Our Goals

Attracting visitors to Durham to increase the overall economic impact of festivals.

Building the individual and collective capacity of Durham’s festival community to grow.

Advancing Durham’s identity as a vibrant, inclusive and entrepreneurial destination.

WHAT IS

ACCELERATE

An inaugural group of high potential, homegrown festivals will be selected this summer to receive financial investment and wraparound support.

Festivals are powerful economic drivers, generating millions of dollars each year that help sustain Durham’s small businesses, support local jobs and fund public resources. Through Accelerate, Durham Next is investing in existing events led by festival producers to amplify the economic impact and community benefit they create in Durham. In this pilot year, three to five festivals will be selected for financial investments of up to $100,000 per year over three years to support the long-term growth and operational strength of their work. Investment amounts will vary by festival and by year based on scale, readiness and agreed-upon development goals.  

In addition to the financial investment, participating festivals will receive tailored, wraparound support that may include:

  • Business and growth planning support.
  • Marketing and attendance building strategy.
  • Financial management and budgeting assistance.
  • Sponsorship and partnership development support.
  • Access to a dedicated festival or business coach.
  • Support navigating City and County processes, including permitting, public safety, transportation and venue coordination.
A photo grid with an image of a woman on stage holding a microphone and singing and a photo of large crowd gathered on grassy lawn of Durham Central Park, picnicking and enjoying the weather

Our mission is to prioritize, plan and steward projects and initiatives across Durham County that will contribute to Durham being the best place to live, work and visit.

Program Structure

  • Accelerate Size: Approximately 3-5 festivals in the inaugural Accelerate Collective.
  • Accelerate Participation: Multi-year participation, anticipated to span 3–5 years.
  • Purpose of Investment: Funding is intended to support sustainable growth, increased operational capacity and strategic development.
  • Investment Levels: Up to $100,000 per festival, per year; investment amounts may vary by festival and by year, based on scale, readiness and agreed-upon development goals.
  • Wraparound Support: In addition to the financial investment, festivals will receive tailored, wraparound support (see services listed above).
Eligibility Criteria
  • Festivals must be Durham-based or demonstrate a meaningful presence in Durham County.  
  • They must demonstrate cultural relevance and strong community engagement.   
  • Festivals should show potential and willingness to scale with the goal of increased economic impact (i.e. more visitors from outside of Durham, increased overnight stays in Durham County, increased patronage at local restaurants, etc.) 
  • Festivals must possess organizational leadership and operational readiness to participate in a multi-year program.    
  • Festival producers must commit to collaborative planning, learning and coordination with other festival leaders who are part of Accelerate.  
  • Both nonprofit and fiscally sponsored festivals may be considered.  
Participation Agreements

Program participants: 

  • May not apply for City of Durham Festival and Special Events Funding or Durham County funding during the duration of the program. 
  • Must agree to participate actively in Accelerate meetings, learning sessions and coordinated planning efforts.  
  • Must coordinate festival scheduling with Durham Next and other Accelerate members, where feasible, to reduce conflicts and maximize collective impact.  
  • Must complete an initial assessment and co-create a multi-year development plan with program partners.  
  • Must provide regular updates on progress, challenges and outcomes.  
  • Must participate in agreed-upon data collection related to attendance, visitor origin, spending and other indicators used to assess economic and community impact.  
  • Must share data and festival information with others in Accelerate that will contribute to the knowledge base of the entire group.  
  • Shall, at their own expense, procure and maintain in full force and effect for the duration of the Festival, Commercial General Liability insurance, Event Cancellation Insurance and Host Liquor Liability Insurance (if applicable) as outlined in the application.  
  • Must maintain the festival’s existence and impact in Durham County for the duration of the program, unless explicitly agreed upon by Durham Next; funds may not be used to expand the festival beyond Durham County. 

All agreements are listed in the application. 

* Durham Next reserves the right to modify program components, timelines or requirements as needed to advance program goals. Durham Next reserves the right to award or deny investments to any project for any reason, consistent with the program’s intent. Participation in Accelerate is contingent upon compliance with all program requirements and agreements. 

Additional FAQs

The initiative is designed to:

  • Increase the economic impact of Durham-based festivals.
  • Enhance Durham’s tourism and destination appeal through high-quality festival experiences.
  • Strengthen the long-term sustainability and operational capacity of local festival producers.
  • Improve coordination across festivals, public agencies and community partners.

Unlike one-time or annual grant programs, Accelerate:

  • Provides multi-year investment, rather than single-event funding.
  • Emphasizes capacity-building and long-term growth, not just event delivery.
  • Offers wraparound support, including business coaching, planning, communication, marketing and pitch development.
  • Uses a collective model that encourages collaboration and shared learning among participating festivals.

The inaugural group is expected to include three to five festivals. Accelerate is intentionally small to allow for deep partnership, hands-on support and meaningful investment.

Participation is expected to span multiple years (anticipated 3–5 years).

Festivals considered for Accelerate must:

  • Be Durham-based or have a meaningful presence in Durham.
  • Demonstrate cultural relevance and strong community engagement.
  • Show potential to increase visitors to Durham County and grow revenue and/or regional visibility.
  • Have organizational leadership and operational readiness to engage in a multi-year program.
  • Be willing to collaborate and participate in shared learning activities.
  • Both nonprofit and fiscally sponsored festivals may be considered.

The program is primarily designed to support festivals with demonstrated potential for growth and sustainability. New festivals may be considered only if they can demonstrate strong readiness, leadership capacity and alignment with the program’s goals.

While the schedule for the next round of Accelerate has not been determined, Durham Next anticipates a 2027 open application period and the addition of one to two festivals to Accelerate each year. Festivals that are not part of this pilot cohort may reapply next year.

The inaugural group of festivals will be selected through an application process. Applicants will be asked to submit materials outlining their vision, capacity, economic metrics and growth plans.

Applications are reviewed by the Community Investment Review team which may include representatives from Durham Next and Discover Durham staff, the Durham Next Community Advisory Council and community partners.

Accelerate festivals may receive tailored support, including business and growth planning, marketing and audience development strategies and access to a festival or business coach.

Yes. Festivals selected for Accelerate agree not to apply for City of Durham’s Festivals & Special Events funding during their period of participation, to ensure alignment and reduce duplication of public resources. 

Accelerate funds may be used to support:
  • Operating costs directly related to expanded festival planning and delivery.
  • Capacity-building activities aligned with the festival’s development plan.
  • Strategic growth investments that improve sustainability, audience experience, visibility and awareness, and economic impact.
Funding is intended to support long-term growth and operational strength rather than one-time or isolated expenses.

Selected festivals are expected to participate actively in regular Accelerate meetings and learning sessions, coordinate scheduling with other Accelerate festivals where feasible and provide regular updates and participate in agreed-upon evaluation and data collection.

Grant funds provided by Durham Next may not be used toward indirect costs or facilities and administrative costs.

Do you still have questions?