Festivals and Sustainability Communication presented by János Zoltán Szabó WHAT MAKES FESTIVALS SUSTAINABLE? EUROPEAN FESTIVALS RESEARCH PROJECT (EFRP) WORKSHOP Le Mans, 18 November 2006,

How many years old is your festival? (Hungarian festivals, asked in 2004, N=230) years 19% 6-10 years 31% 4-5 years 14% Over 20 years 12% years 8% 1-3 years 16% Dynamic Demography: 5% of the festivals are first timers in every year! But lot are disappearing: many festivals go bankrupt after the first years! Festivals boom from 1990: 80% of the festivals are younger than 15 years!

Main goal (Mission) (on first place) Arts and Culture 43% Tourism 43% Heritage (historical and cultural) 36% Amateur arts, non-formal education 24%

What positive effects caused by arts festivals? Review of an art form, tendencies and developments Animate and paying for creation of new artistic productions, and new performances International productions are put on the Hungarian stage, co-operation and dialogue between native and foreign artists Putting different arts forms on stage promotes less known art forms, can educate (non formal way) the audience

International productions Relative share of international productions on Hungarian festivals: 25% No difference whether professional or amateur arts festivals are considered!

Viagra for Arts In 2004, 700 new artistic productions were created for 230 festivals including: 29 theatre production 52 contemporary music (classical and church music) 58 other mixed arts production As average, every second festival had at least one theatre, music or mixed arts première

Whose sustainability is in danger? Mostly Theatre festivals Much less Folk arts festivals

What makes your festival sustainable? Artistic level: More programme offer, 33% Quality shift of programmes, 18% Invitation of well know international stars, 11% More international connections, 20% Organisational and financial level: Marketing programme, 43% Stable financial situation, 23% Increased income, 9% Development of technical circumstances, 9% Infrastructural development, more venue, 16%

Who organises sustainable festivals? Organisational form: 1.Local authorities and their institutions (51%) 2.Non-profit (NGO) institutions (32%) 3.Entrepreneurs (15%) 4.Other (2%) Who makes more income? 1.Entrepreneurs 2.Local authorities and its institutions 3.Non-profit institutions