Analysis On The Funding For Music Festivals In The Uk

Abstract
This dissertation research is focused on the music festivals in the UK market and their funding 
bodies and sponsors. It firstly explores the wide range of literature on the general music 
festivals in the UK and around the world to analyse how music festivals run. By understanding 
the basic theories of music festivals and their major funding sources, the analysis of music 
sponsorships can be conducted. After that, it analyses why and how commercial corporates and 
non-profit organisations would like to contribute in the music festivals. Then the economic 
impact of music festivals on local businesses and national GPD are illustrated. By using a short 
case study of Sheffield Tramlines music festivals, an outline of how a music festival runs can 
be understood and why music festivals need funding can be concluded. 
By comparing different types and approaches of social research, this dissertation research is 
decided to be a desk based (secondary) research, using qualitative and quantitative data from 
multiple sources online and in libraries. The method used is an inductive research approach. 
Various findings are drawn from the secondary data and analysed in depth to give a deeper 
understanding of the funding issues in music festivals. 
Finally, a short but summarised conclusion is made and possible recommendations are 
illustrated for music festival operators and potential sponsors to make better music festivals in 
the future. 

Chapter 1 Introduction
In the recent several decades, the world has witnessed a rapid growth in the number music 
festivals. As the sizes of music festivals increase, a successful large scaled music festival will 
cost huge amount of money in many aspects including rent of venue, catering, marketing, bands 
hiring and various bills. Large events including music festivals usually take funding from third 
parties to support their business by different means. It is of great importance for event 
companies to plan and secure their funding before the events get started. Therefore, this 
dissertation report will focus on the topic on the funding for music festivals in UK market. 
1.1 Background of Music Festivals in the UK
Before entering the topic on funding, a brief overview on music festivals will be provided to 
give a better understanding to the area of interest. In a general sense, music festival is a festival 
that is oriented towards music and is presented with specific themes, musicians or music bands. 
Usually, such music festivals are of large size and held in outdoor environment with several 
pop-up catering services inside the venues. Some music festivals are held for specific purposes 
and are held only once, such as some rock festivals. However, most music festivals are held in 
a regular basis. 
Music festivals also have a great impact on the domestic impact on the national economy and 
have significant influence to the local communities. According to Latham (2015), the number 
of music tourists in the UK has increased by 34% in 2014 compared with the figure in 2011, 
with 9.5 million travelling to live music festivals or concerts. This market has generated more 
than £3 billion pounds directly and indirectly. Many international music tourists have travelled 
to the UK for music festivals and live music events and they have stimulated the local economy 
and bring huge contribution to music tourism industry and other related industries. 
Running festival requires a lot of organizations to collaborate. In order to have a successful 
holiday, grant applications you will need to think ahead (Aldskogius 1993). Think about the 
type of community consultation, you need to do early, book festival artists, marketing and 
promotion to get things happened to make people understand festival dates and organizational 
infrastructure, lighting and staging, and get things happened advertising to let people know the 
date of the festival (Getz, Donald 2008, Pegg and Patterson 2010).
Most music festivals in the UK and all around the world are preferred to achieve funding for 
their events (Frey 1994) and finance is one of the most crucial factors to the success of music 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
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festivals (Hume et al. 2006, Getz, D 2002). Funding can be provided to support the music 
festivals in different ways. They can be presented as cash flow to the organiser, free items with 
sponsor’s logo on them and etc. From the perspective of the organiser of a music festival, 
funding can provide them several benefits: 
 Sustainability – the funding body will provide materialistic or financial support to the 
music festival organiser. Therefore, the event company will have stronger ability to and 
use less money to hold a successful music festival (Burton and Fay 1999). 
 Diversity – with various types of sponsors, the organisation can enjoy lower priced 
products of different types (e.g. lower priced beer from a beer manufacturer as a funding 
body or lower priced hotel services for long distance travellers) (Hoyle 2002). 
Therefore, the music festival itself will be more diverse covering comprehensive 
services. 
 Shared risk – the risk of holding a music festival can be shared with their sponsors, as 
the sponsors will directly or indirectly investigate on the festival (Hoyle 2002, Gelder 
and Robinson 2009). It is more or less the sponsors are like the business partners for 
common interest (profit or reputation or both). Therefore, sponsors and the event 
company will become the community of interests.
Things can be viewed in a different way. From the perspective of a funding body, their interest 
is usually connected with the event organiser (Thrane 2002). A successful music festival will 
deliver both high quality of enjoyment and strong impression of a logo or a product to music 
festival tourists (Gelder and Robinson 2009). Therefore, industrial sponsors will be very 
willing to support the music festival if it is helpful to build their organisational reputation in 
the long run. 
1.2 Aim and Objectives
Funding has become a significant aspect in holding a music event. As it has been described in 
the section above, music festival organisers need funding to increase their ability to hold 
successful music event and funding bodies also need the opportunities to broadcast their brands 
and reputations in the market. Therefore, this research seeks to explore the funding and 
sponsorship for music festivals in the UK. Several objectives can be used to achieve this aim 
and are listed as below: 
 To review wide literature on the topic of music festival in the UK
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
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 To investigate different funding types that are used in some large music festivals in the 
recent years in the UK
 To investigate the effect of funding that leads to success
 To investigate on how to get suitable funding for music festivals 
 To give recommendations to event companies on funding for music festivals
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
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Chapter 2 Literature Review
This section will give a brief description on the types of funding sources and why music festival 
organisers are hard to raise funding although the benefits of sponsors for brands are obvious. 
In order to provide recommendations for event companies to get sponsors for their music 
festivals, it is essential to understand why it is difficult to attract sponsors. 
2.1 Why Music Festivals Need Funding
The rise of the costs in music festivals is the result of a great many factors, but the cost including 
the need to meet the requirements and licensing, security, safety and insurance, as well as rising 
artist fees and the increasing use of technologies such as live video screen, complex stage 
performances, and CCTV. To compensate for these costs, festival organizers have turned to 
business and media sponsor can provide cash funds in a lump sum or in the form of 
underwriting the cost of production (Hunt 2002). This allows the organizers to ensure the
leading receiving Title Artist ticket sales, equipment and services, thereby reducing their 
overall risk profile of the business. Further benefits are cumulative, which sponsors the event 
before the joint marketing and advertising. This is aimed at improving targeted awareness and 
interest among the population, hope it will promote early ticket sales, and reduce reliance on 
ticket sales (Hunt et al. 2006). Examples include in-store promotional displays and product 
competitiveness. This is why many festivals offer discounts take effect immediately after the 
end of the "early bird" ticket price or provide tickets to stall this year's activities. Where the 
festival has also attracted media sponsors and broadcasters, as well as access to advanced 
positive media publicity after the end of the period and it can be reported that activity, thus 
"leveraging the initial investment" for all to participate (Lewis and Chambers 2000).
For the organizers, the aim is not necessarily a course of events for direct sales. Instead, existing 
and potential sponsorship activities aimed at raising awareness of your brand or product among 
a highly targeted demographic and psychographic market segments (Anderton 2011, Dean 
1999). The Government believes that these holiday experience "good times" will be converted 
to sponsor brands, leading future sales, increase profits and greater market share. Research 
supported by Target Media commissioned the idea: 40% of respondents believe learning 
festival audience’s percent positive feelings toward their organized or advertised brand in the 
music festival (Rowley and Williams 2008). Leading from this, we can say that sponsors may 
be a useful tool to help consolidate, improve or reposition the brand image (Dean 2002). For 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
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example, when Richard Branson's Virgin Group to become the new title sponsor of the V96, it 
reiterates its unequivocal intention product with Virgin youth brand (Stone 2008). Festival 
sponsors also attractive because they allow the company and the sponsor, instead of each band 
negotiations (Gwinner, K. P. and Eaton 1999).
2.2 Major Types of Funding for Music Festivals
Usually for a general project, funding sources are from the government, business sponsors and 
public funding. However, in terms of music festival in the UK, it does not have public funding 
and business sponsorship takes large portion that complements to ticket revenue (Getz, D 2002). 
