WHITBY Folk Week - the small print

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Cats
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 05:06 AM

Nutty .. I said thank you, even though this year I couldn't go. I also said how i apprciate all the hard work. I wasn't whinging, just offering a solution for a way round those who need alternative versions under the DDA which all festival organisers must comply with.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: nutty
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 04:50 AM

I'm still waiting to hear some thankyou's to the festival volunteers who spend their time in working (many have fulltime jobs)to provide the festival. Without them you wouldn't have anything to complain about nor would you have a festival to go to.

It is very easy to find fault - it is far harder to give time and effort to ensure that at least 99.9% of the people attending have a happy experience.

If the programme text is too small then the most sensible solution would be to invest in a small credit card magnifier available at most newsagents.

Putting the program on line may not be a total solution. This years Saltburn Festival prog was on-line but not downloadable so still required you tu buy a programme if you needed or wanted to have the info to hand.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 04:28 AM

Every increase in point size adds to the cost of production of a paper printed document. I just tried moving the points to 12 point - fairly standard I guess. That action increases the cost to around double - who pays £8 for a festival programme? As I've said, we're taking your comments seriously and will make some changes to the website asap. But we still need a paper programme at the festival itself.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: bill\sables
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 04:16 AM

The top of the first page of the programme gives the address and opening times of the festival office, and the middle pages of the events programme (Yellow pages)show a map of every venue of the festival along with festival office and all the car parks.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Tyke
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 11:14 PM

I could tell you where the Parking is in Whitby however some would have to tell me how to do the HMTL to change to small print the details of said parking. Because if I told you then and told everyone else at the same time then the Car Park would be FULL!

Im afraid it's a case of Park it safe and walk it and if needs be Taxi back up the hill to retreve it. It's free parking in the Coop car park depending how much you spend and for how long.

Sorry but that is just how it is until someone comes up with the idea of a Bus or train services for Whitby.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Tootler
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 08:11 PM

Having the programme on the website would be very useful. Although I live fairly locally, I can't afford to spend the whole week at Whitby (for family reasons as well as financial ones), so having the programme available on the Website would help me in choosing when to go.

One vital piece of information missing from the website was the location of the festival office. At least I couldn't find it and I think I scoured it pretty thoroughly. It needs to be fairly prominent say on the contacts page and the programme page.

Advice and info on parking would also be useful. Parking in Whitby is bad enough in normal times and is a real problem when there is any special event on, so pointing people to where they might stand some chance of finding parking would be very useful.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: GUEST,padgett on lap top
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 06:25 PM

I have the greatest regard for Whitby ff organisers, for potential audience and for the performers

I passed comment that now this 2009 festival is over they could start on 2010 ~ was told started in May 2009 for 2010!!

The programme was BIG and caters largely for traditional devotees and they were there in abundance including a number of Scottish based performers and one or two Irish and Welsh (well Michael O'Leary Johns!)

The Irish singer Tom? I had seen and heard at Bradfield trad festival earlier is a very stylistic singer (not billed)

Juggling venues, artists, mc's, stewards non arrivals must be a nightmare and organisers need iron constitution

Ideas and feedback are vital and I heard or some cock ups and filled in feedback forms ~ certainly about conflicts with the regatta

The regatta depends on tides, but Wff needs certainty of dates from year to year

Accommodation is at a premium and to have the same week for both is ridiculus!

Folk week relies heavily on committed volunteers and regard for folk music

In any organisation of this type the work, falls on few and dedicated shoulders

Good work for 2009, well done to all and lets hope they can iron out one or two problems

Some new names this year like Hissyfit in more contemporary vein sat well along side
Dave and Julie Evardson and John Conolly

Bryony Griffith and Will Hampson, Matt Quinn, Sam Lee and Sam Pirt from the younger end too of music and and song

Contact names for roles such as artists, stewards, sponsorship and adverts needed here too (yes they were in the programme) and the website should remain active for 2010 ~ perhaps!!)with this information

Just some thoughts

Ray Padgett

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: GUEST,Barry from wife compute at work
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 05:22 PM

I biggest gripe for my trying to figure out which of the few festivals I can afford to make in a season is finding out about whose performing & if I'm not familiar with them a link to they're site or a good discription of them & what they do. If I can't find out whose performing & what they're about, I'll go to a festival where I can find the info, full & in advance. No excuse for not getting up the performers up in advance.

