Communities at the Fringe

Context: Research and evaluation of major arts festivals has primarily focused on impact and economic value, with less attention being paid to social relations, the communities created at festivals and the meaning that individuals and organisations derive from these communities. This research proposal seeks to address this gap, examining what communities are formed at a major arts festival (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), how these communities are formed and their dynamic interrelationships. Given the lack of clear definition of 'community' and the difficulty in drawing boundaries on the communities created at festivals, this proposal suggests starting with a 'radical spirit of openness' (Crotty, 1998), drawing on qualitative techniques and working inductively from data to build an understanding of the complex and dynamic communities that are created at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It sits within a social constructionist framework because it focuses on the construction of meaningful communities.

Method: Methodological and data triangulation are suggested, drawing on ethnography and phenomenology, implementing qualitative social network analysis (SNA) and methods of data collection such as interviews, observations, focus groups, documents, photography and participant journals. Drawing on the expertise of the researcher and to enhance an immersive ethnography, a researcher-as-participant component is also included. It is suggested that the researcher actively works for a production team in the lead up to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, writing reflexive researcher diaries and conducting observations. This will allow for an insider view of the communities created. Thematic analysis and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) are proposed to allow for triangulation of descriptions (ethnographic data) and interpretations (phenomenological data) viewed alongside sociograms (SNA), directly addressing the core questions of this project.

Impact: This project will have impact in the field of academia, to the public and to wider cultural policy. It will contribute to a limited source of literature in this area and inform the public and those seeking careers in festivals about the festival environment, in addition to contributing to discussions about the cultural and social value of major arts festivals. There are also immediate practical applications of this research as it serves as an evaluation of service delivery, providing deeper understanding of festival communities which can facilitate the formation of new hypotheses about how future festivals could be optimised and made more accessible to minority groups.

Ultimately, this study will provide immersive data from a complex context which will allow a thorough and meaningful understanding of what communities are created at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, how they are created and their interrelationships. This will facilitate an understanding of how festivals influence the public sphere, create values and shape social relationships.