ArtsCape 2006 generated a profit

To the editor:Reading Matt Sanders' May 16 article about ArtsCape, one might think the cost to produce ArtsCape 2006 was taken directly from the Arts Council's bottom line with no cost recovery. In actuality, generous sponsorships covered all 2006 festival costs and receipts from booth rentals, T-shirt sales and art tent activities allowed the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri (of which I am a former chair) to net a small profit of around $4,000 for the 2006 festival. The 2006 cost figure of $11,000 quoted in the article was all inclusive. Prize money for the ArtsCape poster competition, production costs for festival T-shirts and posters, advertising, paint and other supplies for the Arts for All project, supplies for art tent activities, even the costs to put on the street painting festival were added in to generate an overall fiscal picture for ArtsCape 2006.

Wonderful community support has been the backbone of ArtsCape, and I encourage everyone to continue that support with the 2007 festival.

CLAUDIA RUEDIGER, Cape Girardeau