Therefore, the funding for music festivals is mainly from business sponsors and governments. 
2.2.1 Government Funding
The biggest music founding body from the UK government is UK Music Funding and Support 
which is a subsidiary of the British Council. The British Council is not a funding agency, but 
it is to create trust between the UK and the rest of the world and understanding to deliver the 
British Council's mission through music. 
Arts Council England was established in 1994, the Arts Council of Great Britain is divided into 
England, Scotland and Wales, three independent body (Molloy 2002). It is a Culture, Media 
and Sport of non-departmental public body. England arts funding system in considerable 
reorganization in 2002, all the regional art panels are classified as Arts Council England, and 
became the regional office of the national organization.
Arts Council England in the UK is committed to the promotion of a performing, visual and 
literary arts government-funded institutions. Since 1994, Arts Council England has been 
responsible for distributing lottery funds. This investment will help to change the building stock 
of the artistic community, and create lots of additional high-quality arts activities (Moscardo 
2007).
Since October 2011, Arts Council England has been responsible for the support and 
development of the museum, which is now defunct Museums, Libraries and Archives Council 
inheritance features (Moscardo 2007).
For the art and culture of government funding is the second source of funds. Governments have 
their own cultural policies, and these policies, they do arts education programs, investing in 
infrastructure, culture and art, art schools and the establishment of arts facilities (such as theatre, 
opera, etc.), and these facilities employ artists’ independent art institutions funds. They give 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
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public funds to private art groups or organizations if these organizations meet the government's 
cultural policies. Since the Government has great financial resources, it is a cultural and artistic 
institutions hope that by supporting the government, but on the other hand, the control and 
management of the government can restrict the freedom of those organizations and projects 
(Lindqvist 2006). Alternatively, you can restrict their freedom of speech against the 
government in various fields to achieve.
2.2.2 Business Sponsorship
A music festival is usually great opportunity for sponsorship by big brands, as it is a very 
suitable platform for those brands to reveal their products or services to large population who 
are attending the music festival or the audience sitting in front of TVs (Rowley and Williams 
2008). In most of music festivals in the UK, business sponsorship is usually a crucial 
contributor in the revenue stream (Latham 2015). It usually gathers a large targeted population 
who share some common interests towards music, tastes and life style (Oakes 2003). There is 
little research that is on sponsorship and funding of music festivals. Very limited empirical 
research has been conducted on entertainment marketing (Hackley and Tiwsakul 2006) and 
empirical findings of the relation between brand sponsors and arts marketing (O’Reilly 2005). 
Although research has found that companies to use sponsorship in their marketing strategy has 
many benefits: improve brand reputation, create brand image, improve profitability and 
increase market share (De Pelsmacker et al. 2005), however, the difficulty of financing has 
been increased in the recent years and an large number of arts organisations have found they 
are not easy or even cannot find funding and sponsors (Hume et al. 2006). 
Since the social surplus mostly production and enterprise management, business support, it is 
often economic understanding. Sometimes difficult to distinguish between culture and art 
corporate finance (Voth 2007). There are indications that, from each other's motives or different 
management structure, a number of different forms of business financing (Svitkova 2006).
However, it could be sometimes not easy to distinguish from corporate philanthropy. The main 
difference can be that the latter does not expect any return, while business sponsors will expect 
returns on finance or corporate reputation. 
2.2.3 Individual and Corporate Philanthropy
Philanthropy is widely used as a major support for music and other culture events. It is basically 
a non-return investments from donor to done (Schwartz 1968). Philanthropy is also a kind of 
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donation to organisations support whose programs or events (Voth 2007). In addition, the 
definition of philanthropy does not only include financial support (i.e. direct money transfer) 
but also involve other support like free banquet rent. Philanthropy usually include the sources 
from individuals and organisations. For those individual donators, the motivations for them 
could be personal satisfaction, charitable tax deductions and religious belief of giving 
(Boatsman and Gupta 1996, Voth 2007). Voth (2007) found that from all support sources, 
philanthropy is the most popular to support various arts and culture events in Europe. 
Dating back to the 1970s Ernst and Ernst research dominant view is that in the literature see 
companies donate art as a manifestation of charity, frequently under the local community 
activities (Clarkson 2012, Cowen and Carolina 1987, Zeghal and Ahmed 1990). Most of the 
art business support academic research in the United States have been ill-advised and narrow 
the focus of a major art institutions, such as large museums or the Metropolitan Opera (Mescon 
and Tilson 1987). However, it is important to participate in artistic enterprises also include 
community-based activities (Shaw 1999). Art forms of our study provide support for a broader 
perspective, and explores the artistic enterprise gives different cultural backgrounds of the 
motivations for philanthropy in the UK. 
On the other hand, the type of funds from individual philanthropy highly varies from culture
to culture. Some culture has a tradition of given is more likely to contribute without any 
expectation of return. This is especially true in Europe and USA. 
2.3 Music Event Sponsorships
Event or special event defined as specific rituals, ceremonies, performances or consciously 
create tags specific event or moment or social objectives, cultural and corporate object display, 
including theatrical performances, sporting events, product launches, music festivals and many 
more (Getz, D 2002). Form event festival is one of the important areas, and it is increasingly 
becoming concerned about the sponsorship deal with the brand. Nevertheless, few studies have 
focused on the music festival sponsored influence (Oakes 2003).
Because it is from the company's perspective, the event has a unique ability to aggregate human 
body, and can give inspiration audience. Use the event as a marketing tool is to increase, not 
only to develop the company's business and image, but also increases the profits and income. 
In the event management point of view, Getz (2008) also explained that the event will be able 
to fully provide them with having an effective program to benefit the sponsor. The purpose of 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
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the event sponsor, with emotion, attention to the company's product service market segments 
as the event target, the target is also a sponsor of the product.
Arts brand sponsorship has been integrated, rather than culture and identity, including posture, 
recall awareness (Rowley and Williams 2008). Hackley and Tiwsakul (2006) argues that the 
District recommends as entertainment marketing brand into the consumer entertainment 
experience. Jenkins (2008) introduced, if it is brand and entertainment experience, brand and 
event sponsors will work together to support and provide blended each other's values. A brand 
experience combined with the importance of consumer research results in the field, which is 
expected, as there will be in the music festival sponsorship many contributions to the study
(Hackley and Tiwsakul 2006).
"Fit", but also the relationship between the content of a Schema theoretical consistency of 
interpretation "consistency" of the appropriateness or suitability of achievement is considered 
a positive impact on the ability of sponsors and events. Fitness between these two areas is 
higher, enhance the company the ability to brand image (d’Astous and Bitz 1995). In 
sponsoring the literature, which describes also the consistency or appropriate conditions. 
Consistency refers to events sponsored link a brand sponsor and the event of the connection 
between similar or synergistic effect. Speed and Thompson , as well as Becker-Olsen et al. 
(2006) described the similarity of anchoring, logical connection, and a relationship between 
the brand and sponsorship of events between the empirical research makes sense, sponsors, the 
event is also congruence It will be given between prove event sponsored results and sponsors 
have an important impact. This is because it can be a problem in influence consumer cognitive, 
emotional and behavioral aspects (Poon, Derek T.Y.; Prendergast 2006). And the foregoing 
description are parallel, the decision is a personal knowledge of the events and sponsors fitness 
level of the main factors. In addition, speed and Thompson (2000) has already been mentioned, 
event promoter’s feet as one of the factors in Florida sponsored influence reaction is a measure 
of consumer attitudes and intentions. Most of this research is connected to the positive 
influence of consistency sponsors to disclose to the consumer the presence of sponsorship 
response, including image transmission, to sponsor and brand recall and recognition attitudes 
and purchase intention upgrades (Speed and Thompson 2000, Roy and Cornwell 2003). 
Consistency of consumer response, which would lead to higher consistency sponsor more 
responsive level. Related description, we can understand that consistency sponsored event is 
an important factor, which has become the main concern of this study. Attitude is defined as 
an object such as a person's internal assessment of advertising, and may be advantageous or 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
9
disadvantageous (Sicilia et al. 2006). Emotional attitudes or emotional reactions of an object. 
