Title: Festivals mean business 3. A survey of arts festivals in the UK.

Author(s): sam, University of Brighton

Organisation(s): British Arts Festivals Association (BAFA), Arts Council of Wales

Categories: Arts, culture and the economy, Major cultural events

Objectives: To provide an up-to-date picture of the UK arts festivals sector, specifically of BAFA member festivals, and to assess its economic, social and cultural contribution in the UK.

Key Findings: In 2006-2007 UK festivals spent an estimated £41.8m (not taking into account the considerably higher secondary secondary spend of festival attenders); BAFA member festivals received an estimated 7.6m attendances, 43% of which were at paid for events, generating an estimated £12.9m in ticket sales revenue; they were successful in leveraging an estimated total of £21.3m in funding through local governments, arts councils, grants from trust and foundations, and business donations, and are estimated to provide 395 permanent paid positions, 1,400 seasonal paid positions, 3,900 voluntary positions and 50,530 opportunities for artists; BAFA member festivals programmed an estimated 10,180 events, with an additional 4,000 exhibition days, and were responsible for the commissioning of ca. 190 pieces of new work; member festivals are calculated to have been responsible for approximately 1,910 education, community and outreach events.

Methods: 588 festivals, including all 88 BAFA members (at the time of research), were invited to complete an online or postal survey; data was returned by 193 festivals, including 41 BAFA members. The impact and contribution of BAFA member festivals was estimated by modelling the data received (from 41 members) against the 2006 total membership base of 88 festivals.