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MadisonGroup outlines "Indiana's Music City" strategy, reports $20,000 in unspent grant funds
Summary
M3 representatives briefed the Jefferson County Tourism Board on a multi-year music-driven marketing plan, trademarked the "Indiana's Music City" brand, and reported about $20,000 remaining from two grant cycles; the group also described partnerships, a visitor-profile study kickoff and a short-term loan the group made and was repaid.
Charlie Rolfin, speaking for M3, told the Jefferson County Tourism Board that the organization has shifted from simple event promotion toward marketing a broader "Indiana's Music City" identity for Madison, using a mix of advertising, live music programming and venue support.
"We were setting the bar too high for future conference sites," Rolfin said, describing feedback after recent conventions. He added, "I want them to remember Madison as their best conference ever." The board heard that M3 completed a U.S. trademark registration for the phrase "Indiana's Music City" and expects to use licensed merchandise as a future revenue stream.
Rolfin reviewed two recent grant cycles. He said the 02/2023 allocation was $70,500 and 2024 funding was $50,000; the 2023 spending breakdown he gave included $26,000 for marketing, $22,000 budgeted for staff (about $12,000 actually spent), $5,500 on busking and $15,000 for the Pilgrim Festival. Rolfin told the board the combined unspent balance from the two years is approximately $20,000 and that the group tracks allocations closely: "My treasurer, Sean Ochsher, he calls it guardrails."
Rolfin also outlined program activity: weekly boosted social posts, a rapidly growing music calendar, a busking program managed by Natalie Cox (who coordinates performers and placements), and a set of promotional point-of-sale materials placed in hotels and businesses. Hannah Ernst, introduced as M3social media manager, was credited with increasing the group's digital reach since joining in the fall.
The group told the board it made a short-term bridge loan to the Unbroken Circle music festival so organizers could prepay artists and that the festival sold enough tickets to repay M3 within weeks. Rolfin described the loan as a deliberate, accountable use of funds to secure a $1 million festival investment in town.
Rolfin said M3 is moving forward with a visitor profile study; he told the board the study will be an eight-week process once underway and that M3 hopes to share initial results by tourism week in May.
The presentation closed with a request that the board consider continuing seed funding for interventions such as busking stipends, marketing playbooks for conferences and consulting support for new music venues.
Audience members and board members responded with praise for visible results and repeated requests to clarify ongoing budget needs for 2025.
