Open Access Arts Festivals and Artists: Who Benefits?

Abstract

Arts festivals are of interest to researchers, but the research focus is usually on the festival's economic or social impact. This approach does not usually reflect the engagement and experience of the artists involved. There has been controversy recently around the experiences of participating artists in open access arts festivals. Open access arts festivals are significant players in the festival landscape. They enable anyone to participate in a festival, if they pay a registration fee. This research, using a case study methodology, examines an open access festival from different perspectives with a focus on the experience of the participating artists.

Keywords:

• Artists
• arts festivals
• benefits
• costs
• open access

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank all of the artists interviewed for this research, as well as the administrators of SALA; Penny Griggs and Kate Moskwa, who helped to facilitate this process as well provide other key information about the festival.

Notes

1 Paul Greenaway in interview with the author, February 9, 2019.

2 See more ways of defining the stages of an artist’s development at: http://www.bmoreart.com/2009/07/differences-between-emerging-mid-career.html