Stakeholder Management Strategies of Festivals

The extent to which festivals can function as sustainable attractions, while fulfilling their social and cultural roles at the community level, is an issue of considerable importance. In this context, sustainability will often depend upon the political and tangible support of key stakeholders. Accordingly, this article addresses festival stakeholder issues and related management strategies, with the dual aims of contributing to event management theory and improving festival viability. A questionnaire survey of 14 live-music festivals in Sweden yielded data on stakeholder types, dependency issues, and stakeholder management strategies. With regard to their long-term sustainability, festival managers indicated the importance of attaining 'institutional status,' occupying a unique 'niche' in the community, sustaining committed stakeholders, and practicing constant innovation.