When BreAnna Monk was hired as the CEO of Wichita Festivals, Inc. in January, it was good news for her and Wichita’s African-American community.
She had been appointed to head up the largest community event in Kansas. Wichita’s Black community was proud. They were also hopeful.
They hoped the festival’s first African-American female CEO would bring fresh energy to a festival long celebrated — but not always embraced — by Wichita’s Black community.
A Festival for Everyone
The 53-year-old Wichita Riverfest evolved from the 1972 celebration of Wichita’s centennial called the Wichitennial. A stated goal of that original event was to bring people together across the community and in 2025, that’s still a stated goal of the festival.
It’s a goal Monk believes in and is committed to.
“We have to make sure we appeal to everyone,” says Monk. “It’s not just a one particular kind of festival.”
She notes the festival’s efforts in the last decade or more to include a more diverse and broader selection of talent and activities, particularly with the headline concerts, which are among the festival’s biggest draws.
“I do believe we should continue to put diverse acts into our lineup and it’s something I will continue,” says Monk but she notes she and the festival team must make wise and fiscally responsible decisions when it comes to selecting the annual concert lineup.
A major determinant in what acts are booked is the act’s overall appeal, which converts to how many people will this act bring to the festival? Will the crowd spend money on food, alcohol and merchandise? Finally, can we get a sponsor to underwrite this act?
“We have a concert almost every night and that concert has to support itself,” says Monk.
Covering that cost begins with a sponsorship. This year, every concert had sponsorship that covered the costs of the musical act. Every concert, that was, except Gospelfest. A lack of corporate sponsorship and support for Gospelfest is an ongoing issue.
“It wasn’t because we didn’t ask,” says Monk about Gospelfest’s lack of sponsorship.
Gospelfest is the only concert that doesn’t pay for itself and it’s been consistently a . In addition, Gospelfest draws the smallest crowd and has the resulting lowest food, alcohol and merchandise sales.
“There’s no reason for it,” says Monk. “We have enough people in our community that we could pack that place.”
In addition to showing up, Monk says she also needs Gospelfest attendees to spend money while they’re there. In an economically-driven festival model, the community could get more if we support more.
As an example, she says Fiesta Del Rio, started a few years ago as just a concert like Gospelfest.
“Then it started getting heavily attended. It went from a concert, to a few more events, to a half-day. Now they have a day,” says Monk.
While Monk is committed to diversity at Riverfest, she reports to a board of directors who may tire of supporting Gospelfest financially and look for other activities to replace it.
We need gospel fest, the young people need to hear good music for a change. We older people don’t like the degrading music of today. Gospel music has a meaning.
Is it possible the committee can ask some of the various churches & religious organizations to sponsor Gospel Fest ?