In various documents, the attitude of a lot of use conditions, including feelings and emotions 
and emotional reactions. Attitude to advertisers about the advantages and disadvantages of the 
individual evaluation of an organization; it is similar to the event sponsor.
According to schema theory, when a viewer intends to purchase a product or service, then the 
name of the event sponsors will be easier to recall compared to his memory, it never gets 
involved in sponsorship activities companies. Schema theory explains the attitude of how to 
form a brand, particularly in the context of the event. Speed and Thompson (2000) noted that 
consumers have brought to positive attitudes and beliefs, so they must know and consider the 
tendency of the sponsor's product. Moreover, the impact will result from the attitude of 
behavioural intentions. The brand will have a direct positive attitude toward consistency 
between events and sponsors. Koo et al. (2006) found that high consistency of individual events 
and the perceived image initiated between the brand and will lead to a significant attitude 
toward the brand. Sponsorship is to enhance the brand image, strengthening brand awareness 
is considered to be an effective tool and strategy for the company. Important and powerful role 
in the brand image of a company in the measurement of brand equity (Faircloth et al. 2001). 
Its purpose is to promote positive emotions, and attitudes, a sponsor connection to a brand by 
brand audience attention events. Related to image transmission in the evaluation to assess the 
effectiveness of sponsorship is critical.
According to Gilaninia and Mousavian (2011), have a positive impact on the brand image of 
the intention to buy. In addition, Pope and Voges (2000) shows that brand can give a positive 
impact on purchase intent. The study also showed that the existing brand image and attitude 
towards the brand the relationship between. The brand image fit-sponsored activities, and 
ultimately to favorable brand attitude. Another word, poon and Prendergast (2006) also 
explained that the positive brand image, is considered suitable for an event, you can create a 
positive impact on brand attitude.
Empirical theory, to measure the willingness to buy consumer behavior trends, since the 
measurement of the actual sale restrictions (Speed and Thompson 2000). To increase the 
positive and favorable attitude toward the brand is trying to assess the intention to buy 
(Madrigal, 2001) foundation. Purchase intentions indicate the level of motivation, a person to 
do a certain amount of purchase. The higher motivation level, the higher the tendency of people 
do not actually purchase (Barone et al. 2000). Yong Jae et al. (2008) explained that so far, there 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
10
have been limited studies, testing consumer willingness to buy in the future, which in fact 
become a sponsor company's goal sponsors are being conducted. The purpose of the purchase 
is an indicator of the most useful and most valuable sponsorship impact on future sales. 
2.4 Analysis on the Return on Investment for Sponsors
It is essential to analyse the benefits that the sponsors can achieve (return on investment) when 
the business sponsors investigate a music festival. Sponsorship can improve brand reputation 
and build brand image, but the degree of improvement is not easy to measure (Burton and Fay 
1999). Rowley and Williams (Rowley and Williams 2008) has conducted an online survey that 
collecting the quantity responses from selected participants in the UK who have attended music 
festivals previously. They received 138 respondents that are aged between 16 and 35. The 
responses from participants are illustrated in Figure 3.1. The most portion of participants view 
the brand sponsorship does not have any impact on the brand awareness (24%) and their 
attitude towards the brand (26%). But there are some participants still have slightly improved 
their attitude towards the brand. Although the result shown in Figure 3.1 is not very impressive, 
it is still valuable for business brand sponsors, as brand reputation building is a slow and 
incremental steps over a long period of time (Getz, Donald 2008, Hoyle 2002). 
Figure 3.2.1 Survey on Whether Sponsorship Had Affected Their Brand Awareness
Every brand needs to consider the return on investment before they make any sponsorship 
decisions. Small business brands do not have strong financial ability to support large music 

Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
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festivals, although large music festivals will increase their brand awareness to large population 
with large influence (Van and Van Judy 1988). On the other hand, big business brands are not 
willing to spend their money on small sized music festivals and therefore those small music 
festival organisers are hard to get funding from big business organisations. 
Most organisations today are pursuing profit in a short time (Worthington and Britton 2006). 
When they consider the return on investment (in a short time), they are not likely to put money 
into those small music festivals. This leads to the difficulty in financing for music festivals in 
general. 
2.5 Consumers and Event Sponsors
Traditional knowledge exam has been in the consumer marketing. In particular, the impact on 
consumers of the information processing product knowledge has been great interest in 
researchers (Becker-Olsen et al. 2006, Roy and Cornwell 2003, Rodgers 2003). In addition, 
product knowledge has been found in the consumer product evaluation influential price 
estimates, precision (Menon and Kahn 2003), as well as handle advertising message (Rifon et 
al. 2004). However, the impact on consumer responses to sponsorship messages of knowledge 
has not been studied.
Researchers interested consumers understand the role of knowledge in the field of information 
processing. In a ground-breaking study, Sujan (1985) found that the nature of the method of 
experts and novices in the face of the information used in processing the product are different. 
When faced with product knowledge and consistent information, experts and novices in 
categories based treatment. Based on the information processing category it is based on the 
people they meet to organize various types of information to stimulate ideas. Classification of 
information in favour of stimulation and treatment around them stimulate new understanding. 
When a person encounters stimuli integration process based on the information by category 
attempt stimulation and stored in memory. The results of this method of information processing 
is based on the idea of the scope of knowledge of the created rather than the more specific, 
based on the idea of property (Sujan 1985).
When information is presented based on the classification of knowledge, experts and does not 
match the treatment novice vary. Experts referred to as the product attributes do piecemeal 
review of longer, more analytical thinking process. When stored in memory prior knowledge 
accessible to more extensive treatment to stimulate the emergence of fragmented information 
processing properties on the basis of the property (Sujan 1985). The results may be more 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
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piecemeal and generate ideas on stimulating more attributes related ideas. On the other hand, 
they are treated as newcomers like treatment consistent with the classification based on the 
knowledge of information does not match the information from the knowledge-based 
classification. That is, the novice category-based processing, the use of knowledge products 
classification exists, rather than the property assessment information products. Due to its low 
level of knowledge, and newcomers are often based on the general category attribute rather 
than specific product attributes, attitudes are formed. It should be noted that both experts and 
novices have basic knowledge about the nature of a given product category. However, experts 
believe that knowledge is expected to be more refined, and experts will be expected to know 
more about given the relationship between the properties of the product category (Roy and 
Cornwell 2003).
About findings on the role of consumer expertise, Sujan (1985) has been studied in other 
empirical support. Domain-specific knowledge (i.e., knowledge of the product category) were 
found to have an impact on the understanding of processes and products related to inference 
stimulation. This view of the different treatment by the expert common practice (Roy and 
Cornwell 2003). In their study of conceptualization analogy consumers, knowledge level of the 
consumer to build properties "relational mapping" ability from the base domain to the target 
object. Experts believe that based on ability and knowledge from the target object based 
integrated transferred to a perceived relationship between the base and target objects and 
engaging architecture. On the other hand, newcomers do not have basic perceptual knowledge 
required domain and domain-based relationship between the audience, not able to get a model 
to assess the relationship between basic and target objects (Baumgartner and Homburg 1996).
When evaluating consumer response, sponsorship messages consumers to map new and 
existing capacity of the relationship between the information cannot be overstated (Rowley and 
Williams 2008). An important finding from the reaction of consumers, the company sponsored 
some studies generated is perceived to match sponsors and consistency between events or 
caused such desirable results are correct sponsorship higher level, to sponsor a favourable
attitude, and from a stronger image transmission event sponsored. The idea that consistency is 
sponsoring the event generated in response sponsor hopes factors are used to explain the match 
consumer’s celebrity endorsement advertising (Crompton 1993). It is proposed that there 
should be matching between the endorsement and brand, the celebrity ad information is used. 
This matching can be defined when it is implemented as a highly relevant attributes 
spokesperson highly correlated with the characteristics of the brand. Products and advertising 
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more positive assessment of the occurrence of consumers view the brand spokesperson and 
positive when congruent.
