SectionJAttachmentsAddendumA BArtsFestivalSurveyPDF.pdf

Addendum A – Sample Topics/Questions to be covered by the National Survey

Some preliminary work by the Contractor will go toward developing a close-ended questionnaire that will take no more than 8-10 minutes to answer. Topics to cover include the following:

1. Size, scope and scale of the field. What is the estimated size of the universe of arts festivals in the U.S.?

2. Festival types – Are there festival categories that can be identified? What are the different types of festivals? How many festivals are there in each category? What are some differences in organizational structure, funding, staffing, location, revenues, expenditures, etc. of the festival organizers by festival or event type?

3. The geographic location of festivals – Where are festivals situated? Are they clustered in certain areas or spread out throughout the country? Are there certain community characteristics that correlate to the clustering and survival of events?

4. What is the corporate structure or governance of the festival organization? Is it free-standing or part of a larger organization? Is the organization (or parent organization) for-profit or nonprofit?

Is it part of a university?

5. How are festivals funded? Is the event financed by private corporations, foundations, public funds, patrons, and/or audiences? What percentage of funds comes from each source? Does the festival receive in-kind donations?

6. How many artists do festivals hire? Where are artists from? What types of work are artists doing?

7. Are festivals staff- or volunteer-run? How many staff and/or volunteers do they have? How many festivals have an arts curator/director?

8. How many days does the festival run? Are the events held over a concentrated period of time

(e.g., 3 days in a row) or spread out over an entire season? What time of year is the festival held?

9. What are the number and kinds of events at the festivals?

10. How many people attend annually?

11. What are the organization’s annual expenditures toward the festival? What percentage is for fixed costs versus variable costs?

12. What is the organization’s annual revenue? What percentage is earned income versus unearned income? What percentage of earned income is generated directly by audiences?

13. For how many years has the festival been held? Has it always been run by the same organization/parent company?

14. What was the initiating purpose or intent of the festival? What is the current mission of the event?

15. What marketing strategies does the organization use?

16. Is the festival juried or non-juried?

17. Does the festival have educational activities? What type and how many?

18. Does the festival pay the artists? How much are artists paid?

19. Does the festival hire new and/or emerging artists? Does the festival hire local artists?

20. Percentage of festivals that are free? What percentage are ticketed? Of those that are ticketed, what percentage have programs to distribute tickets to target groups at a lower cost or free of charge?

21. Does the organization file a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service?

Addendum B – Sample Topics/Questions to be covered by the Case Studies

Some preliminary work by the Contractor will go toward developing a case study protocol, including audience survey, focus group discussion and individual interview questionnaires. A representative sample of festival audiences will be surveyed with a questionnaire taking 6 – 8 minutes to complete.

Focus group discussions will be held with 3-4 groups per site, with 9-12 people each. In addition, Interviews will be conducted with 4-6 key informants per site (i.e., festival organizers, artists, community leaders, artistic director, etc.). Topics to cover include the following:

1. What makes festivals unique? How are festivals different from other types of arts events or activities?

2. What are the key elements of a successful festival?

3. What is the relationship between the community and the festival? Overall, is it positive or negative?

4. Ability to attract diverse audiences and artists – are arts festivals measurably better at attracting minority artists and audiences than other arts venues?

5. How does the funding source impact or limit the festival (e.g., government funding versus private funding)?

6. How is the festival structured?

7. How do festivals advertise (if at all) and what appears to be most successful strategy?

8. What are effective partnerships? Are partnerships with local government, local business, universities, and/or other non-profits better for the hosting community and/or the festival?

9. Benefits to local communities – employment of local and non-local artists, individuals, and organizations. The short and long-term effect of cultural tourism.

10. What is the quality, extent and duration of volunteer contribution to festivals?

11. Does the festival partner or compete with other festivals in the area?

12. How has the festival changed the experience of living and working in the community?

13. Did the festival lead to bridging and bonding in the community? Did it aggravate preexisting social tensions? What groups benefited from the festival? How?

14. Is the festival considered to be an important part of the community identity?

15. Audience demographics: age, gender, race, ethnicity, level of education, income level, marital status, etc. Do festival demographics differ by type of festival or genre?

16. What was the audience motivation for attending the festival? Were audience expectations met?

Did audiences have any unexpected experiences?

17. What other arts events did audience member attend in the past 12 months?

18. Have audience members attended the festival before? What were their motivations for returning?

19. Are audience members from the area or visiting from out of town? If the latter, did they come to the community specifically to attend the festival?

20. How did audience members hear about the event?

21. For how many days did audience members attend the festival? What activities did audience attend or engage with at the festival? How many events did they attend? Did they interact with artists?

Did they participate in any educational activities (classes/demonstrations/presentations)?

22. Did the audience experience a new type of art at the festival? Was this an intentional choice?

23. Do audience members feel more inclined to attend similar types of events or related events in the future due to participating in the festival?

24. How and to what extend do artists interact with the audience/festival-goers? Is this similar to (less/greater than or equal to) the interaction artists have with audiences in other contexts?

25. Do artists interact with one another? To what extent do artists do so? Is this similar to

(less/greater than or equal to) the interaction with artists in other contexts?

26. How many performances do artists participate in? Do they tend to be full-time or part-time artists?