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Brown County Music Center Shares Success with Community
After a year in which the Brown County Music Center hosted 66 events, bringing in about 81,000 visitors, some of its excess revenue is being shared with the community.
The music center paid about $54,000 to Brown County for payments in lieu of taxes, along with $66,750 as a share of excess revenue in 2023. In addition, the non-profit Brown County Community Foundation (BCCF) received $200,250, which will be either given to community organizations through grants or placed in a long-term endowment.
The payments were made because of an agreement between the center and the county when the structure was built. The county funded it, with operation and mortgage costs backed by the county’s five percent innkeepers tax. The agreement stipulated that excess revenue from sale of tickets, food and drink would be distributed to the county and the community foundation.
At the time of the agreement, officials did not expect to accumulate excess revenue for many years, and did not foresee the lengthy shutdown period during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are ecstatic to fulfill our mission statement by dispersing these funds back into our wonderful community, of which should have extreme positive and far-reaching rippling effects,” said Brown County Music Center Executive Director Christian Webb. “While this is our inaugural year to disperse these funds into the community, we do not expect it to be our last. The continued efforts by venue staff, volunteers, board members and all community members alike will do nothing but serve this county for years to come.”
As part of the agreement, when BCCF receives the revenue, it is split into two funds. One supports arts and culture in the county, and the other is directed to the greatest community needs at the time of the disbursement. Some of the funds are invested into a long-term endowment, and income from that endowment generates grant money each year. The remaining portion of the music center funds is given out through grants.
“The music center is an increasingly impactful part of our community and a strong driver of economic success for all of us. We are extremely grateful to have music center and county government leaders prioritize urgent and important community needs,” said Alice Susemichel, CEO of the BCCF. “With this important collaborative partnership, we can leverage the foundation’s unique knowledge and capacity to distribute assistance to a variety of nonprofit and community groups that serve our neighbors every day. The portion entrusted to a long-term endowment wisely ensures a significant impact for future generations. This funding defines Brown County as a compassionate and generous place to a very large audience and enhances both our quality of life and our reputation.”
About the Brown County Music Center:
Nestled on the banks of Salt Creek and located less than one mile from the largest state park in Indiana and the Town of Nashville, the Brown County Music Center has been called a visual and auditory masterpiece. Since its opening in August 2019, the 2,000-seat live performance venue has hosted artists spanning world-class rock, blues, country, pop, jazz, oldies, throwback artists, and more, offering an intimate experience for each show with the farthest seat from the stage only 106 feet away. Nationally renowned performers have included Vince Gill, Tanya Tucker, The Beach Boys, Jason Bonham, Graham Nash, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Ben Folds, Emmylou Harris, Jamey Johnson, America, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Gladys Knight, Air Supply, YES, Sara Evans and many more. For more information, check for the latest show updates, and follow the center on social media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter.
