Oxford didn’t make the final cut for a grant that would have brought a music festival to the new pavilion in town.

The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council applied for a Levitt AMP Your City grant and received word at the beginning of November it was one of 25 finalists. YAC Executive Director Wayne Andrews learned Tuesday Oxford was not one of 15 cities to receive a grant.

Online voting from residents pushed Oxford ahead, but in the end a selection committee was looking for the grant funds to build a sense of community, and Andrews said Oxford’s already is pretty strong.

“Of course we are disappointed but I think it speaks to the abundance of programming available in Oxford.  One of the core elements of the Levitt AMP grant is would the series build a sense of community. I think not receiving the grant is more a reflection of the depth of cultural opportunities in our community.”

The winners in Mississippi were New Albany and Cleveland.

Andrews said YAC is going to move ahead on bringing programs to the old armory pavilion, grant or not. The pavilion is home to City Market, a film series and film festival and more that will be announced as ideas are developed.