2007 Salisbury International Arts Festival
- Over 100 shows with artists from 19 countries
- Over 25,000 attendees
- Plus 10,000 people attended free events
- 2 World Premieres
- 9 UK exclusives
- 19 sold out shows
- 3000 Festival Fiesta attendees
- Over 400 members of the community took part in Salisbury Salsa - through this project the Festival engaged with local and rural primary schools, disability groups, local businesses and local villages.
Impressive international and national media coverage:
- Over £1 million worth of print coverage
- More than 50 million opportunities to see or hear about the Festival (increase of 3 million from 2006)
Including: BBC television news, ITV television news, Classic FM, Radio 3 - In Tune, XFM, Radio Two, The Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Metro, Country Life.
International coverage includes coverage on Mexican TV channels TV Axteca and Televisia, BBC World Service, Radio France International Elfinanciero (Mexican Broadsheet), El Universal (Mexican Broadsheet), El Pais (Spanish Broadsheet) and Agence France Presse (AFP).
Quotes:
“A fortnight of lofty ambition and unashamed fun” - BBC Music Magazine
“Some partnerships have stardust sprinkled on them. That between the writer Vikram Seth and composer Alec Roth is turning into the Rolls and Royce of the Arts World” – Richard Morrison, The Times
“In an era when it seems no place is complete without its international arts festival, it’s cheering to find Salisbury’s programme is a sampler of delights both new and unimagined rather than just another sprawling spree of festival arts companies” Guardian Guide
Festival featured as a ‘Three of the Best’ recommendation - The Independent
Five Best Gigs – Mingus Big Band – The Independent, The Information
Five Best Talks – Simon Sebag Montefiore- The Independent, The Information
Critics Choice of the Week’s Hot Tickets- Independent on Sunday - ABC
Top Five Events–The Times, The Knowledge
Pick of the Week – John Shuttleworth: With My Condiments – Guardian Guide
Website: www.salisburyfestival.co.uk
This year our redesigned website attracted:
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Visitors from Australia, Ukraine, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, America and the UK
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22,120 unique web visitors
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2,500 web visitors added the Festival website to their list of favourites
- Over £39,000 was taken from online sales
Audience Feedback:
“We are so lucky to ‘own’ this festival in Salisbury .”
Steve Holmes
“What a privilege it is to live in Salisbury during the International Arts Festival. A huge thank-you to all involved.”
Andrew & Jessica Barrett
“Rarely have I seen such creativity, daring and flamboyance in one evening…thank you
Salisbury Festival for yet another wonderful surprise.”
Jean Ladbury
“The Festival was fabulous. We were quickly caught up in a world of Latin American dance, film, art and music. The Cathedral resonated to a symphonic waterfall of Beethoven and Dvorak. At
Stonehengewe sat within the inner circle of stones to witness a Mayan ritual to the setting sun. We walked the Harnham Water Meadows and learnt how managed grazing had made
Salisburythe eighth richest City in mediaeval
England.
Congratulations and thank you, Salisbury!”
John and Val Potter
Antonio Briceño: Gods of
Americas
“I am already back home, but there is still the taste and sound of Salisbury in my mind, and the incredibly warm and emotive reception and attention
you gave to me….Thanks again for the happiness you have provided me, and which will last much longer”
Antonio Briceño
National Profile and Economic Impact
The Salisbury International Arts Festival was named “one of the top multi-arts festivals in the country’’ along with Edinburgh and Brighton in The Information Supplement 2005 and described in 2005 by the Independent on Sunday as “The best festival to attend this summer” along with the Edinburgh Fringe. “The Best Festival”Big Issue2006
The growth of Salisbury International Arts Festival over the past decade has been impressive by any standard and has put it into the top league of festivals in the UK. To put this into context here are some facts and figures:
- Only 13% of arts festivals in the UKspend over £500,000 per annum(1). Salisbury spends over £700,000.
- The average number of events that takes place in UK arts festivals is 51 (2). In 2005 SIAF put on 88 events; in 2006, 96 events; and in 2007, 101 events. In addition in 2007 there were 50 free acts as part of Salisbury Live and 18 free events. .
- The Festival sold approximately 22,000 tickets in 2007 at an average price of £13.75, which generated nearly £¼ million for the local economy in ticket sales alone each year. If you add additional expenditure per ticket buyer of £7.50 then at fairly conservative estimates, Salisbury International Arts Festival is generating nearly £½ million from its customers for the local economy in 17 days(3).
- If you add to this the considerable numbers of people attending free events, plus the expenditure by artists and suppliers, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to estimate that the Festival generates between £¾ million and £1 million worth of economic activity within the local economy each year, in just 17 days.
Within the South of England Salisbury International Arts Festival is one of the most significant cultural organisations and one of the most important arts festivals.
The Festival brings events to Salisbury that would not otherwise come to the region and the artists who visit the Festival carry the name of Salisbury around the world.
In 2005 the Festival commissioned a concert performance from Marianne Faithfull, which was subsequently performed at the Belfast Festival, carrying with it the Salisbury International Arts Festival name.
In 2006 the Festival commissioned a 4 year project with the author Vikram Seth and composer Alec Roth. The world premiere performance took place at Wilton Church,Salisbury and had subsequent performances at the Chelsea and Lichfield Festivals. This project has major interest from many UK and international presenters.
In 2007 the Festival presented the three commissioned work:
· A New Song: The second stage of the Confluences project was met by extremely positive feedback and a 4 star rating in the Times.
· The River is Revolting: an outdoor theatre piece by Hoodwink Theatre Company inspired by, and performed in, the river. Co-commissioned with theLiving RiverProject.
· The Dragonfly: a large sculpture sited on the A303 and created through a unique partnership with Qinetiq apprentices and artist, Charlotte Moreton.
The Festival also plays an important role within the local community. There are free events for families and young people during the Festival including street performances and processions. Partnerships with English Nature, community groups, schools, local arts organisations and local media are developing some exciting community and environmental projects and ensuring that the Salisbury Festival remains embedded with its local community.
1. British Arts Festivals Association economic impact study Festivals Mean Business (2000)2. British Arts Festivals Assocaition economic impact study Festivals Mean Business (2000)3. Arts Council England economic impact study of UK theatre, April 2004 showed that the average visitor spend to regional theatres in addition to the cost of their ticket is £7.77.