Written by Sadie Purves, student on MSc International Festival and Event Management at Edinburgh Napier University.
The British Arts Festivals Association (BAFA), the leading network and development agency for UK arts festivals, hosted a conference for students on October 9th at Manchester Metropolitan University. The conference, titled ‘A Festival Career’, allowed students to join a range of festival professionals to shape their own ideas about what a festival career could have to offer.
BAFA partners with festivals and UK universities, including Napier, to offer training opportunities for students. In this flagship event, BAFA aimed to bring together students, academics and industry experts with a presentation, panel and networking opportunities.
Key Themes and Panel
The conference opened with an introduction by BAFA Director Fiona Goh, and the overall themes of the conference were covered, such as the future of the festival industry, how to get your start in the field and the reality of festival work.
Since the attendance was both undergrad and postgrad students from a range of universities across the country, we all had different academic backgrounds, which was a great aspect of the event. There was a presentation from PhD student Naomi Taylor about her research on how festivals give the audience an opportunity to connect with culture and how this is mediated by the audience and the festival team. Taylor additionally went into how BAFA is partnering with her to complete her PhD. As a student, this experience was enlightening to hear about, especially for those who may be considering further study.
The conference continued with a panel, chaired by Dr Jane Ali-Knight, from Napier. Those on the panel included Ardy Naguib (Factory International), Rosie Gilbertson (Harrogate International Festival), Ottilia Ördög (Góbéfest) and Ashley Morris (Newbury Spring Festival). The panel focused on how these individuals got their start in the industry and how this can be translated into advice for students. Everyone had very contrasting experiences from one another, and this exemplified that, despite your background, there are many different ways you could contribute to arts festivals. The experience of starting Góbéfest was discussed by Ottilia Ördög, and this gave a fantastic representation and advice to students on how to explore starting your own festival. Many of the chairs shared that organising your own events, whatever their size or scope, is one of the best ways to gain experience.
Networking and Mentoring
After the panel, we began our ‘Meet the Mentor’ session, which allowed students to ask any questions and start a dialogue with the festival professionals. This section of the conference was a great opportunity to make connections and start to build a network. We had ample opportunity to meet with all of the mentors as well as Fiona Goh of BAFA and lecturers in attendance from Manchester Metropolitan University. The sense of the community this conference adopted in such a short time, built upon shared experiences and genuine connections, was definitely an asset of the event.
A Festival Career
Overall, the BAFA Student Conference provided a valuable and inspiring experience for students considering a career in the festival industry. From insightful presentations to practical advice from seasoned professionals, the event highlighted both the challenges and rewards of working in this dynamic field. The networking and mentorship opportunities allowed students to connect with industry leaders and peers, building a foundation of support and insight to guide their career paths. This unique event underscored the possibilities within the festival industry and empowered students to envision and shape their own futures in the arts.
