and European cities can often take all year—as people gather and organize into units assigned with different duties.

It is believed that Afro-Caribbean slaves mimicked the French’s Carnival and added their own cultural touches, which many considered subversive. This led some governments to ban carnivals and at the same time fostered a culture of underground improvisation—among them, playing drums made out of oil drum’s bottoms. These steelpans are now an iconic feature of Trinidad and Caribbean music and are featured prominently in Tucson Meet Yourself’s own original creation.

Organized and Coordinated by: Richard Noel, master percussionist

Featuring: Sonny Saline, master limbo dancer

Be Involved - Volunteer

For almost 40 years, Tucson Meet Yourself has benefited from the valuable skills and time of volunteers attending to festival logistics. Volunteers are the lifeline of the festival and we could not be successful without their assistance.

Who are our volunteers: Tucson Meet Yourself attracts volunteers from all walks of life and every corner of our community. They include high school students, Pima Community College students and staff, UofA students and staff, Davis-Monthan Air Force personnel, youth and family teams, non-profit supporters, service organization groups, and many individuals.

Number of volunteers: For the past 3 years Tucson Meet Yourself has attracted 350 - 450 volunteers. In 2011, 427 people registered and showed up to volunteer during the three-day festival.

Value of volunteers: Volunteers work an average of 4 hours per person per day. In 2011 volunteers contributed a total of 2784 hours of work. According to the website www.IndependentSector.org, the estimated dollar value of volunteer time is $21.79* per hour for 2011. That amounts to a grand value of $60,663!

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*The estimate helps acknowledge the millions of individuals who dedicate their time, talents, and energy to making a difference. Charitable organizations can use this estimate to quantify the enormous value volunteers provide.