Foundations of Event Management - Adelaide Fringe - Case Study Example

Foundations of Event Management TOUR 2009, SP2, 2017 Assignment 1: Discussion Paper Student name: Username: ID number: Tute time: Date: Tutor: Chosen option: Word count: Events management Adelaide Fringe is an arts festival that occurs annually, and it is the world's second largest. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Adelaide Fringe is the largest. (Spoehr,2009)The event is taking place in the Southern Australian capital of an Adelaide. In the months of February and March, 4000 artist from the world and around Australia features in the event for 24 days and nights. More than 900 events are usually staged in warehouses, lane-ways and building not used and established arenas like theaters, art galleries, hotels, and cafes. The event consists of work in art forms like comedy, circus, dance, film, theater, music, puppetry, visual art, and design. It always begins with opening night celebrations that are free comprising a street parade in the city center and partying at various venues.(McDonald,2010). In Adelaide's calendar, a period known as ‘mad March' by locals, the A Adelaide Fringe is always accompanied by WOMADelaide. Symphony under the stars and Clipsal 500 are other events during this period. The Adelaide Fringe is managed by the A Adelaide Fringe Board. Adelaide Festival and the Fringe are separate entities, with intents and philosophies that are different. Artist from all over the globe engages in the event alongside talents that are home grown in all the arts. A variety of vast performances can be seen as the A Adelaide Fringe does not search for events that form part of the Fringe program. It is an open festival hence anyone can perform. The event was inaugurated in 1960. Carols by Candlelight is an Australian Christmas event that is annually held. It has its origin in the southern Australia in the 19the century. It was made popular in the Melbourne in the year 1938 by Norman Banks. (Clifford, 2002). Norman Banks was a radio broadcaster with the then Melbourne radio station 3KZ. As he walked home, he wondered how many people were due to spend Christmas alone as he had seen a senior woman sitting in her bed listen to a Christmas song play over the road. The face of the woman lit by candlelight. He then had the idea to gather people in large groups to sing carols together with candlelight. The norm has since spread around the world. People gather, normally outdoors in a park. They sing carols by candlelight. The largest performance takes place annually at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in the Melbourne's king's Domain gardens on the Christmas Eve. It has been so since 1938.Funds accrued from tickets, donations, and sale of candles are channeled to Vision Australia. In the formerly years, the Carols had strong music theme and religious influence. Sun Aria winner for every year received an invitation to sing at Carol's by Candlelight. On the contrarily from the 1960s, there has been a change in the program, moving it towards the popular culture. Now day's similar events are usually held on the eve to Christmas or weekend before Christmas. The smaller events are either arranged by churches, local councils, community halls or other community groups. The most important stakeholders in the Adelaide Fringe Festival include the co-workers which comprise of artists, volunteers, performers', suppliers and employees. The artists actively perform during the festive hence without them the event is incomplete. Due to the genre of the event being art, the artist, therefore, make a major component of the event. Community organizations join in the parade volunteers, a parade that ranges from Adelaide Roller Derby to Royal Institution of Australia. An employee like the Fringe Festival Ambassador is an shareholder as he too performs during the Fringe Festival. (Writer,2016). The media too plays a major role creating awareness of the events in place hence it of significance to the festival. The few pages of the Fringe Guide are released online. The host community also is a stakeholder, as they make the geographical location of the event. The success of the Adelaide Fringe festival depends on their reaction to the events. The impact of the events to the community either positively or negatively determines its acceptability in the community. There is also the participants and the spectators. Participants from across the world buy tickets hence enabling the functions of the events. Also, spectators play major roles as they join the parade for enjoyment and this, in turn, gets the media attention leading to great publicity. The host organization which is Fringe Board is equally vital. On the other hand, Carols by Candlelight has stakeholders like sponsors which is the Vision Australia. Secondly, host geographical area which is Melbourne. Thirdly, we have the media-3kz. The media increases the value for the participation in the race. Exposure created through the media attracts sponsors. Then we have participants who always gather to sing. The spectators that always flocks to the events to be entertained. They are attracted by fun hence they approach the events to fulfil their motivation of fun. The stakeholders directly affect the activities of the events. T he event usually features live performances both international and national celebrities, accompanied by a band or orchestra. People are usually entertained by both national and international celebrities hence they are part of the stakeholders. There exist differences between the stakeholders in the Adelaide Fringe Festivals and the Carols by Candlelights. Firstly, at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, the geographical location or rather the host community is one at a time. The event is usually restricted in a given geographic location that is at Adelaide in Australia while in the Carols it has no specific location. The participants are both local and international at the Adelaide Fringe festival while in the Carols it is mostly Australians. Adelaide Fringe receives state funding while the Carols do not. The government's reason to fund the Adelaide events may be due to the economic values created by the event as compared to Carol candle light. This is because many international guests always attend the function hence marketing the country as a tourism attraction center. Secondly, events always hold certain expressions and identities which individual want to identify with and also be part of, hence, the Adelaide event is better placed as compared to Carols which may be seen as a religious belief.