In the case of corporate event sponsorship, congruence can be established through either a 
logical linker strategic link between sponsor and event (Roy and Cornwell 2003). A logical 
association between sponsor and event can be forged when a sponsor’s product is used in 
conjunction with the event (e.g., Adidas is a sponsor of the 2002 World Cup soccer tournament,
at which players will use Adidas products). A strategic link between sponsor and event can be 
achieved by matching the event audience and target market for the sponsoring brand with the 
use of demographic and/or psychographic variables.
In the case of corporate sponsorship activities, it may be a logical connection with the strategic 
linkages established by sponsors and events. Logical association between the sponsor and the 
event can be when a sponsor's product with events forged (for example, Adidas is the 2002 
World Cup, where players will use Adidas products sponsor). Strategic links between the 
sponsor and the event may be brought to match populations and psychological variables brand 
to achieve through the event audience and target market.
2.6 The Economic Impact of Music Festivals
Marketing and finance are two key contributors to the success of other music festivals (Getz, 
D 2002, Hume et al. 2006). In the financing, the pressure on all arts organizations increased 
money and, in their own funds (Hume et al. 2006). Mort et al. (2003) discussed how typically 
expected from ticket sales made pure, without government funding. Therefore, arts 
organizations in general, and music festivals, particularly as a means of turning the sponsorship 
to raise additional revenue.
From the perspective of brand management rhetoric and pragmatic management point of view, 
the main reason for the company to use in their marketing strategies sponsor is determined to 
be: to enhance brand awareness; brand image; reposition the brand in the minds of consumers; 
increase profits in the short term; and to achieve greater market share (De Pelsmacker et al. 
2005). Reason why other companies may use the sponsorship are: the elimination of the 
consumer may hold any negative feelings about the brand or company; and, it is recommended 
that the event and the brand connections. Gwinner (1997) showed that the two most important 
goals for the sports and arts sponsorship is to increase brand awareness, establish, strengthen 
or change the brand image. These are seen as the development of brand knowledge, drive 
customer brand equity is important (Keller and Lehmann 2006). Examples of such studies are 
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those by Cliffe and Motion (2005). Cliffe and Motion (2005) studied the use of sponsor 
Vodafone New Zealand as a central marketing communication strategy to build brand identity 
as a new entrant into the market, and Motion et al. (2003) discusses the use of co-branding 
between Adidas and the All Blacks (football League) to enhance the brand value.
One of the main types of sports sponsorship and event-related arts sponsorship. Sports 
sponsorship, especially large-scale, world-class events such as the World Cup and the Olympic 
Games reach billions of global television audiences significant number of investment 
opportunities. Sponsor such events have the potential to produce significant marketing 
advantage for the sponsors, may indeed increase brand awareness through advertising than the 
more economically feasible way (Pelsmacker et al., 2005).
On the other hand, not all sponsorship of the arts show has a direct impact "on the bottom line." 
"Cause-related" sponsorship is a form of public relations, rather than a substitute for advertising. 
In business-related sponsorship organizers will return the money to the "public welfare", 
associated with a justification for, and adopt a positive image of the charity event or any 
consumer holdings (Bhattacharya et al. 1995, Bennett and Sargeant 2005).
Some authors view the art, music and recreational activities sponsored by the brand culture as 
a means of embedding the brand and the consumer experience and size associated with the 
process (Holbrook and Hirschman 1982). Hackley and Tiwsakul (2006) proposed the 
entertainment marketing for the purpose, weaving brand into new areas of consumer 
entertainment experience. In their view, "the brand of the contact mass entertainment given the 
brand's cool. Meanwhile, enhances the realism and entertainment settings. When the brand 
entertainment experience, sponsor brand, which is the entertainment mutually reinforcing, and 
identity formation of a rich context contained within the brand (Elliott 1997, Jenkins 2008); 
brand and the associated market embedded in consumer marketing (Moor 2003). In this mode, 
the art of brand sponsorship is more embedded in the culture and identity of the brand, more 
than memories, awareness, attitudes and use of more peripheral concept.
Corporate sponsorships have become as a marketing communication tool more and more 
popular. Research has been focused on the management and evaluation of sponsorship and 
sponsors influence on consumer behaviour. There is evidence that one of the main objectives 
is to promote the sponsorship of brand equity (Walliser 2003, Roy and Cornwell 2003). For 
example, Roy and Cornwell (2003) discusses the consistency sponsored event, or sports events 
and brand sponsorship, with high and low consumer brand equity between the connection in 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
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relationships. They found that a higher brand with strong brand equity sponsor activities 
consistency than the low brand equity, which means that with high brand equity to make the 
best sponsors, although still low equity brands benefit from the sponsorship. However, arts 
sponsorship and brand recall, awareness, attitudes relative lack of empirical research links 
between the generation and use. We only identified three case studies work. Hafez and Ling 
(2006) analysed the role of history and music Kool theme music promotional activities in the 
promotion of the brand. They believe that music is an effective marketing tool because it can 
help consumers make an emotional connection with the brand, the concert will be valid for a 
younger audience, and music can be combined and integrated marketing campaign. Moor 
(2003) provides DIAGO strategy to promote the new brand through a series of case studies of 
live music events. Finally, the Oaks (Oakes 2003) found two classical music festival sponsored 
collect demographic and recall data. He let more research audience awareness, recall and 
attitudes of corporate sponsors and brand situation.
A specific problem of art and sports events sponsored by alcohol brands is what has led to 
advertising restrictions in these brands as a major degree of marketing communication tools to 
use sponsorship. For example, alcohol brand sponsorship of football and soccer cup (such as 
the League Cup) and their logo in the football stadium obvious. There are many influences on 
the extent of alcohol addiction and abuse and sponsors expressed concern (Crompton 1993, 
Maher et al. 2006). In addition, there is evidence that sponsorship on television advertising of 
alcohol will result in a strong positive correlation between the company's products, cultural and 
emotional elements between the atmosphere, thus contributing not support alcohol education
(Wyllie et al. 1989). On the other hand, McDaniel and Mason (1999) found that respondents 
were more relaxed on the use of sports sponsorship to promote their beer than to use 
sponsorship to promote tobacco. Debate in the UK reached a climax in 2006, from the Advisory 
Council on Drug Abuse (ACMD) a proposal to the government to stop alcohol brands 
sponsoring music festivals, because the sponsor to encourage young people to drink (McDaniel 
and Mason 1999). In summary, the sponsorship represents an important source of income in 
areas such as arts and sports, but also for the sponsor may implement a number of brandbuilding objectives. However, in the event sponsorship limited research affect consumer brand 
right. A particular problem for the festival is sponsored by the negative impact of any 
participant's attitude sponsorship, particularly but not exclusively, in the sponsorship involving 
alcohol.
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16
2.7 Case Study: Sheffield’s Tramline Music Festival
The Sheffield Tramline Music Festival is an annual music festival that has been held since 
2009 (Tramlines 2016). In the early years, Tramline Festival was free to attend, which consists
of many local, national and international artists of different kinds. The name of the music 
festival is firstly inspired by the in-city super tram system. Its first festival held in 2009 was 
viewed as a big success which attracted more than 35 thousand people from all over the 
Yorkshire and UK. The figures for the next 2 years have been increasing. In 2011, it 
collaborated with more than 70 venues in the Sheffield city centre. The Tramline Festival has 
been enjoying a significantly high reputation within the UK and won the Best Metropolitan 
Festival in the UK Festival Awards.
However, since 2013, Tramline Festival has attracted less sponsors to support the event. The 
number of attendances was dropped from 125,000 to 95,000, compared with the figure in 2012
(BBC 2013). Also, instead of free entries, the organiser charged £6 for the daily ticket. In 2013, 
the Sheffield City Council has reduced its funding to Tramline Festival from £86,000 to 
£42,000. However, the major contribution that has been made since 2009 is the sponsorship
(about £100,000 annually) from Nokia that hugely supported the Tramline Festival. The 
Sheffield City Council is still supporting the Tramline with free use of spaces and lends its 
event management team during the event (BBC 2013). However, the huge funding gap is still 
huge for the organisers. Therefore, organisers have to charge the event ticket in order to support 
the whole 3-day festival. In the next a few years, the funding crisis has gone even worse (BBC 
2013). The daily ticket has been raised from £6 to £12 and the 3-day ticket has been raised 
from £15 to £28, with less funding contribution from both the local government and business 
sponsors. In 2014, the funding crisis went even worse. The Sheffield City Council decided not 
to fund the festival directly but it provided some other kinds of support (BBC 2014). 
