Inclusivity, diversity and community engagement at festivals and events

Edinburgh is branded as the world’s leading festival city and is home to a range of major annual festivals including the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – the largest arts festival in the world (Festivals Edinburgh, 2023). Each year, the city’s festivals engage 25,000 performers and 4.5 million attendees from across 70 countries (Festivals Edinburgh, 2023). This generates over £367 million for Scotland’s economy each year (BOP Consulting & Festivals Edinburgh, 2023). Being inclusive for diverse festival audiences and performers is therefore not just a social and cultural issue, but a key economic imperative for the city’s festivals and the wider Scottish economy.

Diversity, Eq(ual)ity, inclusion and social justice are often at the heart of festival experience design. Typically, festivals seek to provide opportunities for communities draw upon shared histories, shared cultural practices and shared ideals (Quinn & Wilks, 2013). As well as creating the setting for social interactions, festivals can engender community pride and provide an arena for local cultural knowledge to be produced and reproduced (Quinn & Wilks, 2013). But can the designed festival experience be truly inclusive spaces for all of their diverse audiences, and how can marginalised communities be included and valued within a designed festival space where social justice is being delivered?

This PhD project will examine what inclusivity, diversity and social justice in the context of Edinburgh’s festivals. In addition to the major festivals taking place in Edinburgh every year, there are several organisations and wider infrastructure that seek to make events and festivals more inclusive. For example, there is the Edinburgh Deaf Festival which is an accessible celebration of deaf culture, language and heritage. The Edinburgh Multicultural Festival seeks to celebrate Edinburgh’s diversity through the arts. Edinburgh is also the home of Euan’s Guide – an award-winning charity that aims to empower disabled people and break down barriers of exclusion.

Research questions:

·        To what extent are Edinburgh’s festivals inclusive and equitable places and what needs to be done to enhance inclusivity?

·        How do Edinburgh’s festivals deliver social justice objectives, and how might the delivery of social justice be maximised in the festival setting and experience design?

·        How can festivals work collaboratively with diverse and marginalised communities (including but not limited to Disabled, LGTBQ+, Black and Ethnic Minority, Refugee, Neurodiverse, Multiply deprived ‘left behind’, and/or Intersectional communities) to design festivals as accessible, safe, inclusive and equitable spaces?

Research approach

This PhD research will be informed by critical event studies and accessibility studies and will contribute new knowledge across these disciplines. The research project will involve collaborating with many partners Edinburgh’s festivals and wider infrastructure that supports the festivals including the City of Edinburgh Council and VisitScotland. Further stakeholders including community groups, third sector and support organisations representing diverse groups including those with protected characteristics are expected to be included within the research project.

It is anticipated that this PhD research project will involve qualitative research methods that may include surveys, interviews and focus groups and facilitated workshops with primary and secondary stakeholders. The use of creative and/or participative research methods to gather data are also encouraged.

Expected outcomes and impacts

This PhD study will create new knowledge in the form of a framework that conceptualises how festivals can become truly inclusive, equitable and diverse spaces that deliver upon key social justice objectives. It is envisaged this knowledge is shared in both the academic literature and in an accessible format for festival managers so that they can implement theoretical findings in a practical manner.

Academic Qualifications:

A first degree (at least a 2.1) ideally International Festival and/or Event Management or a related area with a good fundamental knowledge of qualitative research approaches and the UK’s festival and event landscape.

 

English Language Requirement:

IELTS score must be at least 6.5 (with no less than 6.0 in each of the four components), Ither equivalent qualifications will be accepted. Full details of the University’s policy are available online.

Essential Attributes:

·        Experience of fundamental independent research projects at undergraduate and/or postgraduate level

·        Competent in qualitative research methods

·        Knowledge of the UK festical and event landscape with an appreciation of accessibility issues in the sector

·        Good written and oral communication skills

·        Strong motivation, with evidence of independent research skills relevant to the project

·        Good time management

Desirable Attributes:

·        Practical experience working at festivals and/or events

·        Knowledge of Edinburgh’s festivals and events sector

·        A demonstratable understanding of and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion at festivals and/or events

·        An understanding of the key considerations of festival and/or event experience design

·        Experience of working with marginalised communities and key stakeholders in festival and/or event settings