Festival Management & Development Programme Launched
Sligo County Council & LEO Sligo are delighted to offer festival organisers in Sligo the opportunity to participate on the Festival Management & Development Programme, a certified training programme specifically designed for festival organisers, committee members & volunteers across the region.
Taking place this September, the programme supports the long-term development of Sligo’s vibrant festival and events sector through a focus on strategic planning, sustainability, governance, inclusion, and creative excellence. It is part of the Implementation Plan of Sligo County Council’s Festival & Event Strategy, based on sector-wide consultation and research carried out by Bane Mullarkey Tourism Consultants.
The programme will be delivered by two leading experts in the field: Professor Gary Kerr, Head of the Department of Marketing, Tourism & Sport at ATU, a respected academic and festival practitioner with deep expertise in cultural tourism, event planning, and sectoral strategy; and Dr. Jane Ali-Knight, Professor in Festival and Event Management at Edinburgh Napier University, an internationally recognised leader in festival and event education who brings a wealth of insight into global best practice and cultural leadership.
Issues covered include:
September 6th – On campus
- Creative Programming for Festivals
- Risk Management and Finance
- Measuring Impacts of Festivals
Wednesday September 10th – Online
- Delivering Sustainable Festivals
- Festival Governance
Wednesday September 17th – Online
- Technological Innovation for Festivals
- Marketing & Brand Development
Saturday 27th – On campus (programme close & certificate)
- Audience Development & Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- Festival logistics management
- Roundtable discussion / next steps
- Closing and certification
This programme will help you to:
- Strengthen your festival’s artistic and cultural strategy
- Improve your Festival’s financial resilience and funding readiness
- Deliver more sustainable and inclusive events
- Build your skills in governance, logistics, technology, and evaluation
