The city events director on Friday that there is no firm number yet on how much Joliet plans to spend this year to stage events at the new City Square.

Joliet issued a news release calling on musicians, instructors and others to apply to perform, give classes, and provide other activities at the new City Square and Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park.

The release noted that the city will pay those who provide activities and events at the venues.

How much the city will pay individual performers will be determined on a case-by-case basis, said Ann Sylvester, director of cultural affairs and special events for the city.

How much the city can pay overall is yet to be determined by how much can be raised through corporate sponsorships, Sylvester said.

Those sponsorships would provide a source of funding outside of tax dollars.

Special events is a relatively small but rapidly growing part of the city budget.

The budget for events and cultural affairs has grown from $523,000 in 2023 to $1.9 million this year.

A large part of the budget expansion has come from the hiring of new staff, including Sylvester.

The budget for contract services, which would include performances, has grown from $18,000 in 2023 to $90,000 this year.