Barry

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Cats
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 05:19 PM

I appreciate all the hard work that goes into planning and producing a programme for a festial as big as Whitby and you are never going to please everyone. However, if you have sight problems you have the right to ask for the programme to be available in an alternative format [comes under disability discrimination act] so perhaps next year you could ask for one of those. You might have to ask for it early so it can be printed off for you but if you can't see it, it's worth planning ahead. A note for the organisers, if anyone does ask for it in a different format all you have to do is have a copy on the computer and enlarge the print to whatever size and font they ask for and print it off as a one off. That way you comply with the law and don't have to go to the expense of printing different format and can change the font and the size to suit the individual.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Jack Campin
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 04:58 PM

I can't think you would need more than this.

You had to send off 4 quid and an SAE for a paper copy of the programme - none of the information is on the site. And the programme was presumably printed from a PDF file that could have been uploaded to the web in seconds. I'd buy the paper programme if I was there, but that doesn't make sense as a way of doing advance publicity.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: nutty
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 04:43 PM

I can only presume that you are not familiar with Google. A simple request for info on WHITBY FOLK FESTIVAL brings you to this page.

Whitby Folk Week which provides you with dates and other necessary info.

I can't think you would need more than this.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 04:42 PM

Festival dates - now that is a fair point. Put simply the website will be completely updated. Watch that space.
'Maybe you just don't want to attract anyone who hasn't been before. Your choice, I won't argue if that's what you want.'
…and obviously that's not what we want, why would you even suggest it?
Like I said, we are trying to get it right, we're not experts but we do care about this festival. You may not be aware of it but this is a massive project, it doesn't have grant aid thus is self-funded and, contrary to popular belief it is run by a devoted but shrinking number of volunteers.
I'll also repeat that the punters had a great time once again!

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Jack Campin
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 04:18 PM

Is the problem of scale so great that you can't even put the festival dates on the website?

I knew it was sometime in August but couldn't find out any more. Since I could find out the dates and the programme for a week-long folk camp in Transylvania, that's where I went instead. (It might have been the Nuits de Nacre festival in Tulle, they have details up in advance too - as far I'm concerned, you're competing with every late summer festival in Europe whose website has a schedule in a language I've got a dictionary for).

I've never seen a programme. It's not too hard to get to, I know Dick and Susan like it, I imagine you have spots for local-ish performers like Jim Eldon and Alistair Anderson who I'd want to hear, but that's not quite enough for me to commit a whole week, and I couldn't arrange to go part of the week without an advance schedule.

There are lots of ways to put programme info on the web as soon as you have it - a permathread here, a Twitter page, a blog, a public iCal calendar, an RSS feed, whatever suits. It doesn't need to take any longer than finding a post-it note to add it to your office planner.

Maybe you just don't want to attract anyone who hasn't been before. Your choice, I won't argue if that's what you want.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: nutty
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 03:52 PM

John - the solution was to spend your £4 (like the rest of us had to) and buy an advanced copy of the programme - I got mine at Saltburn FF, you could have sent for one by post.
Then you could have studied it at your leisure.

Yes, changes did happen but they were published daily in the "Whitby Wailer" available from festival office.

If the Whitby Festival committee attempted to cater for the individual needs of all it's punters, the task would be impossible.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: JHW
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 03:15 PM

Was the programme not on the web last year?
Did I dream it? (Possible at my age)

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 03:04 PM

Hi Jack,
my point is that its very much more difficult to do what you're asking - this is a matter of scale really. Shame that such a little thing should prevent your going to one of the best folk festivals in the UK.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Jack Campin
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 02:04 PM

Linlithgow might be a great festival but does it last for a week? Does it have the biggest workshop series of any UK folk festival?

