Managing Festivals in a Digital World

Abstract

What exactly is digital? Debated by those who are less tech-savvy and those with advanced knowledge alike, the term ‘digital’ has been notoriously difficult to define. We see it used mostly as a prefix – digital device, digital television, digital divide – but, for the purposes of this book when we say ‘digital’ we are referring to the use of digital technology and communications. This chapter focuses on giving you an understanding of how digital technology and communications are used in festival management, and how you can use them to maximise the success and impact of your festival. So why is digital technology so important? Before looking at the practicalities, it is worth looking briefly at how it has developed and has had a fundamental and mostly liberating impact on both marketing and human communications. Digital technology has had an impact on arts and culture in the following ways: mass communications, access, rights and ownership (copyright) and networking, power and control.