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
 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
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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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
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 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 is forecast to grow at
15% p.a.
(World Tourism Organisation, 2011)
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 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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Theatre
Opera
Festivals
Literature
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Visual
Arts
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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
Ticket Sales
Sponsorship &
Friends Scheme
incl. in kind support*
Other Earned
Income
39%
33%
26%
2%
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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

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 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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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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Funding received in 2010 - :
 Dublin
 Cork
Fringe Festival €315,000
Midsummer Festival €180,000
 Wexford
Opera Festival €1.3m
 Waterford
Youth Arts €66,300
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 Funding
decisions
 Critical
for survival and long-term
sustainability
 Implications
of funding
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Authenticity
Overreliance
Funding
Visitor
experience
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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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 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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 Festivals
dependence on funding for survival
 Sponsorship
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‘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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 Proactive
in planning festivals each year
 Long-term
considerations
 Uncontrolled
 Impact
expansion
on sensitive sites - historic towns
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To determine…
 Effect of tourism funding on arts festivals
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
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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“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
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