Evaluate.

We undertake annual research to provide insights and great understanding of the events and festivals that take place in the city and surrounding area, the impact those events have and the workforce that makes these events happen.

Covid-19 Impact Study

In order to understand the scale of impact caused/expected by the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020 and what organisations/individuals need in terms of information and/or support at this time, Bristol Festivals and Bristol City Council Arts and Events Team created a short survey.

This short report provided information that contributed to how we planned and developed packages of support, how we lobbied central Government and how we prepared the sector for the future.

Festivals Workforce Audit

Festivals and live-events play a big part in the delivery of Arts and Culture in Bristol, and much of the research in this industry has been focused on audience impact. There has been little to no research on the work that goes into putting these events on or the workers who make these amazing events happen. Recent reports from the Events Industry Forum and BECTU have touched on national live-events workforce and raised some concerns regarding welfare and diversity of workers within this industry.

As a network, we would like to be better informed in understanding who, why and how people work in the festival industry. The Festivals Workforce Audit research enables us to develop effective projects, work directly with individuals and understand their needs. Knowing more about the routes to work, progression, types of work, access to fair pay and jobs, and what makes people happy in their work can strengthen our working relationships, enable us to work better, and provide more consistent support to our staff at all levels.

At the end of 2019 Bristol Festivals initiated a short anonymous survey covering areas such as what type of work people do, rates of pay, and the provision of facilities and welfare services. This survey was circulated locally, and the evidence collected will help us understand how these issues contribute to festivals and live events in Bristol and the surrounding area, and also how we work as a network to resolve them.

Annual Sector Wide Impact Survey

The Annual Sector Wide Impact survey is designed to better understand Bristol Festivals’ members and provides an annual snapshot of breadth, reach and impact of the festival and live events sector in Bristol and the surrounding area.

The survey is completed by all Bristol Festival members and focuses on creative/organisational methods, economics and the social impact of each member of Bristol Festivals and compiles data about audience figures and demographics, audience postcodes, staff demographics and workforce figures, festival budgets, activity duration, programmes of activity, artist engagement, and engagement with other organisations on a local and an international scale.