The Effect of Tourism Funding on Arts Festivals in Ireland Postgraduate Research Student: Karena Rushe Supervisor: Karen Gardiner A.I.T. THRIC 15 th June.

The Effect of Tourism Funding on Arts Festivals in Ireland

Postgraduate Research Student:

Karena Rushe

Supervisor: Karen Gardiner A.I.T.

THRIC 15th June 2011

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BACKGROUND Postgraduate student Currently undertaking Master of Arts

by Research in Athlone Institute of Technology

Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Tourism and Hospitality Management

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OVERALL AIM OF THE STUDY

To determine… Effect of tourism funding on arts

festivals

In terms of … Structure and scale of festivals Creative flow Authenticity of the arts Sustainability of festivals

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IMPORTANCE OF THE TOURISM SECTOR

Economic benefits… €4.3 billion in 2000 to €6.5 billion in 2007 €3.4 billion in 2010 (Fáilte Ireland, 2010)

Employment…170,000 – direct employment80,000 - tourism related employment

(ITIC, 2011)

Regional development…Spatial spread of tourismStrengthen local economies

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CULTURAL TOURISM Including festivals - central ingredient

that sets Ireland apart from competing destinations

Cultural visitors – spent €2bn approx 2009 - 3.3m visitors engaged in cultural

activities – visits to historical sites, genealogy, attendance at festivals and events.

Attendance at festivals and events by overseas visitors was 376,000

(Fáilte Ireland, 2010)

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CULTURAL TOURISM

Cultural tourism is forecast to grow at 15% p.a.

(World Tourism Organisation, 2011)

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CULTURE - THE ARTS - TOURISM

Significant mutual benefit for the arts sector and for tourism

Arts Council work closely with Fáilte Ireland and others to support initiatives to make the arts more central to the achievement of Ireland’s tourism objectives.

( Arts Council Strategic Overview 2011-2013 )

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THE ARTS

Festivals

Theatre

Visual Arts

Literature

Opera

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ST. PATRICK’S FESTIVAL

Click icon to add picture

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GALWAY ARTS FESTIVAL

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ARTS FESTIVALS Key role to play - tourism - marketing

Ireland – development of the arts To stage these festivals - requires funding

E.g.: Galway Arts Festival €2.1 million to produce - 2009

Public Sector Grants

39%

Ticket Sales 33%

Sponsorship & Friends Scheme incl. in kind support*

26%

Other Earned Income

2%

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IMPORTANCE OF FESTIVALSIn 2009 Kilkenny Arts Festival Attracted 100,000 and generated more

than 30,000 bed nights Spraoi Street Festival - Waterford Attracted 100,000 visitors Guinness Jazz Festival - Cork Generated €5m approx Fleadh Cheoil na h’Eireann – CavanGenerated €19.7 m to the local economy

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INVESTMENT 2002 -2006 Fáilte Ireland supported over

400 festivals - investment of €16m (Fáilte Ireland, 2009)

Government investment (2009) - €551m Includes €405m for current spending and €146m for capital projects Total allocation for the Arts, Culture and

Film sector €185m (doubled -5 years. 2003 - €92)

(Dept of Tourism, Culture and Sport, 2010)

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ARTS COUNCIL INVESTMENT

In 2006 Arts Council invested €72m approx

In 2008 Invested €82m

Example:• The Arts Council funded 143 applications -

€20 million

• The Arts Council invested €9 million less in 2010

(The Arts Council, 2010)

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EXAMPLES OF FUNDINGFunding received in 2010 - :

Dublin Fringe Festival €315,000

Cork Midsummer Festival €180,000

Wexford Opera Festival €1.3m

Waterford Youth Arts €66,300

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FUNDING OF THE FESTIVALS

Funding decisions

Critical for survival and long-term sustainability

Implications of funding

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EFFECT OF FUNDING

Funding

Authenticity

Direction

Visitor experience

Over-reliance

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DIRECTION

Main drivers of festival activities…

Art form development Community/ audience development Tourism Economic regeneration (Inkei, 2005)

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VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Organisation - management of festivals can change the visitor experience

Quality of experience

Might not be the memorable experience visitors would expect

Balance between the arts - entertainment

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OVER - RELIANCE Festivals dependence on funding for

survival

Sponsorship

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AUTHENTICITY‘New and authentic experiences can turn a holiday into a life adventure’ (Quinn, B.,2007)

Appreciation for the arts

Festival planning and development can affect the authenticity of a festival

Preservation of a festival could have critical implications

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SUSTAINABILITY

Proactive in planning festivals each year

Long-term considerations

Uncontrolled expansion

Impact on sensitive sites - historic towns

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AIM OF STUDY

To determine… Effect of tourism funding on arts

festivals

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FURTHER RESEARCH

Scoping the arts festivals

Contact with festival organisers

Questionnaire design and piloting

Distribution of questionnaire Structured interviews

Collation of data and analysis

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CONCLUSION

“The arts create attractions for tourism which in turn supplies extra audiences for the arts”.

(Myerscough, 1988)

http://www.galwayartsfestival.com/promo/index.php?ct=77&id=206&t=promotional-video