Apollo Dispatch

Dear Ashleigh, I hope you are doing well. My name is J M McMillan, Founder of J M McMillan Enterprises and Viable Arts LLC. I am reaching out to share an outline proposal for a regional performing arts festival we are planning at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront in March 2027, and to inquire about date availability with your office. ───────────────────────────────────────────── VIRGINIA BEACH COMPETITIVE ARTS FESTIVAL Outline Proposal — For Review & Discussion ───────────────────────────────────────────── OVERVIEW: The Virginia Beach Competitive Arts Festival (CAE) is a one-day public celebration of competitive performing arts, bringing together university arts departments, high school and middle school arts programs, DCI bands, military bands, orchestras, choirs, and dance companies from across the region for a full-day oceanfront showcase. We proudly welcome all artists, all backgrounds, and all voices — this festival is a space where every performer belongs and every art form is celebrated. This is a family-friendly, community-centered event with national-caliber artistic programming — designed to put Virginia Beach on the map as the premier destination for competitive arts excellence on the East Coast. ───────────────────────────────────────────── PROPOSED DATE INQUIRY: We are requesting availability for Friday, March 26, 2027 at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront resort zone. Could you please let us know whether this date is currently available for a large-scale outdoor performing arts event, and what the permitting or reservation process would look like for our scope of activity? ───────────────────────────────────────────── PROPOSED SCHEDULE — MARCH 26, 2027 (Draft): 9:00 AM — Gates Open / Registration & Artist Check-In 10:00 AM — Opening Ceremony • Welcome remarks, National Anthem, Drum Processional • Formal activation of all three performance stages 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM — Morning Performance Block Three simultaneous performance stages: 🎭 STAGE 1 — THE THUNDERDOME (Main Stage) • Large ensemble competition: University Arts Departments, DCI Bands, Military Bands, High School & Middle School Programs • Full field-style performances with adjudicated SPI (Standardized Performance Index) scoring 🎶 STAGE 2 — THE HIGHLANDS (Acoustic/Chamber Stage) • Solo & small ensemble performances: orchestras, chamber strings, jazz combos • Intimate audience setting — 300–500 capacity 💻 STAGE 3 — THE DIGITAL COLOSSEUM (Innovation Stage) • Contemporary/fusion performances: dance companies, electronic ensembles, multimedia acts • Digital arts installations and interactive artist showcases 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM — Community Luncheon & Break / Vendor Village Open 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM — Afternoon Performance Block • Continued competition across all three stages • Clinician masterclass pop-ups between sets 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM — Community Communion Ceremony • All competing artists, directors, and families convene at the main stage • Cultural recognition, community address, and collaborative performance 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM — AWARDS CEREMONY & CLOSING GALA • SPI Award Presentations by category and division • Special recognition awards (VAHAS — Virginia Arts Honors & Award Showcase) • Headlining performance by invited regional act • Festival closing ───────────────────────────────────────────── ESTIMATED FOOTPRINT: • 3 Performance Stages (main + 2 secondary) • Vendor/Food Village • Artist Registration & Check-In Area • Audience Capacity: Est. 2,000–5,000 attendees (ticketed and public-access zones) • Expected participant groups: 15–30 regional performing ensembles ───────────────────────────────────────────── NEXT STEPS: Please note this is an outline proposal for discussion purposes. We would welcome a brief call or meeting with your office to review requirements, permitting, and logistics in more detail. Kindly let us know: 1. Whether Friday, March 26, 2027 is available for an event of this scope at the Oceanfront 2. The appropriate permitting pathway for resort zone outdoor events of this size 3. Any city coordination offices or departments we should loop in We are committed to making this a world-class event that showcases Virginia Beach as a cultural destination — and we look forward to working with your office to bring it to life. Warm regards, J M McMillan Founder & CEO J M McMillan Enterprises | Viable Arts LLC | Sound Achievement Foundation 📧 viablearts@viableartsllc.com 🌐 viableartsllc.com