Presented by Music Africa

Presented by Music Africa

AFROFEST IS THE LARGEST FREE AFRICAN MUSIC FESTIVAL IN NORTH AMERICA. Held annually, AFROFEST takes place the second weekend in July at Woodbine Park in the heart of Toronto. Started in 1989 by Music Africa, AFROFEST showcases the best in African music, art, crafts, culture and food. Now in its 29th year, the festival has continued to grow and so has the calibre of artists that have graced its stages. 1

JOIN US JULY 7th & 8th, 2018 AT WOODBINE PARK IN TORONTO, ONTARIO. THE MAIN STAGE THE YOUTH STAGE THE DRUM ZONE THE CHILDREN S CREATIVE VILLAGE THE MARKET PLACE With over 40 live performances and 125,000 visitors in 2017, AFROFEST is a family-friendly and fun-filled extravaganza consisting of five main areas: the Main Stage, Youth Stage, Drum Zone, Children s Village, and a vibrant marketplace which includes a delectable selection of food vendors from across the city. features established local, national and international award winning artists. Audience members experience the latest genres and newest trends in African Music. provides a platform to promote and support up and coming artist music and spoken word talent through host-facilitated crowd feedback. The Youth Stage also features workshops, which actively engage the audience in various elements of African dance, music and culture. is a popular area of AFROFEST that showcases worldwide drumming talent. The Drum Stage is highly interactive and includes drum and dance workshops for audience members. is an area designated for children and creative adults. This is another interactive area where the audience enjoys games, story-telling and other artbased activities throughout the day. at AFROFEST hosts about 75 vendors that sell products from all over Africa such as imported crafts, art work, jewelry and clothing. Vendors also include local food suppliers who present Africa s diversity through cusine. 2

AFROFEST is inclusive and accessible with free admission. The festival is designed in such a way as to give all members of its diverse audience the opportunity to experience various elements of African culture and its community. AFROFEST 2018 PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS To commemorate this achievement, the organizations program will be revamped to include more activities and to cover a wider geographical area. Some of the program modifications in 2018 include: To bring global attention to the festival, we will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the highest number of djembe drummers playing simultaneously. We will improve the international profile of the festival by promoting it in international markets specifically: United States of America, Europe and Africa. In 2018 we will extend the duration of the festival by changing its length from 2 days to a 9-day celebration starting on June 30, 2018 with a themed event called, Africa Celebrates Canada. Expand the geographical area of AFROFEST events: With the 9-day celebration, we will organize AFROFEST events in various cities in Ontario. These include: Ottawa, London, Ajax, Kitchener, Waterloo and Hamilton. All the events will be held before the finale of AFROFEST Toronto on July 07 & 08, 2018. This will allow more Africans to engage with cultural elements and trigger the movement of audiences beyond their geographical regions. 3

Provide schedule with the anticipated audience size: Through its activities, Music Africa intends to attract about 150,000 people to its 2018 activities. Our promotional material will reach an estimated 25 million people globally. Below is the current schedule of our planned activities. AFROFEST 2018 Event Schedule Date Event Name Location February 2018 (Every Friday in February) Black History Month Concert Series Toronto April 06, 2018 Music Africa Easter Celebration Toronto June 30, 2018 Africa Celebrates Canada (First AFROFEST event) Toronto July 01, 2018 Africa Celebrates Canada Ottawa July 03, 2018 AFROFEST Pre-event Waterloo July 04, 2018 AFROFEST Pre-event Waterloo July 05, 2018 AFROFEST Pre-event London July 05, 2018 AFROFEST Pre-event Ajax July 06, 2018 AFROFEST Pre-event Kitchener July 06,2018 AFROFEST Pre-event Hamilton July 06, 2018 AFROFEST Pre-event Toronto July 07, 08 2018 AFROFEST 2018 Toronto 4

