Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 06:18 AM

Thanks Tam!
As you know I won't be about for a bit, but I'll definitely follow up your suggestions.

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 06:15 AM

Banjiman, some of these questions I'd need to understand a bit more about the possible options and implications, to be able to answer properly. But broadly:

Free would of course be ideal, but I've no idea whether that would be a realistic option. As to venues, hmm, public buildings perhaps (library, church, village hall etc.).

Yes, my interest would be more about small local events, focusing on local traditional folk song/music in particular. Definitely with a participatory element. Some performance, with a strong participatory ethic sorta thing.

Lizzie you have PM.

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 06:09 AM

1. Contact Cultural Festival manager at Essex County Council for advice and info about grants. I know her name, email and phone number. PM me.
2. If you are looking for a homely all in one place kind of evetn, seek out camp sites that have nearby pub (preferably CamRA to perhaps tie folk festival with beer festival).
3. Talk to Alan Francis and others on Mudcat about attracting performers for gigs.
4. I can help with all kinds of admin stuff to do with event management.   And, I can advertise / market your event on Essex Explore Culture website if it is to be in Essex.

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Banjiman
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 05:56 AM

So are you looking for "performance" or "participation"? Or both.

Free or would you be looking to cover some costs?

What sort of venues to you access to?

I've found the most difficult thing is attracting in an audience unless you go for some "big names" (or people who are locally popular). I assume from previous postings you'll be calling it something with "Traditional" in the title rather than "folk"? I wonder if that will attract people or put them off.......

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 05:40 AM

"community based folk events - smaller scale ones"

Ah, to clarify, I'm not speaking of a singaround in the local (lots of threads on that kind of thing already) - more something *community* based, like a weekend or even single day local event for the general public and enthusiasts alike.

Jim C posted some thought elsewhere on initiating small local trad. folk festivals - I'll try and ferret them out to paste here and maybe that will help generate further discussion.

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 05:33 AM

Banjiman, I've no aspirations to try to create some major national folk festival! That'd be plain daft for someone like me.

On a couple of threads I've made general comments about ideas for community based folk events - smaller scale ones - and in response other posters have replied "go for it" - I was just looking for a bit more detail about how other enthusiasts "go for it" :)

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Banjiman
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 04:57 AM

CS, what sort of thing and what scale are you thinking of?

There is a world of difference running a singaround in the local to a major Folk Festival. If you can be more specific I'm sure you will get more useful advice.

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 04:46 AM

I'm not sure I'd recommend contacting Steve directly, as he's generally very busy (and in the middle of festival planning at the moment, so it's the busy time of year). Someone in the office at FAE might be able to help. But I would have thought they would recommend joining FAE in the first instance (there is a fee) and coming to the conference, which is where all the exchange of ideas etc generally takes place (there is a fee for that, too).

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: s&r
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 02:30 AM

Festivals & Events

The FolkArts England membership includes a large number of folk, roots and acoustic music and community arts festivals, see the list below.

Also see the News pages for member's Festival stories and reports.

The Association of Festival Organisers (AFO) was born out of a small gathering of like-minded people working in the community festival business. Formed in 1987, it provided a channel of communication between festivals and events in the folk, roots and acoustic music world.

In 2003 The Association of Festival Organisers became part of FolkArts England.

The Festival and Event section of FolkArts England has grown over the years and now has 100s of members who regularly exchange ideas, support one another help develop our sector.

If you are thinking about running a folk, roots or accoustic music event
Join FolkArts England Now and benefit from the sharing of ideas, latest event industry news and years of experience.

Between 2002 -2004 the AFO commissioned and published some research into the Impact of Folk Festivals. Download the report here.

Contact Steve Heap

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 29 Apr 10 - 04:17 PM

To be honest, when I realised I might want to do this kind of thing, I went and did an arts management degree.

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 29 Apr 10 - 12:35 PM

Grants ahve been very good for Moore or Less.

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 29 Apr 10 - 10:20 AM

Find the right venue, start small and let it grow gently, don't book big names invite atmosphere people, and above all don't rely on grants of any sort.
Good luck.

Andy

Subject: RE: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Busy Lizzie
Date: 29 Apr 10 - 07:10 AM

Yep, loads! What do you want to do? How big, how small? I have been a festival director, worked at other festivals backstage and around the sites most aspects of organising from finance to sweeping up and artist bookings to making the sandwiches! ie Cropredy/Nantwich.... !! Scary stuff but great fun.. And as a sideline inadvertantly started a folk club along the way!! Promoting my own gigs now...

See thread Big Lock music this Sunday night, I think it may have dropped off the front page now.

Where are you based, sorry I don't know who everyone is here! How can I help?

Subject: Folk Event Management 101 [UK mainly]
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 29 Apr 10 - 06:01 AM

For those of you with experience of organising and hosting folk events (mainly in the UK), what advise would you offer enthusiastic know-nothing newbs?

I'm going to keep my initial question as simple and bald as that, and hopefully allow further more detailed discussion to develop from there.