James McVeigh: A collaborative story

©Festivals Edinburgh 2012©Festivals Edinburgh 2012

Edinburgh’s Festivals: A Collaborative Story

©Festivals Edinburgh 2012

History and Context


History and Context

1947 1950 1978 1983 1988 1990 1994 1995 2004


History and Context

• 12 Festivals• 25,000 Artists• 1000+ producers• 2,000+ accredited media• 3,000+ shows• 4.2m audiences


History and Context

Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec

Atten

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Summer Festivals


• CEC Festivals Strategy

• Economic Impact Report

• Thundering Hooves

History and Context

http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/resources/publications/research/pdf/RES21%20Thundering%20Hooves%20Full%20Report.pdf


History and Context

4 Key Strategic Areas:1. Strategic Planning around the

needs, ambitions, threats and opportunities of Edinburgh’s festivals

2. Joint marketing of Edinburgh’s Festivals and of Edinburgh as world’s leading Festival City

3. Supporting programme innovation and development

4. Addressing infrastructure issues affecting the festivals

Opportunities and Threats


History and Context

FESTIVALS FORUMCEOs of key public sector stakeholders plus independent experts

THUNDERING HOOVES STEERING GROUPManagers/Officers of key stakeholders

FESTIVALS EDINBURGHFE Board: 12 Festival Directors/CEOs

FE : 8 staff

Mid to long term planning, including funding and decision making concerning Edinburgh’s competitive position as the world’s leading Festival City.

Monitoring and ensuring implementation of the action plan; following through decisions made at the Festivals Forum


CollaborationModel


Collaboration: Aims

Mission: Help to sustain the Festivals’ and Edinburgh’s pre-eminence as the world’s leading festival city

Key Objectives:• Act on behalf of and represent

the collective strengths of the Edinburgh Festivals

• Develop and deliver collaborative projects and initiatives


Collaboration: Membership

Membership Criteria for Festivals• Exists for a charitable purpose• Accepts membership fees [sliding scale]• Promotes a programme of events that is:

– open to the general public– takes place predominantly within Edinburgh–for the most part concentrated within a period of not more than 1 month, not less than 3 days – is delivered either annually or biennially

• Successful record of at least three years standing• Has governance and infrastructure in place• Commit to working to deliver the joint principles• World class in its quality and delivery• Position of established leadership• High degree of distinctiveness and pre-eminence• Positive contribution to the current mix


Collaboration: Governance

FESTIVALS EDINBURGHFE Board: 12 Festival Directors/CEOs

FE Staff: 8 FTE

WORKING GROUPS

• Festival Staff Members • Chaired by a board

member• Supported by FE staff

member

Programming

Marketing

Innovation

Professional Development

Development [Fundraising]

Environment

What is required to achieve our objectives and enhance our position?


Working Groups


Process

Future Gaze

Board agreeexploration

Commission Research

Cross-festival working group

Evolve Strategy

Agree with Board

Evolve Action Plan

Agree with Board

Fundraise

STOP

GOREVISING

STOPSTOP

Expl

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ndin

g O

ppor

tuni

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Programming

• Investment: Scottish Government Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund

• Talent: World’s elite and emerging artists

• Internationalism: Country/Regional showcases across Festivals, internationational Gatherings


Programming: Diplomacy

• Identifying Key International Areas

• Mapping Key Partner International Relationships

• Building Cultural and Diplomatic Partnerships

• Aligning ambitions and work with tourism, education and business agendas in Scotland


Marketing

Attributes

Benefits

Values

Personality

Promise

12 Festivals 1000s of performances

100s of genres

Year round 100s of venues

Artists and thinkers

Enriching

Leading edge

Genuine uniquenessWelcoming

Cultural & informed

Witty & flamboyant

A Scottish renaissance person

The world in Edinburgh

Staged in Edinburgh

Charismatic

Authoritative

Something for everyone

A fun, unforgettable cultural experience in an iconic city

Creative buzz


Marketing: 2012

Enhanced Programmes• International campaigns – N. America & EU (VB/VS)• National campaigns – London, SE & North (VS)• Website, EF microsite [languages]• Social Media – facebook, twitter, youtube, flicker• First multi channel integrated campaign

• Scotland: Bus Shelter – Glasgow • UK: Print – Times & Guardian, National• UK: Radio – Bauer Radio, North England• UK: Rail – Partnership with East Coast Trains• UK: Online – Partnership with expedia• International: Media / PR – online press syndication

• International: London Media Centre [20,000]• International: Media visits program with London 2012

and VS/VB [staff]• International: Scotland House – London facility

[message]• Digital: media microsite, int. mapping, QR [CRM]• Digital: online ‘ticketing basket’ functionality


Environment

• Responsibly manage the environmental impact of Festivals

• Incorporate environmental practices into core business

• Need to engage audiences, venues and artists

• Research, behavioural change and communication

• Launch of Green Venue Initiative - http://www.efgreen.co.uk/

http://www.efgreen.co.uk/


Environment

Launch of Creative Carbon Scotland

• Cultural organisations working towards a low carbon Scotland

• Initiated and led by Edinburgh’s Festivals

• Working with Federation of Scottish Theatre, Visual Arts and Galleries and key sector leaders to develop a sectoral climate strategy

