Colleagues at British Arts Festivals Association (BAFA) are undertaking a UK-wide research study to both help support and navigate the future for arts festivals, and to demonstrate the challenge and opportunities for the sector in the wake of Covid and Brexit. With support from Arts Council England, Arts Council of Wales and Creative Scotland, BAFA will commission BOP Consulting to tell the story of the arts festivals sector through research, exploring key issues including sustainability, equality, diversity and access. For the first time in 15 years, vital sectoral data will benchmark this diverse arts industry, quantifying its contribution to the economy and the places festivals serve.
This project, delivered under the banner Festivals Means Business 4, will provide robust data to support festivals nationally, enabling step change in the recognition and impact that arts festivals deliver. The funding is transformational for the sector and will champion a host of outcomes that a high quality festival can deliver to a destination.
The research will be conducted by BOP Consulting, the UK’s leading cultural research consultancy, with outcomes to be shared in Autumn 2024.
To get involved, please visit http://139616086.hs-sites-eu1.com/en/bafa-survey to register for the survey, which will be circulated in February. Please do spread the word to festival colleagues – the greater the representation from festivals, the more credible a case we will be able to make for the sector.
Any queries, please contact Fiona Goh at BAFA – fiona@artsfestivals.co.uk.
