So, you want to start a Festival?

Well, for starters, have faith!  Also remember that it is important to attract strong organisers and people with a passion for the idea.  The tips below aren't the beginning and end of organising a festival, but will give you some good ideas and a sense of what it takes.

Where to start

It’s important to be clear about what you’re doing with this festival and why?
One of the first things you might want to do is to draw up a series of questions such as the ones below:

What kind of festival?
Who will organise the festival? (Individual/committee)
Is it commercial or charitable?
Where is it going to be held, and is the site suitable?
When is it to happen?
Will it be an open air festival?
Is it in a number of venues in the village, town, or city?
Who is it aimed at?
What kind of programme do you want?
How will it be funded?
Will you have enough time and resources to do it?
Will it clash with any other major event in the area?

Next you will need to look at the following:
Draft Proposal – This is a document outlining  the festival,  with details of when, where, a propsed programme of events, along with an estimated budget.
Artistic Policy – This document is a statement that encompasses the festival’s aims and objectives and artistic vision.
Committee - Bringing together a steady group of about six people on a steering committee is essential. Beyond that, a host of other volunteers for smaller tasks before, during, and after the festival is usually a good idea. It does help to have a project manager- someone who will keep track of every aspect of the festival and keep things rolling on schedule. You will need to identify 3 post holders to begin with. A Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
Constitution - In most cases, you will need to look at setting up a ‘not for profit’ organisation and you can get information from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, www.scvo.co.uk, for such things as model constitutions.  For this you will have to have an Artistic Policy and Committee.

THINGS TO CONSIDER
Below are some of the areas of administration, production and event management you might need to consider depending on the scale of your festival.  It is by no means an exhaustive list, but our Tip Sheet resource will help you get started on the major points.

Legal
Licences (bar, public entertainment, theatre)
Health and Safety
Fire Regulations
Insurance

Production
Venues
Staging
Marquees
Barriers
Generators
Technical staff
PA/lights

Programming
Sourcing bands
Artists
Performers
Scheduling
Comperes

Admin
Contracts
Volunteers
Staffing
Payments/invoices

Box Office & Marketing
Ticketing
Posters & Leaflet design and distribution
Press & Publicity
Banners
Merchandise
Sponsorship

And the rest…
Accommodation and Travel
Beer and food
Passes/ Parking / Transport
Children’s events / Disclosure Scotland
Welcome packs for artists