• Audience, Artist Impact Reduction Strategy (AIR)

• Research, Innovation and Implementation


Innovation


Innovation

Students Media

Developers

Audience

Staff

Academics

Designers


Innovation

Students

Academics

Staff

Audience

Developers

Media

Designers

Social Media

Festival DNA

SMART Tourism

Ideas Challenge

Open Data API

Culture Hack

ProjectLab

Inform

Enrich

Engage

Empower

Explore

Enhance

Enable


Innovation: Open Data API

Application Programming Interface[integrated listings database]

Tourism Developers

Single output ‘live’ feed available in different formats [e.g. xml, json etc]

Media PartnersEnvironmentAccess


Innovation: Open Data API

http://vimeo.com/28706322


Process

Future Gaze

Board agreeexploration

Commission Research

Cross-festival working group

Evolve Strategy

Agree with Board

Evolve Action Plan

Agree with Board

Fundraise

STOP

GOREVISING

STOPSTOP

Expl

orin

g Fu

ndin

g O

ppor

tuni

ties


Process: Funding

• Programming: £6,750,000 over four years

• Marketing: £1,250,000 over four years

• Innovation: £330,000 over two years

• Cultural diplomacy: £100,000• Environment: £60,000 into

environmental practice

Three year ongoing commitment of £6million, plus additional £1.3million in 2012


Next Steps


Paid attendances up by 5% - and significant financial increaseIncrease of 9% in sales income and 11% in number of ticketsEst 1.85m tickets issued for 279 venues, being only 1% decreaseMost visits in history, with ticket sales up 3%Sold out 14th consecutive year, with UK broadcast reaching 5.4m50+ major exhibitions & 8 new public art commissions, UK media coverage doubled

Next Steps: 2012 Results


Next Steps: Positioning

• Events – Edinburgh International Culture

Summit [37 countries]– Edinburgh World Writers’

Conference [60]– World Fringe Congress [18]

• Delegation programme– Partnership with – Cultural policy makers

[knowledge and appreciation]– Arts & culture professionals

[markets and collaborations]– Arts audiences & participants

[ideas and issues]


Next Steps: Positioning

• Partners

• Targets– Print [Scotland House -FPA]– Broadcast [BBC luncheon]– Online [Travel Bloggers]

• Immediate v Long Term– UK– Europe– North America/Australia– Emerging Markets


Festival Cities [In] Direct Routes

Programming Countries

South KoreaNew ZealandSub-Saharan Africa

Germany [Munich, Dusseldorf] & Berlin]France [Paris & Lyons] Holland [Amsterdam]Ireland [Cork / Dublin]Denmark [Copenhagen]USA [New York]

France [Avignon]Holland [Rotterdam] India [Jaipur]China [HK & Shanghai]Malay[Singapore]Brazil [Rio / Sao Paolo]Canada [Montreal]Australia [Sydney, Adelaide & Melbourne]USA [Austin, Chicago, New Orleans & San Fran]

Turkey [Istanbul]Spain [Barcelona]Norway [Oslo & Bergen]Belgium [Brussels]Finland [Helsinki & Tampere]Czech [Prague]Italy [Rome & Venice]Poland [Poznan & Krakow]UAE [Dubai]

Russia [Moscow]UAE [Abu Dhabi] South Africa [Grahamstown]Japan [Tokyo & Kyoto]Korea [Seoul]Canada [Vancouver]Malaysia [Singapore]Argentina [Buenos Aires]Cuba [Havana]Ukraine [Kiev]

Switzerland [Basel, Geneva & Zurich]Austria [Salzburg, Graz, Innsbruck & Vienna] Italy [Naples, Verona & Pisa]Spain [Alicante, Malaga & Madrid]Sweden [Stockholm & Gothenburg]Brussels [Sofia]Iceland [Reykavik]Poland [Gdansk & Lodz]Portugal [Lisbon]Hungary [Budapest]Greece [Athens]

France [Nice, Bordeaux, Toulouse & Poitiers]Germany [Bremen & Frankfurt]Canada [Calgary, Toronto & Vancouver]USA [Orlando & Philadephia]

Twin Cities•Munich, 1954•Nice, 1958•Florence, 1964•Dunedin, 1974•Vancouver, 1977•San Diego, 1977•Xi’ian, 1985•Kiev, 1989•Aalborg, 1991

Friendship Link•Kyoto, 1994

Partner Cities•Krakow, 1995

Best CitiesGlobal Alliance•Cape Town•Copenhagen•Dubai•Edinburgh•Houston•Melbourne•San Juan•Singapore•Vancouver


LessonsLearned


Lessons Learned

Trusted Facilitation and Facilitated Trust

• Clarity of Purpose• Common Agenda• Agreed Principles• Shared ownership• Evidence Based Advocacy• Investment of resource• Constant communication• R&D: embracing experimentation• Generosity of spirit: Tolerating complexity• Respect and passion


Lessons Learned

Unfruitful Collaboration

• New approaches to funding

• Social investment and capital

• Redefining ourselves as a ‘community’

• Agreeing shared collateral for large scale sponsors – difficult in tough economic times


Lessons Learned


Directors’ Thoughts


Edinburgh’s Festivals: A Collaborative Story

Questions and Answers

James McVeigh: A collaborative story

Entertainment & Humor

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