Free Movie Event in Sims Park Seeks Sponsorships

Press release submitted by Lia Gallegos

The City of New Port Richey’s Cultural Affairs Committee receives a small annual budget from the City of New Port Richey to facilitate cultural activities within the City. This budget is generally used to fund the annual December Children’s Art Festival, and to provide a generous grant to Richey Suncoast Theatre for its Children’s Summer Workshop scholarship program benefiting underprivileged children.

Two years ago, the committee began hosting a free movie in Sims Park several times a year in an effort to expand cultural offerings to a larger community audience. While the committee felt this program was of great benefit to the residents in and around the City, the cost of the program and the limited budget made long-term commitment difficult.

Understanding the challenging financial situation the city is facing, the committee petitioned the City of New Port Richey for permission to seek event-specific sponsors instead of additional funding.

“We wanted to be able to make the free movie event better and begin adding new cultural elements, but we knew it would be difficult for the City to justify the additional spending right now.” says Committee Chair, Derek Smith.

The Cultural Affairs Committee received permission to seek event-specific sponsorships, and is paving the way for the City’s other committees to do the same. “We’re excited about the new cultural opportunities this opens up both for us and for other City committees,” says Vice Chair, Lia Gallegos. “We have been hearing from the community for some time that they want to see more music and performances, as well as more movies and other smaller, more intimate events. Now,  with the community’s support, we have the means to make that happen.”

The committee has rebranded its Free Movie series as “Spring & Fall Free For All.” This name change allows the addition of music and other performances to the already established movie schedule, as funding becomes available.

Currently the Cultural Affairs Committee is seeking sponsorship for the ongoing movie series. Committee volunteers are working with the Richey Suncoast Theatre to facilitate the addition of classical music performances at Sims Park, and are exploring the possibility of creating a silent film festival to promote the art of silent film making while also tying into the City’s 1920’s Hollywood of the East history.

Contact Chairperson Derek Smith at:  the_first_d@yahoo.com or  (727) 967-6726 for details.