Festivals Project Final Report Festivals Project Final Report

 
 

Festivals Project

Chris Gibson

Results have been analysed from a three-year Australian Research Council (ARC) Festivals Project, which sought to document the extent and significance of festivals for rural communities and economies. 

Rural festivals have proliferated and diversified in recent years from the traditional country show to evermore whacky niches -- the Guyra Lamb and Potato Festival, the Wooli Goanna Pulling Festival, the Thoona Latin American and Wheely Bin Festival and Parkes’ Elvis impersonators festival.

Are such festivals significant for rural communities in contrast to their apparent short-lived nature? The ARC festivals project sought to answer this question.

The largest ever database of rural festivals in Australia was compiled with more than 2,800 participating festivals. And through subsequent postal surveys (with 480 festivals in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania) and collaborative research partnerships for qualitative research with rural festivals in Daylesford (Victoria), Parkes (NSW), Bermagui (NSW) and Inverell (NSW), insights were gleaned on the ability of festivals to catalyse social and community development, to generate regional income and to challenge or sustain rural cultural identities.

The Final Report is now available. Download:

• Festivals Project Final Report: Reinventing Rural Places (PDF 2.4MB)

Background

Against a backdrop of rural decline, many places have sought to reinvigorate community and stimulate tourism, through staging festivals. As yet, no research has comprehensively documented this emerging trend. This project aims to examine festivals in rural Australia through a profile of festivals across three states (NSW, Victoria and Tasmania), and in-depth case study research on the economic and cultural significance of festivals. It will contribute to three debates: the significance of festivals for rural restructuring, the rise of post-productivism, and changing rural identities. Outputs include publications, theses, research training, community workshops and an online database of festivals.

National and Community Benefit

This research addresses the important problem of rural decline in Australia. This project will make available new knowledge on innovation in rural places. Benefits will accrue to specific communities from insights on the possibilities and limitations of regeneration through festivals. Tourism promoters and regional development policy makers will be able to make use of the online database of rural festivals. National benefits include greater understanding of the significance of festivals. Research will empower rural communities and advance theory on rural restructuring, post-productivism and the reciprocal relationship between place and identities. In these ways, this project seeks to strengthen the social and economic fabric of rural Australia.

A database and survey of festivals in South-Eastern Australia

Component A of this project was the compilation of a database and conduct of a survey of festivals in rural (defined as non-metropolitan) areas in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. It created a profile of the number, location, size and diversity of rural festivals.

“People working in local communities know that festivals and special events are incredibly important”, says the project director, Dr Chris Gibson from the University of Wollongong, “but often government and bureaucrats are not so aware. We want to map the extent and significance of rural festivals to show decision-makers just how many rural festivals are staged every year, how important they are, and how they contribute to communities economically, socially and culturally”.

All kinds of festivals are encouraged to participate, from the smallest community event to large-scale flagship festivals: “we are interested in the full spectrum of events, no matter how large or small”, says Dr Gibson.

An online resource will be produced from the results of the survey, to be made publicly accessible.

For further information, email Chris Gibson.