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Ridgeway council explores options to stabilize and grow Riff film festival; town to explore partnership with local theater
Summary
Council heard a recap of the Ridgeway Independent Film Festival's expansive 2024 program, discussed budget and staffing constraints, and supported staff's plan to explore a pilot transfer or fiscal partnership with the local Shero theater to stabilize funding and allow the festival to retain revenues.
The Ridgeway Town Council on Feb. 12 heard a detailed recap of the Ridgeway Independent Film Festival (Riff) and discussed options to stabilize the event's finances and operations after a large, volunteer-driven expansion in 2024.
Ariel, Riff volunteer director, described a four-day program in 2024 that included more than 70 short films, workshops, a children's program and multiple venues. "We had 76 short films, panels, workshops, special events, a block party and dancing," Ariel said, adding that the event relied on substantial volunteer hours and in-kind donations.
Fuse staff presented budget background: Fuse had increased its set-aside for the festival over time and recommended a roughly $30,000 budget allocation for 2025 as a stabilization step. Staff said a municipal accounting constraint means funds raised for a festival inside the town budget cannot be carried forward in the same way a nonprofit could — a challenge for a year-round festival that now generates revenue and seeks sustainability.
Staff proposed two main options: (1) keep the festival housed in Fuse but scale and staff it conservatively (possibly shortening or refocusing programming) and pay for contracted support within the existing Fuse budget; or (2) pilot moving the festival's fiscal home to the Shero (a local nonprofit theater) so revenues could be retained and a longer-term restricted fund could support a paid festival manager. Shero director Ashley King said the theater could provide programmatic expertise but would need town seed funding to support a lead position.
Council members expressed concern about volunteer burnout and the festival outgrowing Fuse's municipal structure. There was general consensus to pursue exploratory conversations with the Shero and to plan a stabilization approach for 2025 rather than an immediate full transfer. "It has outgrown the town unless we're going to create a department" to run it, one councilor said, supporting the idea of a pilot fiscal partnership.
Next steps: staff will continue discussions with the Shero and festival stakeholders, return with options for a restricted funding mechanism or pilot fiscal sponsor arrangement and include budget implications for the FY2026 planning cycle.
