Big Culture and Arts Festival Receives 20k Grant from Visit Gainesville Alachua County, Total Event Budget 84k
Updated April 13: Article was updated to reflect public statements from a BIG 2025 producer indicating the festival received less than the estimated turnout.
Local and international musicians are performing this weekend for the Big Culture and Arts Festival (BIG 2025), presented by How Bazar (HB) and Dion Dia Records (DDR).
BIG 2025’s primary sponsors are listed on their website, but it doesn’t say approximately how much was received from each of them.
GnvInfo obtained the public purpose events form between BIG 2025 and Alachua County through a public records request. The request contains a purchase order for $20,000 provided to DDR by the Alachua County Board of Commissioners.
BIG 2025 received the $20,000 through a grant from the tourism and marketing agency for Gainesville and Alachua County, named Visit Gainesville Alachua County.
According to the authorization form, the grant is entirely used for “miscellaneous items/supplies.”
The records request contains the application for the grant, completed by DDR CEO Jahi Khalfani. The application states the total budget for BIG 2025 is $84,000.
The application states BIG 2025 is expected to host 5,000 people.
A few days before the festival, HB co-owner and DDR title manager Laila Fakhoury told the Ocala Gazette that BIG 2025 would have an estimated attendance of 2,000-2,500.
BIG 2025 recently raised its standard ticket price from $48.38 to $69.88. At the original price, the sale of 2,000 standard tickets would have generated $96,760 in revenue. This estimate does not include service provider fees or revenue from VIP tickets, which previously cost $107.50 and now sell for $134.38.
BIG 2025 is asking for donations.
Prior to the release of the previous GnvInfo article on BIG 2025, Fakhoury agreed to disclose the amount of money received from each sponsor. She hasn’t yet released the information.
On April 9, GnvInfo emailed Khalfani requesting the specific amount of money received from every BIG 2025 sponsor. He has not responded.
When applying for the grant, Khalfani was asked to explain the marketing plan of BIG 2025. He wrote, “For Big 2025, we will focus most of our marketing on the counties surrounding Gainesville to increase the likelihood of ease of travel and repeat travel. The goal is to make Big an event that helps make Gainesville a destination for surrounding counties even after the event ends.”
Today BIG 2025 ticket holders will be able to see artists such as The Alchemist and MIKE at the festival grounds (714 S. Main St.) in the Porters Quarters neighborhood.
