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For immediate release
July 16, 2007

For Media Information:
Stacey Getz
stacey@coremessage.com
850-222-3767

Knight Creative Communities Initiative (KCCI)

Announces Community Competition

~ Tallahassee Film Festival needs a creative name and logo ~

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A project borne out of the community-driven economic development effort known as the Knight Creative Communities Initiative (KCCI) needs a name. Tallahassee will host a three-day festival celebrating professional and emerging talent in the film, music and related arts industries May 15-17, 2008. The Community Catalysts working to make this event a great success need help from local residents to name the event. In exchange, the person who submits the winning name will receive two complimentary tickets to all festival events, plus VIP treatment with regard to meeting filmmakers, celebrities and local and state leaders.

Creative minds should e-mail suggestions to kccitallahassee@gmail.com by July 27, 2007. Suggestions will be narrowed down to the top three choices, and the entire community will vote to determine the winner. Once a winner is determined, the team will ask local artists and graphic designers to submit possible logos and artwork to represent the festival and its new name. The winning designer will receive recognition for their work at the event and either an in-kind sponsorship for their business, or two free tickets to all festival events, plus VIP treatment.

The first night of the three-day event will feature a reception, possibly hosted at the Governor’s Mansion, where the planning committee will present a Lifetime Achievement Award and an Emerging Talent Award. On the following night, "STARFEST" will showcase artistic talent in Tallahassee’s own Downtown GetDown style, and the festivities will culminate on the third day with the "It’s a Wrap" party. Throughout the weekend, the event will also feature educational seminars and workshops such as, "So you want to be a filmmaker?" hosted by Florida State University, and a variety of film presentations, including award-winning films from well-known film festivals and those produced by college students and local residents. The Leon County Schools Foundation will also host events and ceremonies throughout the weekend to promote K-12 film and arts-related studies.

To learn more about KCCI and the yet-to-be-named festival, visit http://kccitallahassee.wordpress.com or e-mail kccitallahassee@gmail.com.

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ABOUT THE KNIGHT CREATIVE COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE

The Knight Creative Communities Initiative (KCCI), a joint venture of The Knight Foundation and Richard Florida’s Creative Class Strategies Team, is a year-long, cutting-edge program designed for Tallahassee residents to build authentic sustainable regional prosperity. In January 2007, KCCI selected Tallahassee as one of three regions in the nation to participate in this project, primarily due to its high concentration of jobs in government and education and its consistent inability to attract and retain members of the creative sector, which renowned social theorist Richard Florida argues is the driving force of economic development. More than 30 "community catalysts" were selected to assess the region’s potential for economic growth, establish a broad community vision and determine four key initiatives that aim to bring greater economic prosperity to the region. To learn more, visit http://kccitallahassee.wordpress.com.