New research published by British Arts Festivals Association confirms the measurable contribution made by arts festivals to the cultural and economic wealth of the nation. Tim Joss, Chair of BAFA and Director of the Bath Festivals Trust said today: It’s time for many people - in the arts, in national and local government, and elsewhere - to change their attitude to festivals. The old view that festivals are flashes in the pan contributing nothing to long-term development must go. This valuable research paints a very different picture. It makes an impressive case for arts festivals as flexible, efficient, contemporary enterprises rooted in their local communities. And thanks to their special freedom to collaborate with artists, venues, and artistic and other partners, they are proving themselves valuable catalysts for cultural, social and economic development. We will use this study as a baseline from which to continue to measure the contribution of arts festivals to the cultural and economic life of the country. This is the first nationwide study of festivals since Heather Rolfe’s report for the Policy Studies Institute in 1992 and, as far as BAFA is aware, the first attempt to consider the cultural, social and economic impact of arts festivals in the UK. The survey of 137 festivals, undertaken by Phyllida Shaw and Keith Allen and relating to the financial year 1998/99 found that Festival productivity and economic contribution · 137 arts festivals provide well over 5,000 events per year over 1,730 days of programming · 101 festivals spent £37.4m, resulting in spending elsewhere in the economy in excess of £90m. · 137 festivals employed 3,387 staff, excluding the thousands of self-employed artists and technicians who deliver the programme. Festival audiences · In 1998/99, 4.2m people attended events or took part in activities organised by 95 British arts festivals. A recent MORI poll for the Arts Council of England found that 21% of the adult population had attended or participated in a festival or carnival in the previous 12 months. Festivals cultural contribution · 48% of festivals’ expenditure was on artists’ fees · Festivals are pioneers in innovative programming: site-specific commissions, large-scale community events, international, culturally diverse work and street art are regular features of arts festivals. · 69% of festivals commission artists to make new work. The larger a festival’s budget the more likely it is to commission. Festivals community contribution · 74% of festivals run education and community programmes. · 60% of festivals play a year-round role in their communities, running education and community activities, promoting one-off events, supporting local authority arts programmes and running box office and marketing services for other organisations. · As well as employing 3,387 staff, festivals provide opportunities for thousands of volunteers. The average arts festival employs 52 volunteers. · Half of all festivals provide a platform for amateur artists. The report Festivals Mean Business is available from BAFA, 3rd Floor, The Library, 77 Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX. Tel 020 7247 4667. Fax 020 7247 5010. bafa@netcomuk.co.uk. www.artsfestivals.co.uk Price £30 inc p&p in UK. March 2001 Note to editors: Questionnaires were distributed to 305 arts festivals in February and March 2000. The mailing list comprised the 105 members of BAFA and 200 other festivals. The findings of the research are presented in four sections. The first section provides an overview of the shape and size of arts festivals in Britain and extrapolates data collected from 137 festivals to the sector as a whole. The focus of this section is financial, although reference is also made to the activities of festivals and their audiences. The subsequent sections focus on the cultural, social and economic impact of festivals with more detailed analysis of festival activities, audiences, staffing and structure. BAFA is the independent association of arts festivals in the UK with a membership ranging from the large international city festivals such as Edinburgh and Brighton, to local festivals in urban and rural settings such as Orange WOW on Tyneside, and Grassington Festival in Yorkshire.