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Published on June 20, 2024
Pima County Invests $400,000 in Cultural and Tourist Attractions to Bolster Local TourismSource: Pima County Official Website

In an effort to boost its profile as a top-tier tourist destination, Pima County is dabbling in the grants game, doling out $400,000 to enrich its cultural and events landscape. According to a recent update from Pima County, the Board of Supervisors unanimously greenlit this handsome chunk of change on June 18 to spruce up the region's attractions and tourism sector during the fiscal year 2024/2025. Twenty-two organizations cut to receive a financial boost, aimed at amping up their programming, events, and exhibits.

Among the beneficiaries is the Tucson Presidio Trust, caretakers of The Presidio Museum, along with the Tucson City of Gastronomy, who are behind the Pueblos del Maiz Fiesta, a fiesta that rolls out a spread of activities and dishes to celebrate the enduring legacy of maize - such is the fabric of culture and tradition woven into the Pima County's culinary tapestry. The Tucson Jazz Festival and the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona are also getting a slice of the fiscal pie, along with a smattering of other organizations devoted to diverse cultural offerings.

"The goal of this funding is to make Pima County a premier destination," Diane Frisch, Director of Attractions & Tourism, said in a statement. She points out that partnerships are at the crux of this initiative, “The organizations we partner with share that mission and work tirelessly to ensure everyone who lives in or visits Pima County is able to find an event or attraction that interests them.”

The cash flow directed towards these cultural establishments is the result of deliberate choices made by the Outside Agency Citizen Review Committee; this six-member squad, handpicked by the Board of Supervisors and County administration is the brains behind the curation of recipients. Armed with presentations that lay bare budgets and obligations, potential funding recipients pitched their value to the committee, which then wagged its influential finger, directing the Attractions & Tourism Department on where to funnel the funds.