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

Background Postgraduate student Currently undertaking Master of Arts by Research in Athlone Institute of Technology Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Tourism and Hospitality Management THRIC 2011 AIT

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 THRIC 2011 AIT

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 employment 80,000 - tourism related employment (ITIC, 2011) Regional development… Spatial spread of tourism Strengthen local economies THRIC 2011 AIT

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) THRIC 2011 AIT

Cultural Tourism Cultural tourism is forecast to grow at 15% p.a. (World Tourism Organisation, 2011) THRIC 2011 AIT

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 ) THRIC 2011 AIT

The Arts Festivals Theatre Visual Arts Literature Opera THRIC 2011 AIT

St. Patrick’s Festival THRIC 2011 AIT

Galway Arts Festival THRIC 2011 AIT

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% THRIC 2011 AIT

Importance OF FESTIVALS In 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 – Cavan Generated €19.7 m to the local economy THRIC 2011 AIT

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) THRIC 2011 AIT

Arts council investment 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) THRIC 2011 AIT

Examples of Funding Funding received in 2010 - : Dublin Fringe Festival €315,000 Cork Midsummer Festival €180,000 Wexford Opera Festival €1.3m Waterford Youth Arts €66,300 THRIC 2011 AIT

Funding of the Festivals Funding decisions Critical for survival and long-term sustainability Implications of funding THRIC 2011 AIT

Effect of Funding Authenticity Over-reliance Funding Direction Visitor experience Over-reliance THRIC 2011 AIT

dIRECTION Main drivers of festival activities… Art form development Community/ audience development Tourism Economic regeneration (Inkei, 2005) THRIC 2011 AIT

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 THRIC 2011 AIT

Over - Reliance Festivals dependence on funding for survival Sponsorship THRIC 2011 AIT

Authenticity Appreciation for the arts ‘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 THRIC 2011 AIT

Sustainability Proactive in planning festivals each year Long-term considerations Uncontrolled expansion Impact on sensitive sites - historic towns THRIC 2011 AIT

Aim of Study To determine… Effect of tourism funding on arts festivals THRIC 2011 AIT

Further Research Scoping the arts festivals Contact with festival organisers Questionnaire design and piloting Distribution of questionnaire Structured interviews Collation of data and analysis THRIC 2011 AIT

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=20 6&t=promotional-video THRIC 2011 AIT