Case Study - Callender Jazz and Blues Festival
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Applicant: Callander Jazz & Blues Festival Ltd Marketing the first jazz and blues festival within the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park was made possible with the assistance of Challenge Funding. The second year’s festival has also benefited from a Fund award. One of the festival organisers, Graeme Oliphant, recounts his Challenge Fund experience. THE CREATIVE SPARK “When first thinking of creating a jazz and blues festival, we applied for funding to EventScotland, who declined our request but helpfully suggested other funding routes, including Challenge Funding. There had been unsuccessful attempts by others in the past to create a jazz festival in the area, but this didn’t deter us from establishing the first Callander Jazz & Blues Festival in September 2006. Our group already all knew each other. My background is in marketing and product development, while others have valuable experience in event management, product distribution, pubs and accountancy. These individual strengths helped create a very strong and useful group, with myself now as the main coordinator for funding applications and maintaining momentum.
The first year’s application form was a bit of a blur; hard work, in fact, compiling all the information required. Our answers and what was required seemed a bit far apart! Of course, the questions are set for a reason and, while they seem to repeat sometimes, they provoke thought before answering them. And if you don’t understand something, VisitScotland is always very helpful. Jazz and blues appeals to a high spending 25 to 80 age group. The festival itself provides a tourist boost at the end of the season and so ties in well with VisitScotland’s criteria. Getting the local community on board with our plans was the key to turning the festival from an idea to an actual event. We worked with local venues such as pubs and restaurants to create jazz brunches, dinners and suppers. Local accommodation providers were approached to consider weekend packages, while others were provided with festival information and posters. Banners in the town and free outdoor showcase concerts encouraged visitors to buy tickets for individual concerts, or day tickets to the whole festival. It’s not been easy to monitor the wider success of the festival. As we use a number of venues, we rely on them to supply us with information. Out of the 20 venues used, 19 were pubs, hotels or restaurants. They were willing to give us information on bar turnover and overnight stays. To get an idea of overall spend, we’ve sent out questionnaires to all who were involved in the festival; visitors, bands, festival members, fast food and other businesses. It’s good that we control the tickets for venues and payment of bands and extras so a tight rein on the finances can be maintained. One thing that’s worth noting. In our first year, we placed orders too early, before our funding was confirmed. Jazz schedules require early booking for some things, but Challenge Fund rules stipulate back-claiming is not allowed. We were careful of that this year and it’s worth thinking things through more to avoid a similar situation. We also set up a limited company in our second year to coordinate the festival and related activities. The festival is very similar in format each year so it’s difficult to create new marketing initiatives that will attract Challenge Funding after the first year of funding. That said, putting together the form for the second round of funding was easier, as we knew what was expected and having to change tack was also stimulating. The festival has proved a very positive experience. It provides a great networking system to meet people who share a common interest in music and festivals. We sent out press releases to complement the awards one sent out by VisitScotland and received good coverage, which tied in with our press advertising. The Sunday Mail and Sunday Post brought in the most visitors to the festival. Challenge Funding has also brought us into working contact for the first time with VisitScotland’s IT department and websites. The Challenge Fund contacts have all been really helpful and while the process was hard, I feel it was worth the effort. It’s the first time we’ve worked with VisitScotland and it is as pleased with our results as we are. |
Key Points
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