What is this about
A publicly editable wiki page to brainstorm and build a common sense on what makes a festival organization fair for its participants.
In Europe in the past 20 and more years an incredible amount of festival have been funded with public money, but many times they have failed in establish a fair relationship with their public. This is a constructive attempt at pointing out good practices.
You are welcome to contribute to this document. If you have no registered user here, your contribution will be anonymous.
Documents contributed
An outcome of the PARALELO: UNFOLDING NARRATIVES research: production is also political - tactics for production of brief enconuters.pdf
Points made
Direction
- let the "next generation" take part in steering the festival, or move out of their way
- think about a sustainable structure for your festival and forget about your curatorial career for a second
Prizes
- notify rejected submissions as well as accepted ones
- have a clear jury and review process
Editorial
- don't have some cool theme and then ignore it (especially something political like free software)
- don't programme yourself
Finances
- don't charge entry if you're not paying artists expenses
- don't have sponsors if you're not paying artists expenses
- if you're not paying expenses make it clear on the request for proposals
- if you accept public funds make clear how much and what it's spent on
- don't pay one or two 'famous' people and not others
- don't set things up in a way that excludes those without institutional backing
Communication
- don't spam
Good Practices
Folly UK tried to share knowledge on how to grow a medialab as a social space, also publishing its funding application texts
Hackmeeting in Italy and Spain and South America no sponsors, no public funding, totally run by the community with support from grassroots political movements. No central organizer, an open unmoderated mailinglist and an healthy opposition to the presence of police inside the premises.
Questions
Necessary Expenses
- Many festivals (e.g. those in the UK) are by law required to have police presence and also insurance. There is a cost for these and getting a license - how should those costs be shared?
Intellectual Property
* If the organizer is not making profit for organizing the festival can s/he place her/his name as curator/producer/etc of the festival?