The Appleton Community Music Foundation has launched its drive to sustain the Mile of Music festival in downtown Appleton.
Formed in 2022, the Appleton Community Foundation launched with a $100,000 donation from the Community Foundation/David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund. That donation was split with $50,000 helping to sustain Mile 9 and $50,000 announced Jan. 24 as part of the public unveiling of the Appleton Community Music Foundation.
The foundation’s goal is to raise $420,000 this year with 100% going directly to covering artist costs and festival expenses.
“ACM’s support, thanks to donations from individuals, businesses and foundations will make a critical difference in ensuring we can stage this unique festival experience for Appleton and the Fox Cities for a long time,” said festival founder Dave Willems, Willems Marketing & Events.
Mile of Music is a free music festival centered around venues in and near downtown Appleton. It annually features up to 200 artists and draws thousands of visitors from throughout the state and country. The festival supports artists with performance fees, hospitality and lodging, free medical care and offers music education events during the festival.
The direct financial impact of the festival on the Appleton economy is $6 million according to Tom Doney of Lucent Health who is president of the Appleton Community Music Foundation. Doney added that he thinks the festival’s contribution to the community’s quality of life is just as important.
Echoing that sentiment was Karli Reisdorf of Natural Satellite, a Menasha-based duo, who played music before, during and after the press conference announcing the ACM Foundation.
“As an artist from this community who plays original music, it’s just incredible all the opportunities (Mile of Music) has given us,” Reisdorf said. “It’s helped us grow to become the musicians we are today. I hope it inspires younger musicians to pick up an instrument and write a song or to be part of it also.”
The existing funding model for the festival includes business and individual sponsorships, in kind support, revenue from the festival and stopgap funding from festival founders to cover shortfalls. Doney said it became apparent that it was time to significantly shift the funding model for the festival in order to ensure its long-term sustainability.
“As we look to the future, it’s our sincere goal to sustain the festival forever,” he said. “Truth is, its not easy to develop and maintain such a unique and growing festival.”
“While the Mile has relied on some past sponsors, individuals and companies who’ve been willing to financially support the effort that has allowed the festival to become the success that it is, really we need buy in from the entire community,” Doney said. “So today we’re asking for the help of everyone who wants to support live music and music education in our community.”
Doney said community members have expressed an interest in supporting the festival financially and the Appleton Community Music Foundation makes it possible. Tax-deductible donations to the ACM Foundation can be made at appletoncommuitymusic.org.
Creation of the ACM Foundation was supported by the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and President/CEO Curt Detjen was credited with providing guidance.
Detjen said the $100,000 donation from the Community Foundation’s Nelson Family Fund is a “strategic investment in our community, our local economic competitiveness, and overall quality of life.”
The volunteer board of directors for the Appleton Community Music Foundation includes President Tom Doney of Lucent Health; Vice President Linda Garvey of Hilton Appleton Paper Valley; Treasurer Rick Stezenski of Grant Thornton; Secretary, Adrienne Hartman of J.J. Keller & Associates; Marc Golde of Rock Garden Studios, Brian Gottlieb of Tundraland; Cathy Harvath of Fox Communities Credit Union; Ann Koenig of 91.1 The Avenue; Nancy Krueger; Connor O’Brien of Legacy Private Trust Co.; Brian Pertl of Lawrence University and Ann Vanevenhoven.