2.8 Summary
In this chapter, several general types of funding have been introduced. Music festivals, as a 
special case of culture and arts events, will not be the same as other types of culture and arts 
events in terms of the funding sources. 
It has been illustrated that why music festivals need to attract funding and the general ways to 
attract. It also explained the reason on the benefits of sponsorship for corporates, as it would 
be a win-win strategy for both music festival organisers and the contributors. However, through 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
17
the case study of Sheffield Tramline Music Festival, it can be seen that the funding from the 
local government and the sponsors have been decreased and this crisis has been continuously 
growing worse in the recent years. 
Therefore, it is now more important to investigate the reasons behind the funding crisis and 
help music festivals, including the Sheffield Tramline Festival, to survive in the future. 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
18
Chapter 3 Research Methodology
This chapter describes the research methods and theories have been proposed methods were 
used. Technical details of the research are described and explained in detail. Important issues, 
such as the concept of the study, the preparation of studies, methodologies and data collection 
process, the sampling decision are included. The first preparation step is the topic selection. In 
theme with the help of knowledge, opinions and interests to finalize topic. After that, the theory 
and literature was searched to support research. Then, the problem is with the research question 
and research methods have been developed that has been selected. The next step is to plan the 
method of data collection. After collecting the data, by analysing it with existing theories that
have been explored, the research question can be answered. 
This research is to explore and analyse the ways to raise funding and other financial support
for music festivals in the UK, due to the increasing difficulty for music festival organisers to 
hold music festivals in the UK in recent years. The research firstly explores wide literature 
related to the topic of study including funding theories and the fundamental theories of music 
and events. By understanding how the general music and event organiser raises funding for 
their events, the basic understanding to this research is accomplished. After that, a case study 
of Sheffield Tramlines Music Festivals is used to further analyse the issue with a specific 
example. This chapter will explain how the research is conducted, how research approaches 
are selected, why the specific data collection methods are used and how the collected data will 
be analysed. 
3.1 Research Approach
The research approach used in social science can be different based on the individual suitability 
and its specific type of the research. Generally, it mainly consists of qualitative research 
approaches and quantitative research approaches, which will be further discussed in this section. 
In addition, social science researches can be divided into two categories that are either testing 
an existing theory by given collected data or answering a question that based on the existing 
theories and collected data. This section will discuss these in detail. 
3.1.1 Qualitative VS Quantitative Analysis
Qualitative analysis is usually the type of analysis based on qualitative data from interviews 
and focus groups which mainly contains natural language descriptions to a research topic
(Reichardt and Rallis 1994, Bryman 1992). Qualitative research is usually understanding a 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
19
social phenomenon rather than predicting (Denzin and Lincoln 1998). This is type of analysis 
require social researchers obtain integrative skills and fundamental understanding of the 
research topic. Qualitative research is usually considered suitable for those research that needs 
an in-depth insight into a research problem. It can provide an outline solution to a research 
question which can be further analysed by using quantitative methods later. 
The most different aspect of qualitative and quantitative methods can be the data collection and 
analysis parts (Newman and Benz 1998). A quantitative research uses statistical data which 
represented as numbers, floats, percentages and etc. whereas qualitative research only uses 
descriptions of natural languages (Dörnyei 2007). 
In a simplified way of understanding the different, quantitative research is usually considered 
to be objective whereas qualitative research is subjective (Newman and Benz 1998). On the 
other hand, the two methods can be compared as: research to find the interpreter of law and the 
purpose of qualitative research is further described (Berg and Lune 2004). Qualitative research 
measures, want developing universal law qualitative research can be described as an 
exploration is considered to be a dynamic reality. Qualitative research is not claim found in the 
process is common, therefore, can be copied. Common often refer to these types of research 
including the difference between.
Generally speaking, qualitative research produces rich, detailed and effective processing data, 
help to understand the context (Creswell 2013, Sale et al. 2002). Quantitative research, on the 
other hand, generates reliable population-based and generalizable data for establishing 
causation. Decide whether to choose a quantitative or qualitative design is ultimately a question 
of philosophy. Which methods choice will depend on the nature of the project, the type of 
information needed under the background of study and the availability of resources (time, 
money and human capital).
3.1.2 Inductive VS Deductive Research
From a logic point of view, two broad methods of reasoning are categorised as the deductive 
methods and the inductive methods. Deductive reasoning works from a general to a more
specific. It is usually referred to as "top-down" approach (Charnaz and Smith 2003). It starts 
from thinking about a theory about our topic of interest (Hyde 2000). Then narrow to the more 
specific hypothesis for further test. After narrowing the problem, observations to handle the
hypothesis. This ultimately allow us to test this hypothesis with specific data – the original
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
20
theory of confirmation or not (Glaser, B. G. ; Strauss 1978). The general structure of deductive 
research approach is illustrated in Figure 3.1 shown below.

Figure 3.1 Deductive research approach general procedures
Inductive reasoning works, from specific observations to broader generalizations and theories. 
Informally, we sometimes call "bottom-up" approach. In inductive reasoning, we first specific 
observations and measures of starting test patterns and rules, made some tentative hypothesis, 
and then to explore, and develop some general conclusions or theory (Terre Blanche and 
Durrheim 1999). The general structure of an inductive research approach is illustrated in Figure 
3.2 shown below.

The two have very different methods of reasoning "feel" when one conducts a social research
(Skyrms 1967). Inductive reasoning, in essence, is more open and exploratory, especially in 
Theory 
Hypothesis
Observation
Confirmation
Observation
Pattern
Tentative 
Hypothesis
New Theory
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21
the beginning. The nature of the deductive reasoning more narrow and involves testing or 
confirm the hypothesis (Teddlie and Tashakkori 2009, Thomas 2006). Even if a particular 
research may seem like pure deductive (e.g. Design an experiment to test the assume some of 
the results of the treatment effect), most of the social studies involving the inductive and 
deductive reasoning process project in a period of time. In fact, it does not need to be a rocket 
scientist to see the above two graphs, we can assemble into a circle, continuously circulation 
from theory to theory to observe and again. Even in the most limited experiments, researchers 
can observe patterns of data to make them develop new theory. 
In this research, a social phenomenon that is the funding for music festivals is increasingly 
difficult and this study is to conduct a research that is focused on the solution to the 
phenomenon. Therefore, inductive research approach is suitable in this study. After the 
phenomenon is discovered, one needs to widely explore the related grounded theories. Then 
the pattern of this can be found followed by a testable research hypothesis. 
3.1.3 Research Method Used
From what has been analysed above, a qualitative-inductive research is suitable to this study 
topic. The inductive hypothesises of this research are as follows:
1. The difficulty in raising funding for music festivals is highly influenced by the world 
economy and the profitability of their business sponsors. 
2. Different types of commercial advertisements can be used to enlarge the investment 
from various business sponsors and other contributors. 
3.2 Data Collection
The data collection in social science research is usually refer to the primary data collection or 
the secondary data collection. These two types of data are basically differentiated from the data 
sources, each with pros and cons. Different social researches will employ different types of 
data collection depending on the suitability, with each of which having advantages and 
disadvantages. The following subsections will illustrate the two data collection methods in 
several different perspectives and then determine why secondary data collection is suitable for 
this research with illustrations and explanations. 
3.2.1 Primary Data and Secondary Data
In a simplified word, primary data usually refer to those data that is collected directly by the 
author via interviews, focus groups, social surveys and other similar means; secondary data is 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
22
used for secondary research, collected from known databases, such as libraries and online 
database, including previous works from other researchers, annual reports of organisations and 
those third-party databases. This data is collected from other researchers other than the authors 
themselves. 