Doesn't matter - I can find what they've got on in advance, so I've been sometimes. As long as I can't find out what you're going to have on offer, long enough in advance to book holidays and accommodation, I'm never going to yours.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 01:50 PM

Thanks for the notes. I'm pretty much in agreement with many of you BUT… as the guy who does the design for the programme etc. I think it might be useful to share the following.
Firstly there is a question of cost… don't think we haven't had other ideas, personally would have loved to use the format used by the Australian National Folk Festival. Liz offered to do the numbers of events next to the artists. We agree with many of your comments BUT…(yes, that's two upper case 'buts', there is a question of cost, fine if you want to pay big bucks for your programme, there is also the question of scale – Linlithgow might be a great festival but does it last for a week? Does it have the biggest workshop series of any UK folk festival?
As for programme changes, they're inevivable and we really did do our best. We (the staff) might have lost some sleep trying to solve problems but people still came up to me and the other members of staff, as well as the directors and told us they were having a great time. e have a lot to learn, a long way to go BUT…(yes I know) the Whitby Folk Week was enjoyed by loads of people and those whose week was totally and irrevocably destroyed by a clash of programming really shouldn't go to folk festivals.
By the way, please make suggestions, if cost and helpers permit we're only to happy to try to accomodate them. Just don't expect miracles we're only human.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Jack Campin
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 11:39 AM

By all means make suggestions - I'm sure they would be taken on board,

If you can't put the programme up, could you at least put the start and finish dates on the festival website? (They still weren't there a week before it started).

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: GUEST,Dave (Bridge)
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:56 AM

OOPs

Turning up on time for an event which was brought forward by an hour because of a bouble booking at the venue did not go down too well either. On the other hand perhaps John should invest in a pair of specs. All in all I enjoyed myself and it is not easy organising an event of that magnitude well done

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: GUEST,Dave (Bridge)
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:54 AM

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: nutty
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:52 AM

Before complaining , perhaps you should consider the work already done by the NEW committee, many of whom are still finding their feet.

By all means make suggestions - I'm sure they would be taken on board, Or even offer your time and support - I'm sure that would be appreciated.

But most of all say thank you to all that was positive about the festival, that these volunteers spent all year working to provide.

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: JHW
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 10:06 AM

Jack Campin - I agree entirely "put the whole programme on the web in advance" because as well as being convenient it is good advertising. Long since that I organised little 'festivals' but my plot was to put out full info to get people there. But as LesB found House Full perhaps Whitby would dismiss any need to advertise.
Sorry Les to note that several Wrights can make a Wrong!

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: LesB
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 09:38 AM

It was no more difficult to find than any other event, only difficult to get into. We arrived 15mins early only to be turned away (house full), and we had season tickets.
Cheers
There were so many changes to the program this year, a lot of it was irrelavant. It also caused a 'squirm moment' for us, because The Wright Family didn't have a profile, I hadn't a clue what to expect. So we went to a double header with them and Grace Notes. After the sublime Grace Notes The Wright Family turned out to be a 5 piece Jews Harp band. I gave it 5 mins then had to try & make an unobtrusive exit.
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: GUEST,Andy Seagroatt
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 09:26 AM

Also, under each biog, why not put the event numbers they are appearing at, saves a lot of searching. And while they are about it why not put a biog in for all performers!

Subject: RE: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: Jack Campin
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 09:02 AM

Why can't they simply put the whole programme on the web in advance?

Festivals with fewer resources, like Linlithgow, manage it.

Subject: WHITBY Folk Week - the small print
From: JHW
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 08:37 AM

I was asked in the Station at Whitby, "Did you get to Martyn Wyndham Read's concert Of Graeme Miles songs?"   
Sadly I hadn't, I would love to have done but I didn't know about it.
Why Not?
Because I guess it was hidden away in the small print of the Whitby Programme.
After all the superb work they put into laying it on, Whitby Folk Week organisers hide away in the small print not the Terms and Conditions, but the Programme of events we've come to see!
In 2008 I downloaded the programme and printed the bits I needed in readable type, ideal, but I couldn't find that for 2009, just a page saying 'buy a programme, four quid.' Yes we may be tight on the folk scene but it grieves me paying four quid for something I can't read.
Ageism is illegal now! Lots of Festivals have Young Persons programmes so why not something for the Over Fifties? Why can't we have Large Print events for those who don't have microfiche readers for eyes?
If you couldn't read your Whitby Programme please post 'Me too!'