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The San Antonio Book Festival is asking supporters to sign an online petition urging city leaders to maintain public funding for the annual event as officials search for ways to close a nearly $158 million budget shortfall over the next two years.
As of Friday, more than 2,000 people had signed the petition, according to festival organizers.
The free festival attracts more than 25,000 people each year and generates more than $3 million in economic impact, according to the organization.
Petition organizers say comments from supporters highlight the festival's importance to families, teachers, students and local businesses.
Teachers have written that the event helps inspire children to read. Parents say the free festival gives their children opportunities to discover books and spend time away from screens. Vendors have described it as an important opportunity to connect with new customers and grow their businesses.
In addition to signing the petition, supporters can now purchase a "Keep the Story Going" T-shirt to help preserve city funding for the festival. The shirts are available for pre-order through Aug. 5, with pickup scheduled for Aug. 15 in San Antonio, or with shipping. Festival organizers say proceeds and the campaign are intended to help raise awareness of the effort to keep the annual event free and accessible to the public.
Executive Director Lisa Ayres said the city's investment helps make the festival accessible to everyone.
"For the investment of $150,000 from the city, we are able to put on a free event that is open to the public of all ages that celebrates reading, that has a return in economic spending of $3 million."
Ayres said a reduction in city funding would force the nonprofit organization to scale back programming.
"We're a small but mighty organization, so what that would really mean is that we would have to reduce the number of authors we bring from across the nation and the world, which is one of the things that people love about the festival, is seeing those authors that you know you see on the bookshelves — and those come from far away."
She said the organization was caught off guard by the proposed reduction.
"It's an unexpected cut that we would take a while to respond to, so we'd have to make some drastic decisions."
Ayres said the organization would work to keep the festival going regardless of the city's decision, but she acknowledged that difficult choices could include reducing the number of author sessions and school visits.
"We would do everything that's needed to be done to keep the festival going because we truly believe in it. We believe we're a gift to the city. We're a fiesta for the mind."
Festival organizers note that one in four San Antonians struggle with literacy and say maintaining a free community event centered on books and reading remains an important part of addressing that challenge.
The petition is available on the San Antonio Book Festival's website and its Facebook and Instagram pages.
The campaign comes as Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and the City Council consider ways to address a projected two-year budget deficit of nearly $158 million. During recent budget discussions, Jones questioned whether taxpayer dollars should continue supporting organizations that may be able to secure private philanthropic funding.
The mayor recently sent a letter to business, foundation and philanthropic leaders asking them to consider three-year funding commitments for 15 organizations that currently receive city general fund support. Those organizations receive a combined $6.5 million from the city's general fund, including the San Antonio Book Festival.
The city currently provides the festival with a $150,000 general fund allocation. Last year's budget process had already identified a potential $50,000 reduction to that funding. The festival also receives about $98,000 in arts and tourism-related funding from another part of the city budget.
Jones said she enjoyed attending the festival but questioned whether public tax dollars should continue supporting events that could instead be funded by private philanthropy. City officials are expected to present a proposed 2027 budget in mid-August before the City Council adopts a final spending plan later this year.