One of the most important advantages of using primary data is that the researchers can obtain 
the specific data they need while conducting their research. Such as surveys, they can put the 
direct questions into the questionnaire they designed to collect the direct information from 
participants; or to ask direct questions that focused on the research topics in interviews. 
When it comes to the secondary data, there can be various types. It can be the information from 
the national population census or the information collected by the government. Another type 
of secondary data is the administrative data, which is collected from an organisation itself to 
monitor specific behaviours. For instance, a football stadium will collect the attendances of 
each football match, while this data will be used for other researches or the internal 
management purposes. Another example can be that some restaurants will collect the 
population of visitors at different time periods in order to make adjustments to prepare better 
services. These data can be used and analysed by other researches in other different subjects 
and topics. Therefore, it is called secondary data for the other researchers who use these data 
directly instead of collecting them on their own. 
Compared with primary data, secondary data is already available and easier to achieve. Besides, 
the administrative data mentioned above usually have large sample size with long period of 
time. This can be significantly beneficial to the research that can produce less bias. Usually 
researches with small budgets or time limitations prefer to employ secondary data. 
3.2.2 Data Collection Method Used
In this research, primary data can be hard to achieve. Music festivals are held around the world 
and different music festivals usually held once in a period of time. It cannot be easy to attend 
many of them: Belladrum Tartan in Scotland, Eastern Electrics in London, Forgotten Fields in 
Tunbridge Wells and etc. There are many famous national and local music festivals being held 
annually around the UK. But due to the budget and the time limitation of this dissertation 
project, primary data collection means attending those music festivals which is highly 
expensive and not affordable. On the other hand, the information of the festivals including 
ticket sales, attendances, funding sources are all available online on their official websites or 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
23
some other webpages. Therefore, this dissertation will use secondary data as the only data 
collection method to conduct the research. 
The data and information related to the funding for music festivals can be found on the sponsors’ 
websites and annual reports. For instance, Coca-Cola has the sponsorships in many music 
festivals around the world. Similarly, other brands like Red Bulls are also contributing their 
money on the music festivals and other events around the world. These data can be extracted 
from the data sources and analysed further to understand the research problem and test the 
research hypothesises listed above. 
Some sponsors may not directly put money into a music festival but may contribute it through 
other tunnels such as giving free beverages, transport vehicles and other equipment to the event 
operator. Similarly, other organisations such as the local government and charity groups may 
provide free space for the events (e.g. the Sheffield Tramlines Festivals).
3.3 Limitations of the Research
The method used in this research is qualitative research approach with secondary data sources. 
This section will illustrate the limitations of this research based on the research problem and 
the methods used. 
3.4 Research Ethics
This dissertation research is a desk based research using secondary data from online sources. 
It can be seen from the previous sections that this dissertation research has no risk in terms of 
research participants and data storage. Different to primary researches, the secondary 
researches do not need human participants and the data which will be collected and analysed 
to support the answer the research questions. 
Although the secondary data is collected from online sources and previous work from related
scholars and researchers, all the data used in this dissertation research will be stored securely 
in a password-protected computer and only authorised personnel can have the access. 
3.5 Summary
By illustrating the advantages and disadvantages of different social research approaches, this 
dissertation research conducted using qualitative-quantitative secondary data with an inductive 
approach. Besides, the secondary data collection is described to give reader a view of how data 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
24
will be collected. Due to the time limitations and research methods used, the limitations of this 
research are analysed followed by short illustration of research ethics. 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
25
Chapter 4 Findings and Discussion
This chapter will illustrate the findings from the secondary research. Based on the data 
collected from the secondary research, relevant data on the music festivals, funding bodies, 
sponsorships and other partners can be further analysed to deduct the reasons behind the 
phenomenon. Findings from the data will be analysed based on the collected data and each 
section in this chapter has different data. In addition, it will discuss the findings in each section 
to explain the reasons behind quantitative numbers and other qualitative data. At the end, a 
short summary will conclude all the findings and discussions mentioned. 
4.1 Findings on the Live Music Report
From the macro perspective in the live music market, a wide range of trends and comparison 
can be made and these are well illustrated in Repucom (2015). Repucom (2015) gives a large 
range of measurement on the global live music sponsorship report covering a variety of 
perspectives, including current festivals, venues, tours and artist endorsements. 
4.1.1 Music Festivals in the Global Music Market
Repucom (2015) mainly measured five countries in terms of their live music aspects. It found 
that the most popular type of music is pop and most music festivals are inviting pop artists to 
their stages. This is also supported by Latham (2015) that most attendances are teenagers and 
young adults who are in the age range fancying pop and rock music. Another observation is 
that, among the five measured countries, UK ranked top one on the average ticket price (per 
music festival) that is €112.1 followed by USA (€76.8) and Germany (€75.7). In terms of 
average travel and accommodation spending at music festivals, UK also ranked the first with 
€76.4 per person per festival, followed by USA (€70.5), while Germany has much lower 
average spending on this (€43.2). Music festival travellers in the UK also spend the most on 
their food and drink consumption with €58.2 per person per festival and the other four countries 
are far behind. 
From the above numbers, it can be seen that music festivals in the UK have created large 
amount of revenues to the local and national economies. During the music festivals, fans will 
consume a great number of beverages and alcoholic drinks which will bring revenue to the beer 
companies. In addition, for some music festivals like the Sheffield Tramlines Festival which 
are usually last for several days, the local pubs, nightclubs, restaurants and hotels are all 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
26
enjoying the benefits from the music festivals. Therefore, these also made great contribution to 
the music industry and overall national GDP (Frey 1994).
4.1.2 Sponsorships in Music Festivals
Sponsors in the music festivals are of various types. Some of them are venue sponsors who 
provide free or low-priced venue space to the music festivals. The top four venue sponsors in 
UK are The O2-London, Manchester Arena, The SSE Hydro and Genting Arena (Repucom 
2015). Those venue sponsors can benefit from the food and drinks spending from attendances. 
Almost all large venues have their own food and drink stores, and some even have pubs, clubs 
and hotel facilities. Wembley (2014) mentioned that they have conducted some of their CSR 
(corporate social responsibility) activities through the free venue space renting for some major 
public events to increase their social reputation. 
On the other hand, as most fans are among younger generations, the companies which produce 
products or services to young people are more active in joining the sponsorships in music 
festivals. One of the famous and most recognised companies are Coca-Cola. In the past decades, 
Coca-Cola has sponsored in many aspects in the music market including venues, live festivals, 
artists, media and other music entertainment activities. Also, its competitor – Pepsi is the other 
main stream in the sponsorship in many global music festivals and events. In the last decade of 
20th century, mobile phone brands and operators were becoming extremely active in sponsoring 
music festivals to attract more young people to purchase their phones or use their mobile 
networks (Gurvey 2006, Barnes and Scornavacca 2004, Verity 2002, Mort, Gillian S and 
Drennan 2005). 
4.2 Findings on the Sheffield Tramlines Festival
The Sheffield Tramlines Festival was firstly held in 2009 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK. 
At the time, it attracted over 35,000 fans around the UK to join the live music festival (2014). 
In the following years, this number was still on the rise. In 2011, the Sheffield Tramlines 
Festival had a very high popularity and reputation around the UK and won the Best 
Metropolitan Festival in the UK Festival Awards 2011 (Tramlines 2016). However, it has been 
faced a serious issue – withdraw funding and sponsorships from its previous partners and 
sponsors. The ticket price has been increased in order to maintain its three-day event. 
Compared with its first event in 2009, which was free to everyone, the ticket price in 2016 was 
inclined to £35 for the whole weekend and £25 for single day (Tramlines 2016). Since 2013, 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
27
the ticket sale has been the major contribution in the revenue and it can be seen more clearly at 
its most recent summer event in 2016. 
