News

> Film > Features

Festivals: once the circus has left town

What legacy do festivals leave behind them, and how important are such concerns for contemporary festival directors?

23 Feb 2016 12:00

Richard Watts

[This is archived content and may not display in the originally intended format.]

Writing and Publishing

PIAF Lotterywest Festival Opening, Home, Saturday 13 February. Credit: Jason Eshraghian – Director & Photographer.

Box office, bums on seats, artistry and aesthetics, sustainability and carbon footprints; festival directors have many considerations when presenting a program. But what about their cultural footprint – are Artistic Directors conscious of leaving a legacy, and can the impact of a major international arts festival ever be truly measured?

Unlock this content?

Access this content and more

Join Now Login

Richard Watts

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts