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30 Apr 08 - 08:24 AM (#2329638) Subject: Folklore: Thinking about starting a new festival From: GUEST,tight fist Hi I'm thinking about starting a new folk festival in Yorskhire somewhere. What do people think? Should I just do it or form a committee? green fields |
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30 Apr 08 - 08:42 AM (#2329652) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: Dave Hunt For goodness sake WHY??? Too many festivals already, and your potential customers only have a limited amount of cash so will tend to choose the tried and tested, well established festivals. I don't know if you realise the enormous amount of work entailed in running a festival - even a small one is extremely time consuming, and offers little reward. Been there - done it! Dave |
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30 Apr 08 - 08:45 AM (#2329655) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: nutty It depends on how much money you have to spend ............... If you have an unlimited amount of money for artists or if you are eligible for a large amount of lottery funding If you have local authority backing and are not restricted by cost of venues If you are appealing to a folk population that have lots of money to spend If you are not bothered about what effect your festival might have on smaller more established festivals Then go ahead .... the world is your oyster. If you have to think about any of the above ... tread carefully |
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30 Apr 08 - 08:48 AM (#2329657) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: nutty I should also have added ......... If you can cover security and insurance AND PRS costs. |
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30 Apr 08 - 08:53 AM (#2329662) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: greg stephens Well, most people will be quite negative about this idea, as evidenced by the prvious posts. But, you could look at it another way. Firstly, a lot of folk festivals are folding at the moment. So people are deducing it is a lousy time to start a festival. But the other viewpoint is: folk festivals are folding, so the organisers would seem to be getting it wrong in some way. Therefore, get in with your new idea, and get it right, and you will pick up the audience who are leaving the failing festivals. Both viewpoints have elments of truth in them. As they say, there's always room at the top. So, would I start a new festival now? Not on your nelly! But if I had a brilliant idea, well, that's another story. |
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30 Apr 08 - 08:55 AM (#2329664) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: John MacKenzie You forgot to ask for a booking Greg :) Giok |
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30 Apr 08 - 09:16 AM (#2329691) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: selby Go for it you will never know and always regret not having a go. If it fails you had the courage of your convictions and if it succeds well done but one things for sure you will never know until you try. Commitees in my experience don't work have helpers by all means that work for and support you,descions when starting something new are best left to one person and again whatever the result its yours. One more peice of advice think carefully of when and where and go for it. Keith |
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30 Apr 08 - 09:55 AM (#2329724) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: GUEST If you've never been involed in organising one before (not clear from your posting)why not offer your services to an existing festival and learn the trade that way first. You might have the talent/ability/foresight or whatever is needed to refresh an ailing festival and keep it from going under. Just a thought! |
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30 Apr 08 - 10:17 AM (#2329748) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: The Sandman consider sponsorship. join the efdss,this will enable you to get cheaper insurance,and they will appreciate your support,they too might be able to give you advice. dont form a committee. have a good look at dates of other festivals.in the north start small and build up, start with a one day festival . dont book Dick Miles. |
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30 Apr 08 - 11:24 AM (#2329812) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: GUEST,Betsy at work Hiya Tight Fist, Maybe the whole concept of the "Festival" is about to change in that Meets or Gatherings will be more commonplace where people play and sing , join in more, and are in general more part of it all . Maybe the BIG Concert(s) scenario has had its' day. If there are no concerts - then there are no performers fees and accommodation arrangements, ticket costs, hire charges for halls, costs of adverts, administration paraphernalia, insurances, security on the doors, etc. etc. etc. I presume in this "piece" that PRS charges insurances etc. will already held /covered by the Pubs. In related threads there is clearly a demand for those who like the Big Concert Festival, however, there are those who do not. Time after time I read about people who want to be with like-minded souls to play, sing or just listen and enjoy. So Tight fist I suggest you locate a town / large village / which has plenty of large pubs who are experiencing a lack of trade, and bounce your idea off the Landlords of the Pubs about starting an unpaid "festival". The not highly unexpected question from the Pubs will be - "What's in it for me?" You say, your pub will be full of good humoured people and your beer & food sales will prosper for the period, and, in answer to the probable question - "What's in it for you?" you presumably get a (let's say) great weekend of song, music good natured drinking and craic on your own doorstep. Ideally if you could have a separate pub for Musicians, one for Singers/Musicians and maybe one for unaccompanied singers etc. If the local community council want to involve the locals with (say ) a Ceilidh / Barndance - let THEM fund it. People are always mentioning in these pages about the possibility of camping /caravan space so if the facilities are there, albeit simple, it would be a big plus. Tony Leonard has been trying this type of approach at Staithes, but it may not survive if it gets too crowded with non players/singers who are just turning up to see what people are "up" to. Anyway Tight Fist, all the foregoing is a bit fanciful, as I would think the venue(s) would need to start small and gradually acquire its' own natural following over the years - I don't think it could start BIG. So, it's all a bit Utopian, but, I hope it gives you food-for-thought and also other parties who are contemplating embarking on a similar sort of venture. There was something else I was going to say about new festivals, but I've temporarily (or perhaps conveniently) forgotten .............. Cheers, Betsy |
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30 Apr 08 - 11:27 AM (#2329817) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: Mr Happy Me & the Fiends've been having a DIY do every Easter for the last few years, camping & craic with chums from all over in the Pique District! |