According to the BBC (2013), the substantial reduction in funding, rising ticket prices and exit 
of the most significant reasons from sponsors. In 2013, Sheffield City Council has reduced its 
funding from the tram line holiday eighty-six thousand people £ 42,000 (BBC 2013). However, 
since 2009, we have made significant contributions to the tramway is brought to you by the 
tremendous support section (approximately £ 100,000 annually) from Nokia. Sheffield City 
Council still supports the use of space and free tram and events (BBC 2013) during lent incident 
management team. However, the huge funding gap is still huge organizer. Therefore, the 
organizers have the right to charge for tickets to an event in support of the entire three-day 
festival. In the next few years, the funding crisis has been worse (BBC 2013). Tickets per day 
has increased from £ 6 to £ 12 and three-day tickets have been raised from £ 15 to £ 28 May, 
contributions from local government and corporate sponsorship funds less. In 2014, the 
financial crisis worse. Sheffield City Council decided not to directly fund the festival, but it 
provides a number of other forms of support (BBC 2014). Sheffield tramway Music Festival 
2016 is the main partner of Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Hallam University, BMC, 
SupperTram, housing, Hallam FM, Sheffield Cultural Guides and Gigmit (Tramlines 2016). 
For real money or equipment such information partners have invested unavailable, but you can 
see, there is no large-scale enterprises to join this festival sponsor. Sources of funding will be 
much less than in previous years, so the ticket price increase in 2016.
However, from the perspective of economic returns of the music festivals, the series of the 
music festivals have attracted great number of local fans and travellers from all over the country
to the city. Local restaurants, pubs and hotels have created a large amount of revenue thanks to 
the Tramlines Music Festivals. This also benefits the international students who have been 
travelled far away from other countries to Sheffield to study. Some of them are master students, 
who only have to spend one year to finish the degree, are now able to have the chance to get to 
know more about the local culture and meet new people. In today’s society, large events 
including music festivals can attract a great number of young people and it is a great chance 
for them to meet new friends in the city or more specifically, in their university before the 
actual course get started. 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
28
4.3 Findings on the Online Survey on Music Festival Sponsorships
Rowley and Williams (2008) conducted a research to study the impact of sponsorships in music 
festivals by using questionnaires. Respondents were asked directly if they, for example, their 
attitude is brought to you by using the brand or affect Festival view. Instrument more complex 
multi-project can be used to measure changes, but the direct method is preferred in this study 
to capture respondents' views and to keep the questionnaire short and straight. The last group 
to explore the attitudes of any potential negative impact on alcohol sponsorship and 
sponsorship. Questionnaire sample group who took part in the festival include people. Identify 
the most effective and convenient way of this group is to develop a "snowball" sample through. 
Questionnaire was firstly sent to participates in the festival who are known to have 
acquaintances. After that they were asked to be assigned to their acquaintances, and so on. In 
order to improve the response rate of the electronic questionnaire distributed to students to 
choose a university department in the UK, and surveys also posted a number of music-related 
message boards. Research questionnaire distributed in 2006, in the festival season ends after 
2006.
Additional qualitative information is also collected in order to obtain information about 
sponsorship of the respondents’ opinion, better understanding, especially in the interpretation 
of the survey results help to analyse. This data is collected through dialogue and message 
boards questionnaire respondents some follow-up interviews. 138 respondents completed the 
questionnaire accepted. 60% of respondents were 16-21 years of age, 22 percent of them are 
22 to 25-year-olds, and 26-35 are of 12%. As for the sex composition, 59% of respondents 
were female and 41% male. Most of the respondents (86%) are students, and 85 percent of 
these students are distributed (Bangor University) University in the questionnaires. While this 
may appear to impose checks findings geographical constraints, this is not the case, because 
the student's home location than the location of their university are more likely to affect the 
summer holiday to attend. Home location in the southeast of England is littered with 34% in 
Wales and 25% in north-west England, 12% in the central, southwest England, 9% in%, and 
9%. Musical tastes are eclectic, there are 15% more like rock, independent, 12% alternative, 
punk and 9% 8% 13% prevalence.
In answer about the brand and sponsorship issues, respondents were asked on their participation 
in the festival last comment. The method of this key event in order to encourage the respondents 
focused on the impact of an event is likely to be in their memories the clearest brand 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
29
sponsorship, was adopted. On the other hand, this approach does privilege occurred in the 
larger end of the season of festivals, and implies a certain extent, these music festivals and their 
sponsors dominate the research results.
The need for a better understanding of art sponsorship activities, the essence of the brand image 
of the sponsor and recipient transfer degree and festivals between brands and sponsors a better 
understanding of mutual benefit. This study provides evidence suggests that music festival 
brand sponsorship of brand recall, brand awareness and attitudes, but the impact of the use of 
brand signs. Results brand recall and 73% were able to recall the spontaneous sponsoring 
brands particularly active. And the highest level of brand recall followed the league and Nokia, 
probably because the full name of these brands were included in the festival's official title -
League weekend, holiday and people Nokia Island. Virgin V Festival brought to recall the 
brand also achieved a very high level, while Heineken recall that although not embedded in the 
name of the festival, the brand is only a slight decrease. Brands, such as the use of brand names 
in the name of the festival may have a positive impact, but it is difficult to separate from the 
high brand equity zone of influence this (Roy and Cornwell 2003). As Oakes (Oakes 2003)
have discussed with the brand recall of local festivals have many sponsors to collect data 
associated complexity.
On brand awareness and brand attitude, the overall impact between "some" and "very little", 
which indicates that the sample of small incremental changes, but for some members of the 
sample greater impact. Overall, there is evidence of any impact on the method of using the 
brand. Taken together, these results indicate that with them, and brought to the high level of 
brand recall-related, but respondents do not believe the impact of sponsorship awareness, 
attitudes and brand their contact with any significant extent. On the other hand, the view of the 
respondents brought a different outcome of different brands. This may be some of the 
sponsorship process all aspects, such as sponsoring brand name is embedded in the festival, 
sponsored brand equity, access to the brand by holiday sales of branded products, and the 
relationship between the brand and sponsorship business festival might sponsors will affect 
brand awareness, influencing attitudes and use.
Respondents expressed the consequences of sponsor's some concern, particularly with regard 
to the potential of alcohol sponsorship, increase underage drinking, but also the pressure on the 
business. In the commercial pressures commented mainly for the league and the league in 
which alcohol control to select the degree of the festival. There is about increased violence, 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
30
health risks and theft concerns moderate level. Problems such problems have eroded both 
festivals and sponsoring brand potential. However, the level of concern, if the problem with 
the early researchers and policy-makers raised the emergence of this study with Daniel and 
Mason (1999) is the same as compared to the relatively mild. Overall, respondents were not in 
favour of a ban on alcohol sponsorship, and there is a widely recognized sponsor is necessary 
to ensure the viability of the festival.
4.4 Summary
A wide range of trends and comparison can be made and these are well illustrated in Repucom 
(2015), which gives a large range of measurement on the global live music sponsorship report 
covering a variety of perspectives, including current festivals, venues, tours and artist 
endorsements. The global music festival market is still booming. However, the trend is that 
small music festivals are not easy to attract funding and sponsors as due to the theories on 
return on investment for sponsors, it may not be cost-effective for sponsors. On the other hand, 
most music festivals attract young generations from 18 to 30, as they have stronger desire in 
realising themselves into music while have a chance to meet new friends. 
From the cased study of Sheffield Tramlines music festival, it can be seen that small sized 
music festivals are hard to attract funding and therefore in order to make those music festivals 
survive, the government should make some efforts, non-profit organisations and charity groups 
should pay more attention on them. 
The online survey from Rowley and Williams (2008) has found that most participants in music 
festivals are younger generations. The sponsors of alcoholic companies should be careful that 
their advertisements may lead those teenagers to consume alcohol while they are below 18. 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
31
Chapter 5 Conclusion and Recommendations
This final chapter will summarise all the contents mentioned above and draw a short conclusion 
on the topic and make some possible recommendations for both music festival operators and 
potential sponsors. 
