The Fort Atkinson Community Band is seeking funding to help pay for operational expenses, according to information released by the organization Thursday.
According to information made available by city officials in February, in 2022, the band received from the city a contribution of $2,500, with those dollars used to fund band operations. In 2023, the city anticipates providing funding for band operations of $1,500. In 2024, the city will discontinue providing a funding contribution to band operations.
City funds that were previously used to support band operations will instead be used to support maintenance in Barrie Park, the information released by the city noted.
“As a mainstay in the city, the band received a small stipend out of the municipal budget to fund the purchase of music and cover the other incidental expenses of running a band. The city of Fort Atkinson administration has decided that they would use the funds that the band has relied on in the past to pay for upkeep and maintenance in Barrie Park,” Community Band Director Wayne Crook wrote in the release.
The community band, which is organized as a nonprofit organization, is seeking additional funding to cover its operating expenses.
“As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the band is now seeking commercial or private sponsorship to help make up the $2,500-plus annual deficit they face without the support from the city. This support would help ensure that the community band can continue to provide free concerts to the community for years to come,” the band director wrote in the release.
According to the release, the Fort Atkinson Community Band this year is completing its 62nd season.
Since its inception, the band has been a fixture in Fort Atkinson each summer, bringing songs from every decade and genre to its audiences, the release noted.
Businesses or individuals interested in sponsoring the band’s future seasons or a specific concert are encouraged to contact Crook by email: info@FortAtkinsonCommunityBand.org.
The Fort Atkinson Community Band performs, in 2021, in the Barrie Park bandshell. The band, in 2022, is completing its 62nd season. File photo/Kim McDarison.
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