Conference for Festivals
Date: 8th November, 2013
Location: Edinburgh Storytelling Centre
Many thanks to our student volunteers who took these notes. If you have anything you would like to
add to the debate do please let us know: info@artsfestivals.co.uk
Topic: Cultural Impact
Speakers:
James McVeigh, Festivals Edinburgh
Robert Palmer, cultural commentator
Stella Hall, Creative Producer, Media City, Salford and Festival Director, Festival
of Thrift
James McVeigh, Festivals Edinburgh
 Festivals Edinburgh was set up by the 12 Directors of Edinburgh’s Festivals
with a central vision to retain and advance Edinburgh’s position as the
world’s leading festival city
 In May 2011 an impact study was released covering economic, cultural and
social impacts and some of the findings were:
o Cultural: 92% of audiences agreed that the Festivals had given them
the opportunity to access work that they are not otherwise able to
o Cultural: 64% of audiences agreed that they are more likely to take
greater risks in their cultural choices as a result of their Festivalgoing
o Social: 89% of local audiences agreed that the Festivals increase their
pride in Edinburgh as a city
o Economic: Generate £261 million of economic impact for Scotland
and 5242 full time jobs in Edinburgh
 Using impact studies allows you to tailor your message: eg. social impacts
for government bodies, economic for visit Scotland, culture for creative
Scotland
 Edinburgh Festivals Impact Study can be found at HERE
Robert Palmer, International Cultural Consultant
 Festival are experiences, we shouldn't only talk about quantifiable impacts
when it comes to festivals and culture. There is a need to validate
experiential narratives
 Huge limitations and distortion of impacts studies
 They are often tools of advocacy rather than evaluation; they help persuade
people to support events, but have very little to do with creating culture
and the essence of cultural development. Frequently, the studies offer postevent justifications rather than analytical tools for learning and
improvement
 Place more emphasis on how cultural systems work rather than on
measuring impacts devise new cultural metrics; re-think measures that
distort the essence of festival
 We need to find new ways to describe the creation of joy, self-esteem,
celebration, creative expression, friendship that festivals bring. Such
‘measures’ are of critical importance, and are reflections of ‘value’ (more
than visitors numbers, job creation and city branding)

Look how festivals affect society; do not focus on quantifiable and ‘easy to
calculate’ impacts
 Improve understanding of the impacts of legacy, what the festival leaves
behind, sustainable effects. More longitudinal study will be valuable
 Launch of Palmer cultural energy analysis (PCEA)... Micro capsules that
change colour and measure cultural energy across a city. …