Author: Vaughn, David Roger

Publication Year: 1979

Media Type: Book

Summary:

Paper presented at First International Conference on Arts and Economics, sponsored by the Association for Cultural Economics, held in Edinburgh, Scotland, August 8-10, 1979. Comment by Virginia Lee Owen appears on p. 331-332.

Abstract:

Paper presented at First International Conference on Arts and Economics, sponsored by the Association for Cultural Economics, held in Edinburgh, Scotland, August 8-10, 1979. Comment by Virginia Lee Owen appears on p. 331-332.

Reference to newspapers and journals at certain times of the year reveals that the City of Edinburgh stages one of the most comprehensive and best known of the world's festivals of art. However, an examination of Edinburgh newspapers at any time of the year reveals that the attitude of the residents of Edinburgh toward the festival is, to say the least, mixed. Some residents praise it for indirectly increasing trade and thus providing extra income, employment, better shopping facilities, and a wider range of entertainment. Other residents complain that the festival is the cause of social, cultural, and environmental problems and is a wasteful use of the local taxpayers' money.

Thus, in the past, without sound information, the debate over the festival has been highly subjective, colored by emotion and prejudice. Those who oppose the festival point out that there is no firm evidence on the benefits provided. Proponents, however, claim that even though ticket prices have not always covered the full costs of the festival, thus necessitating subsidies, the wider benefits, such as the customers attracted to hotels, restaurants and shops, make it worthwhile.

In 1976, the Scottish Tourist Board and the Lothian Regional Council commissioned a study of the economic benefits to the local community from the presence of the Edinburgh Festival. The findings were presented in October 1977 in a report entitled The Economic Impact of the Edinburgh Festival, l976 (Vaughn 1977a). This paper describes the analysis and findings contained in that report and expands on those findings in order to illustrate how the results could be used to shape one aspect of the future impact of the festivals - the development of the visitor market - in ways which would increase the economic benefit of the local community of festival visitors.          (p. 319)

CONTENTS
The Edinburgh Festival.
The study data base and method.
Definition of total income generation.
Definition of the income coefficient of business.
Results of the analysis.
Other considerations.
The success of the festivals.
A guide for future managerial decisions.
Magnet attractions.
Conclusion.
Notes.
References [bibliography].

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Economic Impact