Editor’s Note: According to the Ann Arbor Summer Festival’s most recently-released 990 tax forms, the organization lost almost $60,000 on revenue of $1.2 million, revenue which was down from $1.5 million the preceding year. According to its tax return, the non-profit has an approximately $420,000 fund balance and most recently spent $436,000 on salaries and benefits for staff. The Ann Arbor Summer Festival’s Board of Directors includes Mayor Taylor, Interim City Administrator Tom Crawford, and local billionaire Dug Song. The letter, below, was dated May 1 and sent by Executive Director Michael Michelon. Michelon replaced long-time director Amy Nesbitt in 2016.
Dear Festival Community,
For 36 years, we have come together each summer with our neighbors for a celebration of performing arts, outdoor entertainment, and community spirit. We plan to do that again this year, but sadly it won’t be at Top of the Park. We have made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel our traditional, free outdoor events this summer, originally scheduled for June 12 – July 5. This follows our decision in late March to cancel our indoor ticketed performances.
Each summer, over 80,000 people participate in the festival: artists, local businesses, and community organizations join an audience from around the county and beyond to celebrate the summer and make memories together. The Festival means so much to all of us; it will be difficult to recreate the specialness of Top of the Park, but our team has been hard at work developing activities for this moment including digital offerings, collaborative art projects, and live music reimagined.
In the coming weeks, we will share elements of an adapted season with you that will bring us all together in new and creative ways. We have envisioned plans for various environments, and look forward to presenting as many of them as possible – such as drive-in concerts and movies.
Today, you can participate in the first of our new programs, Kooky Kreatures, a community art project presented with the Ann Arbor District Library’s Bummer Game.
When our community can safely come together in-person again, the Festival will be there to make this happen. Please stay connected with us, share your ideas, and learn how you can help the Ann Arbor Summer Festival during this unprecedented time.
Wishing you health and safety,
Michael Michelon
Executive Director
Marvin Parnes
Chair, Board of Trustees