Arts festivals go digital

Arts festivals became a significant part of modern cultural activities. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, festivals with resources quickly transitioned to digital platforms. Although there was general consensus that the critical social aspect of festivals is difficult to replicate digitally, these early digital efforts revealed new potentials.

Festivals started acquiring knowledge, discovering new capabilities, and exploring digital platforms, leading to an increase in digital engagement that seemed poised to continue.

The project investigated how festivals navigated this digital shift and explored the implications for the production and consumption of arts festivals. It examined whether digital technologies augmented current practices, replaced them, or fostered new methods. It also considered the suitability of technologies like AR and VR for the arts festival sector.

The findings established the key digital needs of the sector, informing strategic planning for enhancing digital practices and prioritizing necessary actions for the future.