Buffalo Grove art fair's new producer to pay village for the privelege

Buffalo Grove has dumped Amdur Productions, the longtime producer of its art festival and many of the other ones in the North and Northwest suburbs.

On the recommendation of village staff and the Buffalo Grove Arts Commission, the village board voted Monday to approve Howard Alan Events Ltd.

The firm has proposed providing the village with a 23 percent share of the gross receipts during the first year of the contract. The goal is to bring in 75 high caliber artists, which would net an estimated $7,000 in revenue to the village.

In addition to the share of the receipts, the village will not incur any costs for promotion and advertising of the event. Under proposals from the two other candidates, Amdur Productions and D&W Events of Long Grove, it would have cost the village $5,500 and $10,000 respectively.

Lauren Stott, management analyst for the village, said in previous years, the village did not get a cut and "it required a considerable amount of staff time …. Not only are we not spending that $5,000 for the contractor to plan the event. We'll be limiting staff time that's needed and we will be getting a cut of the event receipts as well."

The new vendor operates out of Jupiter, Florida. The firm has developed and managed numerous art shows, including the CityPlace Art Fair in West Palm Beach, Florida, and the Beaver Creek Art Festival in Vail, Colorado. Stott said the contract contains four one-year extension options.

The village will be changing the name of its festival, as well as the weekend of the event and maybe even the venue. In the past, it has been held in the parking lot of the Town Center mall.