(Morgan, 2009). In both events, the participants and spectators share the fun. The events act as an arena to foster the exchange of ideas and enhance business contacts. Forums are made for continued training and education and also technology transfer. In both various stakeholders, involvement makes the events materialize right from organizers, volunteers, and employees.I n both events, stakeholders involved gain experience and also they function as instruments for the other variety of interest and experiences to come besides the relationship. There are differences between the stakeholders' relationships because firstly, stakeholders in every event have their own reasons and ideas for participation. While other may see the Adelaide event as an opportunity to get connected to new friends from across the world, the Carols Candlelight may be viewed as not having such capacity. Stakeholders may want to have fun and socialize in the second largest event in the world so that they can identify themselves with the event; this can explain the disparity in the stakeholder's relationship in the events. Sponsors always want to advertise their brands to huge markets hence due to the event like Adelaide festivals that attracts huge crowds; they may want to identify themselves with such events for publicity reasons. The Media will too want to impress its views with the most exciting shows hence they will tend to cover the events that are attended by both the locals and the international guest to impress viewers. Similarities also exist. Due to the nature of the events, in both the media always try to provide coverage to satisfy all the consumer needs. Also, there is high participation as some participants use the occasions to display their products. In both, the spectators and volunteers amalgamate hence exchange of ideas and improved ties. Stakeholders establish connections with others hence enhancing affectivity in their organizations. In both cases, spectators are attracted by the potentiality of entertainment and fun. The Carol events depend on the sale of tickets hence rely on participants purchases. On the other hand, the Adelaide Festival depends on their sponsors as their major stakeholders. The sponsors are responsible for essential services and resources. They also seek direct or indirect benefits in return. That is in exchange they experience high brand awareness, and their public image is promoted. Huge audiences are crucial. When there are larger audiences, there is greater negotiation power with other stakeholders. On the contrary, over dependency on stakeholders may lead to festivals collapsing. Getz (2002), asserts that managers of events have to be informed of resource dependency theory as they have an effect on organizations. Organizations always compete for the little resources and those that thrive do so by getting an appropriate niche which gives them a surety of continued resources. The reasons for the overdependence include, the resources being scarce leading to the absence of alternative sources. The existence of variables in resource needs. These are cases where so many needs exit the resources available. The instability of the resources available also contribute to overdependence and finally the nature of the event’s operational environment whether it a symbiotic or competition relationships among the users. In an environment where there is symbiotic type of relationship, concrete efforts are employed to utilize on the scarce resources to benefit all. On the other hand, in a competition relationship, the organizers of the events compete selfishly for the scarce resources hence leading to overdependence. Parties involved in festival organizations ranging from employees, volunteers, sponsors, directors, audience, owners and investors, must embrace the need for efficient stakeholder management and effective networking to enhance sustainability and success. Due to the inability of events to form on their own, with the absence of external resources and co-producers, planning and daily operations must be keen on stakeholders through recognizing their salience. Also, relationships have to be managed because of mutual benefits, and formation of strong collaborations and partnerships. The event organizations ought to strive to institutionalize in an environment of their resources. Once the organizations are institutionalized, the will become vital to the host community that in cases of financial constraints they cannot be abandoned. It enhances the establishment of a support network that is much committed and very strong that it takes ownership of the same. This will achieve sustainability. (Spiropoulos,2006). References McDonald, P( 2010). "Giant astronauts mark the launch of a successful Fringe Festival." Retrieved: The Advertiser. News Corporation. Spoehr, J (2009). State of South Australia: iFrom Crisis to Prosperity. Retrieved: Wakefield Pres.2013.p.39 Lydia. C(2002). Carols by Candlelight beginning. Australia. Staff, W and Arts R (2016). "Adelaide Fringe Announces 2017 Ambassadors". Retrieved: Arts Review. Byte Media. Getz, D. (2002). Why festivals fail. Event Management. USA. Spiropoulos, S. and Gargalianos, D. and Sotiriadou, K. (2006). The 20th Greek Festival of Sydney: A stakeholder analysis.p.169-183 Morgan, M. (2009). What makes a good festival? Under- Antecedents and consequences. Retrieved: Mahwah. standing the event experience.Erlbaum.p.191-214. Read More