What makes a good festival?
One that involves the community, both in its planning and in the event itself. One that attracts visitors who significantly contribute to the local economy. One that gives the community a chance to develop its skills. Final, one that improves the quality of life for its residents.
What benefits can festivals bring?
They can bring money to the town from visitors, residents but also through sponsorship be that public or private, they can benefit residents, both economically and in developing skills. They can bring communities together. They can provide employment both voluntary and paid. They can help push boundaries i.e. it is only once a year so why not!
Things to avoid doing?
Its is important to have consultation with the community (all of it) from the start. Ensure that Health and Safety is considered at the beginning of the planning process. Make sure it is legal, take advice from professional people about setting up an organisation for the festival.
Ways to involve the wider community
Consultation meetings at the beginning of the planning process, get people on board. Let the community know of the benefits of the festival, how they can become involved, develop their skills etc. Involve local businesses see what they can offer in terms of support, does not need to be money could be venue space.
Promoting volunteer input
Get people enthusiastic about what their own has to offer. What they have to offer in terms of skills, how they can develop new skills. The benefits to the town in the long term through their input.
Good Practice Experience for Festival Organisers
You are free to join the York and North Yorkshire Festivals web site (even if you are not based in North Yorkshire) www.festivalsnorthyorkshire.org.uk By registering as a festival organizer, you can access resources on Health and Safety, marketing and other good practice. This has been produced by Wendy Clews at Create Arts Development Ltd. www.create.uk.net.
Other sources of information include:
A festival web site for coastal towns see www.coastival.com from the Yorkshire Coast Festivals Association, a network of Festivals and Events from the Yorkshire coast and North Yorkshire. Dorcas Taylor is the contact and spoke at the seminar.
Mark Dale at Settlefestivals also spoke at the Renaissance Market Towns festival seminar run in Autumn 08. Email mark@settlefestival.co.uk or mobile 07807 160 310 leave a message. You can also sign up on the Settlefestival website www.settlefestival.co.uk
Some good practice experience in the region includes:
- Musicport at Whitby which has now grown and is moving to Bridlington Spa. This is a diverse major international music festival which is on the scale of Womad and has events linked to it throughout the year.
- Whitby’s Goths Bi-Annual Festival in April and October is one of kind that has grown massively and now includes Burlesque which is very fashionable at the moment.
- Egton Show – major agricultural show that is vitally important to the local communities, now has a range of attractions to encourage more visitors.
If you are interested in the economic impacts of festivals, click here for the Executive Summary of a plan done by Create in 2007.
Thanks to Sarah Chalmers of Yorkshire Forward for producing summary notes on the good practice presented at the Renaissance Market Towns festival seminar run in Autumn 08, that she organized on behalf of Yorkshire Forward.