Brazosport Fine Arts Council says hotel-occupancy-tax funding helps draw out-of-area visitors

Wesley Copeland, representing the Brazosport Fine Arts Council, told the Clute City Council on Sept. 25 that the council’s hotel-occupancy-tax (HOT) grant supports events and marketing designed to bring overnight visitors to the area. "It is always my distinct privilege to have done a report on the use of the hotel occupancy tax that was granted to us by the city of Clute," Copeland said. He described regular outreach to local hotels, monthly hotel-relations updates for managers and front-desk staff, and audience surveys that show between about 19% and 30% of attendees for certain programs come from outside the county; Copeland said one program’s concerts drew roughly 25% non‑local attendees. Copeland told the council the Fine Arts Council consolidated several programs into a shared Center for the Arts and Sciences to reduce overhead and better steward grant and donor funds. He said the organization secured a Texas Commission on the Arts grant to pay for guest artists for upcoming February concerts and that the council received full funding requested from the DCA for a related initiative. The presenter said the council maintains promotional relationships with local lodging providers and places advertising in regional outlets to attract overnight visitors. He invited council members to upcoming events, including the center’s annual meeting and special programming connected to the organization’s 50th anniversary. Council members thanked Copeland and noted coordination with the city’s new economic development and tourism staff would continue.