IMPORTANCE OF AFROFEST Showcasing African Culture in the GTA: AFROFEST is the largest annual free African music festival in North America and presents activities that portray the cultures of various African ethnicities. The educational element that cannot also be underestimated. AFROFEST presents a learning opportunity for Canadians and all those in attendance to appreciate and learn about various African cultures. It has been dubbed by media outlets as, The easiest way to go to Africa without purchasing a ticket. Educational Element: AFROFEST presents a learning opportunity for Canadians and all those in attendance to appreciate and learn about various African cultures. By organizing workshops the festival enlightens the attendees on elements of African traditions and positively highlights the diversity of traditional and contemporary musical styles from all over the continent. AFROFEST nurtures and exposes local talent: Several young artists who performed at AFROFEST have gone on to achieve amazing successes including K Naan, the Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter, and Instrumentalist, whose song Wavin Flag was selected as the official anthem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Networking Value: AFROFEST brings small businesses and consumers together. By having affordable vendor fees and creating an avenue to build relationships with potential clients, AFROFEST stimulates the growth of African microenterprises within the GTA and beyond. AFROFEST plays a major role in maintaining Africa s cultural heritage in Toronto by engaging African Canadians and other Africans within the Diaspora who have not had a first-hand experience of Africa. 5

WHY SPONSOR AFROFEST 2018? Apart from the obvious fact that sponsoring AFROFEST and having your logo at the festival will provide another channel for promoting your brand and products and also broaden your company s competitive advantage by improving your company s image, prestige and credibility, there are other significant advantages gained by supporting this community rooted festival. Sponsorship not only offers the opportunity to speak to a large and growing part of Toronto s population. Sponsorship contributes to changing the story about the diaspora in Canada. Entering our 30th year, Music Africa is proud of our history of inspiring generations of Africans to celebrate and embrace their culture. These new leaders then go on to inspire new generations of cultural ambassadors, resulting in more and more benefits over time. With opportunities such as brand representation on AFROFEST s stages; back stage access to interact with the artists, celebrities and festival organizers; logo on the Music Africa page and other social media platforms; ads in the AFROFEST brochure (about 15,000 printed); booth space at the festival, banner placement and other customized opportunities; AFROFEST provides an invaluable opportunity for sponsors to establish relationships and develop networking opportunities within the African community. Toronto is a diverse city. Our dream is that positive portrayals of African and diasporic culture, like AFROFEST, will be common and unremarkable for both African and non-african communities in Canada. To get there we need your help to increase our reach, extend our calendar throughout the year, and continue to support AFROFEST in its growth and development. 6

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS For 2017 we have a variety of packages available to suit any budget and marketing need. We understand the dynamic nature of sponsorship commitments and welcome the opportunity to discuss a customized package to meet your specific needs and budget. TITLE SPONSOR Value: $100,000 (one opportunity) As Title Sponsor, your company will align with Music Africa to showcase the best in African music, art, crafts, culture and food. As the sponsor of AFROFEST, you will be the event s primary sponsor. Brand Recognition & Engagement Dedicated booth 10 X 20 booth at AFROFEST 2018. 3 volunteers to assist sponsor s staff during the festival. 1 minute Main Stage speech by sponsor s representative. Mentions of sponsor by AFROFEST Main Stage host throughout the event. 6 Back Stage passes for sponsor s representatives. Custom ad on radio to promote sponsor within the African community. Banner placement on the side of the Main Stage during AFROFEST 2018. Banner to be provided by the sponsor. Promotional video to be broadcasted on the 24 screen on the Main Stage at AFROFEST 2018. Ad space in AFROFEST 2018 Brochure. Promotion of your organization as a sponsor of Music Africa s attempt to break the Guinness World for the largest djembe drum ensemble. Visibility on Music Africa s website: www.afrofest.ca. Promotion on Music Africa s social media platforms - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. Recognition at the AFROFEST launch in June 2018. 2 full-page ads in onsite festival guide (20,000 printed) Dedicated space at Woodbine Park for sponsor s banners. Logo placement on AFROFEST promotional material. Promotion of sponsor on all the promotional material of Music Africa events outside Toronto in 2018. Music Africa will extensively promote AFROFEST in other foreign markets. Your Brand will be included with this Music Africa s promotional material. 7