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30 Apr 08 - 11:32 AM (#2329823) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: Mr Happy p.s. I think this thread's really a wind-up! |
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30 Apr 08 - 11:36 AM (#2329829) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: GUEST,The Input :-) Cheeky tightfist! |
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01 May 08 - 03:27 AM (#2330354) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: theleveller Well, let's see, there are festivals at Hutton-le-Hole, Helmsley, Beverley, Pickering, Whitby, Saltburn, Filey..... the obvious gap in the market is Scarborough. Why not have a beach festival - it would be easy; all the facilities are there, no need for any marquees or other structures, just maybe a big bonfire. Everything gets cleared away when the tide comes in and when it goes out you just carry on. Hey, you could even have the main stage floating offshore - maybe hire a redundant oil rig. Just make sure that you put it on at the same time as one or more of the other festivals listed, then you're sure of attracting plenty of publicity. |
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01 May 08 - 03:40 AM (#2330364) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: theleveller Better still, why not have one at Sprun Point? That would be the most easterly festival in the UK, and you could compete with Shepley as the windiest. |
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01 May 08 - 03:43 AM (#2330368) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: Banjiman The Leveller....Scarborough Seafest (w/e 18th-20th July)....doesn't that count? I started a weekend minifest last November (The KFFC Winter Warmer Weekend ). Almost like Betsy suggests but with a lot of local & regional bands + a few national names, it sold out the intended 110 tickets, so was succesful within it's own terms of reference. Doing similar again on November 21st to 23rd (KFFC 1st Big Birthday Bash, all under one roof, indoor & outdoor camping, plenty of hard standing for vans and a good time guaranteed....all this for £20) with: Last Night's Fun Mary Humphries & Anahata Keeper's Fold Marie Little Duncan McFarlane & Anne Brivonese Wendy Arrowsmith Hamish Currie Hut People Brother Crow Kim Guy Ian McKone Jim Potter Bill Lloyd Nickie Willis Tony Levy Zoe Mulford Wheezi Anna Blind Sum'it Continuous, legendary singarounds, sessions, workshops in a beamed pub (with 3 big rooms!) in a beautiful North Yorks village. Tickets available (pm or email me!) from today, on line sales available in 2 weeks time. Don't care if the thread is a wind-up, good opportunity for me to tell you about something that is happening!!! Paul |
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01 May 08 - 04:14 AM (#2330380) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: Gedpipes Mr/Mrs Input is making a lot of sense again. well done that man/woman Blue skies Ged |
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01 May 08 - 04:19 AM (#2330386) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: theleveller Damn. Forgot about the Seafest. Spurn Point it is, then! But let's have it in winter, for a change. That'll sort the real festival lovers out. |
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01 May 08 - 04:22 AM (#2330390) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: Folkiedave Can I just correct one small myth. Whilst there is a small amount of insurance included in EFDSS membership, this would not help a festival. I seem to remember when I looked at it - it was limited to an event with less that 200 people. They would not cover any sort of festival as far as an organiser is concerned. End of myth correction. Shepley festival (personal interest declared elsewhere) only started last year and seems to have been a great success. With a large number of artists. |
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01 May 08 - 04:37 AM (#2330392) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: theleveller Can't see a festival at Spurn attracting more than 200, would the insurance cover being washed out to sea (there is a lifeboat station there, so I'm sure rescue would be immediate)? |
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01 May 08 - 07:03 AM (#2330433) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: banjoman Thinking of starting a new festival? DONT its not worth it. You will get so tied up in all the admin work that you will never have time to enjoy your festival. Let others do the organising and you can just buy your ticket and enjoy I speak from bitter experience |
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01 May 08 - 01:11 PM (#2330742) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: The Sandman Folkie Dave, The information I was given was by someone who runs a folk festival.,but 200 as you say is your limit,but perhaps for a one day festival which is what i suggested,that should suffice. |
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01 May 08 - 09:53 PM (#2331153) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: SINSULL Great idea, TF. You are, of course, funding it yourself? |
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01 May 08 - 09:56 PM (#2331155) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: Ref As soon as you do, some of the people in the "Boston NOT Folk" thread will be criticizing your choices of artists! |
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02 May 08 - 09:17 AM (#2331244) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: GUEST,Betsy at Work Tight Fist , I suggest that you consult the "Free Festivals" Thread -it could be the future for Festivals , not necessarily all, but a large amount. When people ask why do we like going to them and what do we expect from them.............. If it is the companionship and being with people who have a similar love of a type of music song and way of thinking , do we need to pay vast amounts of entrance fees to gather together? |
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06 May 08 - 02:51 AM (#2333842) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: Gedpipes Well said BAW. Blue skies Ged |
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06 May 08 - 03:34 AM (#2333864) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: Folkiedave Hi Dick and congratulations on the new record - I checked with the EFDSS insurance people (not the EFDSS) because I needed insurance for a bookstall at a festival. They were adamant that the insurance is for individuals and affiliated groups (I qualify on both counts) and for small events. Thus for example if a morris team were dancing outside a pub and a piece of stick broke off and perhaps resulted in a minor injury then you would be covered if the crowd was less than 200. And anyone relying on EFDSS insurance for anything at all other than the above really ought to check and make sure they are covered. It's only public liability and it is now £5 million. http://www.efdss.org/members.htm |
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06 May 08 - 06:21 AM (#2333908) Subject: RE: Thinking about starting a new festival From: masato sakurai There's a previous thread: Advice on running a folk festival. |