1. Engaging the senses to explore community events
Dr Judith Mair, University of Queensland Dr Michelle Duffy, Federation University Australia
Global Events Congress VII, Indianapolis, July 2016

2. Background to presentation
Introduction to sensual geographies
Visual, auditory, haptic & olfactory
Case Study
Noosa Jazz Festival
Discussion

3. Why sensual geographies?
By turning to the senses we can expand our understanding of everyday life beyond the conventional parameters of analysis (Pink 2004).
This means thinking about our bodily interactions with our world and with others
This is closely linked with event experience, yet seems to be under-researched to date

4. Sensual geographies
The geography of the ‘senses’ – sight, taste, touch, smell and sound
But also, the geography of ‘making sense’ – bringing order and meaning to experience
Each sense has a distinctive voice, but all senses together form a multi-sensory holistic experience

5. Spatial and temporal elements of the senses
Taste, touch and smell are intimate – they are associated with close contact with the body
Sight and sound are more distant, and allow perception and experience of the wider world beyond the immediate reach of the body
Temporal:
Sight, smell, taste and touch are experiences which present themselves immediately
Auditory experiences unfold over time

6. Haptic geographies
Touch is the most intimate sense, limited by the reach of the body, and the only reciprocal sense
Three levels of touch:
Simple contact – bumping into someone
Exploratory activity –feeling a material or a surface
Communication by touch – actively intended by both parties, e.g. crowds at music festivals

7. Olfactory geographies
Taste and smell are very closely linked
Olfaction plays a very important role in memory and emotion
Smell establishes a close connection with an environment – we can close our eyes, but we cannot close our noses.

8. Auditory geographies
Immediate soundscape – auditory experiences at close range, such as music at a concert
Distant soundscape – all sounds that are audible, such as the wind in the trees, or the sound of the sea
The auditory world surrounds us from all directions, unlike the visual world which is limited to what we can see at any given time

9. Visual geographies
Vision is an important part of everyday experiences.
But, sight is concerned with appearances – on its own, it only gives us access to a surface.
The rest of the experience is a combination of all the other senses

10. Case Study - Noosa International Jazz Festival
Part of the festival is a celebration of local food, wine and jazz called ‘Tastings on Hastings’
The main street is closed off to traffic and local restaurants set up tables and chairs in the middle of the street and offer a set menu, drinks and plenty of jazz music.

11. Data Collection
Methods: participant observation, document analysis of the festival website and annual reports and interviews with key stakeholders
Data: field notes, photographs and event maps and programs
Data analysis: the five senses (sight, sound, touch, smell and taste) were used as a priori codes

12. Findings This event was targeted primarily at paying lunch guests
But, those simply wandering up and down the street observing and enjoying the atmosphere were still able to have a multi-sensory experience

13. Taste, Touch & Smell
Only participants who paid for the lunch experienced the event through tasting the food & wine, and touching the cutlery, tables etc
Lunch tickets cost AUD $85, and there were limited numbers available
But, there were opportunities for other visitors to experience the event through smell as they walked up and down the street past the various restaurant tables, all serving different kinds of food

14. Sound
In relation to sound, paying guests at the lunch did not enjoy a better experience than non-paying visitors
As each restaurant had its own jazz band playing, paying guests could only listen to one band during the lunch, whilst those free to wander up and down the street were able to move from place to place listening to a variety of music

15. Sight
All visitors and paying guests were able to watch the street parade which took place just prior to the lunch being served.
Lunch guests were guaranteed a good view as they had seats next to the road
However, this free event offered a great deal more inclusivity for all, as there were plenty of places to watch the parade even if not attending the lunch

16. Conclusions
This exploratory research suggests some key ways to understand how different audiences (intended and unintended) can experience events through the five senses
Future research research will provide a more nuanced understanding of the ways in which the senses of sound, smell, sight and bodily movement generate festival bodies and senses of connection to place and community.