Online resource helps festival organisers track event impact

Published on Saturday 22 August 2009 11:13

A NEW online resource developed by Edinburgh Napier University will allow festival organisers to analyse the impact their events have on local communities.

The tool is designed to help festival operators ensure they cater for the needs of local people when they are planning events.

It is also expected that the resource will be useful to local authorities and other partners as festivals can often disrupt day-to-day activities for local people.

The online toolkit will seek a cross-section of views on transport problems and overcrowding, volunteering, business involvement and community activities.

Organisations will be able to download questionnaires and receive instant results using the toolkit, which has been developed through extensive research within the festival and event industry.

Project leader at the university's Edinburgh Institute for Festival and Event Management, Dr Paul Barron, said: "Judging by the feedback we've had from festival directors across the UK, there is a real appetite for an effective way to measure the social and cultural impacts of events.

"Once organisers can measure how their events affect their local communities, they will be able to address any negative impacts."