STAGE SPONSOR Value: $50,000 Youth Stage or Drum Zone Sponsorship Choice of either the Youth Stage or Drum Zone. These highly interactive areas of the festival truly provide a high level of audience interaction and participation. Extend your brand with this engaging opportunity. Dedicated booth space at the festival Stage presence and remarks at your chosen platform (Youth Stage or Drum Zone) 4 VIP Backstage passes for the main stage 1 full-page ad in onsite festival guide (Approximately 20,000 printed) Banner placement at the festival and on the street (Banner to be provided by sponsor) Custom radio station ad Verbal recognition and mention in all AFROFEST radio ads Ad on AFROFEST.ca Promotion in all of AFROFEST s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) CHILDREN S CREATIVE VILLAGE Value: $20,000 (one opportunity) The Children s Creative Village hosts games, story-telling and art-based activities. Highly interactive and engaging, the village attracts those big and small, young. You will also be sponsoring the change station for young mothers designed to provide a space for young mothers to change and nurse their children. 2 VIP Backstage passes for the main stage 1 full-page ad in onsite festival guide (Approximately 20,000 printed) Dedicated booth space at the festival Banner placement throughout the festival and on the street (to be provided by sponsor) Logo on custom AFROFEST t-shirt Custom radio station ad Ad on AFROFEST.ca Promotion in all of AFROFEST s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) 8

STAGE PERSONALITY Value: $20,000 (one opportunity) AFROFEST is exploring the opportunity of hiring a local, key personality to officiate and emcee the festival. As the Event Personality sponsor, you would receive continued visibility among the masses. Stage presence and introduction of the chosen emcee 3 VIP Backstage passes for the main stage 1 half-page ad in onsite festival guide (Approximately 20,000 printed) Banner placement onstage, throughout the festival, on the street (to be provided by sponsor) Logo on custom AFROFEST t-shirt Custom radio station ad Verbal recognition and mention in all AFROFEST radio ads Ad on AFROFEST.ca Promotion in all of AFROFEST s social media (Facebook, Twitter) EVENT SPONSOR Value: $5,000 (unlimited opportunities) The Event Sponsor package is an ideal opportunity for smaller organizations. Your company will receive all of the benefits and impact of an AFROFEST sponsors for the most economical investment. ¼ page ad in onsite festival guide (Approximately 20,000 printed) Logo on custom AFROFEST t-shirt Ad on AFROFEST.ca Promotion in all of AFROFEST s social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter) 9

CONTRIBUTING SPONSOR (Unlimited opportunities) AFROFEST is primarily run by volunteers. We very much appreciate any and all efforts at every level to help make the festival a success. As a contributing sponsor, your company provides an item for AFROFEST in exchange for sponsorship recognition. This could be a product giveaway such as festival bags or volunteer t-shirts. As a supporting sponsor, your company provides a service for AFROFEST in exchange for sponsorship recognition. This could be things like transportation for the bands or food and beverage backstage. ¼ page ad in onsite festival guide (Approximately 20,000 printed) Ad on AFROFEST.ca Promotion in all of AFROFEST s social media (Facebook, Twitter) MEDIA SPONSOR (Unlimited opportunities) AFROFEST is looking for advertising and promotion partners to help promote and market our festival. Radio, television, newspapers, websites, etc., we want to align our brand with your outlets in exchange for sponsorship recognition. ¼ page ad in onsite festival guide (Approximately 15,000 printed) Logo on custom AFROFEST t-shirt Ad on AFROFEST.ca Promotion in all of AFROFEST s social media (Facebook, Twitter) FRIENDS OF AFROFEST (Unlimited opportunities) As a Friend of the Festival, your organization will offer Music Africa members select opportunities and/or discounts. We are looking for local businesses specializing in promoting African culture and companies offering a valued service to our members in exchange for sponsorship recognition at AFROFEST. ¼ page ad in onsite festival guide (Approximately 15,000 printed) 10

CONTACT US MUSIC AFRICA 802-21 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto, ON M4T 1L9 416.469.5336 www.afrofest.ca For more information, or to confirm your sponsorship package, please contact: Peter Toh Executive & Artistic Director Music Africa Inc. peter@musicafrica.ca 647.787.2038 Letricia Fullerton Sponsorship Coordinator Music Africa Inc. letricia@tocorp.ca ext. 313