5.1 Conclusion
This dissertation research is focused on the music festivals in the UK market and their funding 
bodies and sponsors. It firstly explores the wide range of literature on the general music 
festivals in the UK and around the world to analyse how music festivals run. By understanding 
the basic theories of music festivals and their major funding sources, the analysis of music 
sponsorships can be conducted. After that, it analyses why and how commercial corporates and 
non-profit organisations would like to contribute in the music festivals. Then the economic 
impact of music festivals on local businesses and national GPD are illustrated. By using a short 
case study of Sheffield Tramlines music festivals, an outline of how a music festival runs can 
be understood and why music festivals need funding can be concluded. By comparing different 
types and approaches of social research, this dissertation research is decided to be a desk based 
(secondary) research, using qualitative and quantitative data from multiple sources online and 
in libraries. The method used is an inductive research approach. Various findings are drawn 
from the secondary data and analysed in depth to give a deeper understanding of the funding 
issues in music festivals. Finally, a short but summarised conclusion is made and possible 
recommendations are illustrated for music festival operators and potential sponsors to make 
better music festivals in the future. 
By exploring and analysing the ways to raise funding and other financial support for music 
festivals in the UK, the increased difficulty for music festival organisers to hold music festivals 
in the UK in recent years can be concluded. The research firstly explores wide literature related 
to the topic of study including funding theories and the fundamental theories of music and 
events. By understanding how the general music and event organiser raises funding for their 
events, the basic understanding to this research is accomplished. After that, a case study of 
Sheffield Tramlines Music Festivals is used to further analyse the issue with a specific example.
Sponsors of different types are listed. Based on the products and services the companies 
produce, suitable types of sponsorships are illustrated. However, for most large sized music 
Analysis on the Funding for Music Festivals in the UK
32
festivals, it is not difficult to attract popular corporates and organisations to contribute their 
products, services or direct money sponsorships to the music festivals. 
5.2 Recommendations
The recommendations for music festival operators can be various depending on the types and 
sizes of the music festivals and the products or services that the sponsors produce. Also whether 
a company should be a sponsor of a music festival or not should be deeply analysed from a 
number of aspects before getting an answer and the answer is not always “yes” or “no” but it 
should explain the “how”. 
a) Consider Potential Sponsors in Mind in Advance
If you do your planning activities, recognizing that corporate sponsorship is a form of brand 
advertising. The basic purpose of sponsorship is in the minds of consumers between the 
corporate brand and sports, arts and charitable brand (or similar event) becomes a positive 
correlation. This is done by naming the event venue or by displaying corporate logos and 
advertising carried out or in the event of media.
Events regular program and venues are selected only based on the needs of participants and 
spectators. If possible, consider the needs of the workplace sponsor selection. You can even go 
further and events with potential sponsors programs. Ask them how to meet their needs.
b) Understand Self Advantages and Weak Points
Go through the floor, and make sure all the sponsors may advertise their brand names and 
potential logo. A typical place banners at the entrance, signs visible from the vehicle at the 
back of the auditorium, set up booths on the site, the location of potential participants used, TShirts and other participants can be marked by the use of almost any such program your 
imagination.
In addition to mark the location, make sure your sponsor, other opportunities to meet their 
marketing needs. These may be the opportunity to meet celebrities, get unique areas such as 
backstage passes, where can also distribute product samples, or even take orders. Each and 
every other marketing opportunity can display a flag place is called assets. Make a list of all 
your assets. Use a spreadsheet to track a convenient way.
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c) Make Sure It Is Impressive to Participants and Remote Audiences
Because corporate sponsorship is a form of advertising, the three key factors that determine its 
value. Like media advertising, there is value in the impression (people see signs), look at the 
value of people's identity population and related brands.
Use your spreadsheet to track impressions for you to list every asset. You need to know how 
many people will attend the event. In addition to this number, add up how many people will 
accept programs and other materials, such as goody bags. It was adopted a day (typically these 
numbers can be obtained from the citizens of administration) count venue traffic.
Measure how many people will see the ad for your event, including posters, billboards, 
newspapers and television commercials. To find out how much traffic your site generates, how 
often are you in the event blog and other online media (using Google alerts) mentioned.
d) Evaluate Yourself
Once you have statistics for each asset in the inventory, you can begin to assess the assets and 
the additional price of each asset. I have experience from the past, I have received information 
at the meeting found that the use of one cent per impression figures are based on experience, a 
good rule to assess each asset.
Thus, as an example, if 10,000 people attend the event each time they see the sign would be 
worth about £ 100. This number can be identified based on projections, and everyone sees it 
the number of times to adjust. In addition, this number may be adjusted according to the quality 
of the exposure. This is based on the proposal show how close is the target market.
For example, the value of street traffic may be discounted, but the participants from a particular 
value of the population may be higher. Relatively prominent brand activity (or lack thereof) 
can be discounted or let you evaluate the high price for them.
e) Package the Sponsorships as Sponsorship Programs
Obviously, you do not want to sell, each logo placement £ 100. It is better to bundle assets into 
increasing the amount of packaging in the same £ 10,000, £ 25,000 £ 50,000 and other sponsors. 
You may want to bundle based on the location of the site, the event program, or the event may 
be segmented parts other natural methods.
You may also consider naming sponsor and sponsor showcase special packages. Title Sponsor 
will rename the main event, and with all the relevant advertising. This special offer single 
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sponsor may result in large price, but can rule out other sponsors. These are all you have to 
work through. If you want to find title sponsor, before going to other potential sponsors with 
an offer to do this.
f) Evaluate Festival Proposal in Advance Assuming Known Sponsors
Under normal circumstances, so that potential sponsors the best way to practice is to write the 
initial one-page recommendation, highlighting the impression that it will participate in 
activities, activities of marketing opportunities and potential sponsorship opportunities 
available for the type of person. Tailored recommendations that corporate sponsorship is likely 
to be of interest. Your proposal should also provide prospects with character or theme of the 
event. Also, make sure you understand the difference between sponsorship and donations. 
Contributions are also an effective way to secure funding for your activities, but the method 
should be different, you should use a fundraising proposal.
g) Conduct Research on Potential Sponsors
Farewell before the initial inquiry, research, do you think might be interested in sponsoring 
your events expected the company. Usually potential sponsors are companies with large 
advertising budgets are doing a lot of local advertising, large public companies, such as utilities, 
want to maintain good community relations, the company tries to gain market share in a 
particular market, or a new company is trying to establish their own brands. Research can be 
done by government, corporate, website, advertising, directories and local media.
h) Talk to Sponsors and Persuade Them
Once you have a list of potential sponsors, said each company and find out who is responsible 
for the procurement of sponsorship. There may be a large company dedicated to this job. 
Medium-sized companies usually have a marketing or advertising manager for sponsors 
decisions. In small companies, this decision will likely be made by the owner or the President. 
Evaluation of these people send a single page event.
Follow-up and request a meeting. When the preparatory meeting or discovery session, find out 
what companies are looking for, they consider sponsorship opportunities. Ask them if they 
think a lot of media attention, where they can take the customer's place, access to a specific 
group of people, with a popular business association, and that sort of thing.
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Sponsored additional benefits marketing people use the term "activation", they will try to take 
advantage from sponsors, such as editorial media coverage. Ready to discuss opportunities and 
activating them.
i) Set Agreement and Sign Contract
When you and sponsors have been identified, in order to meet their needs, the best solution, to 
put this in a more detailed proposal writing. Add details, such as the payment method for 
identification, payment identification signs, revenue from corporate sponsors and other 
participants. According to the size of the sponsorship, countersigned the proposal as your 
sponsorship agreement.
For larger sponsorship, such as the naming sponsor of the event, you should develop a more 
detailed contracts. Legal advice may be necessary to ensure that the contract is fair to both 
parties. What can you offer them you need to reach a consensus for their marketing purposes 
before the meeting with some sponsors may be necessary.
j) Post-Festival Talk with Sponsors
If you sponsor your event, make sure they are taken care of, and given special treatment. After 
the event, the preparation of evidence that you fulfilled their promises to provide every one of 
your sponsors. This is done by taking pictures or video events and activities of any evidence, 
monitoring media coverage, set up a "scrapbook" (in quotes, because it may be an electronic, 
rather than the actual book) to accomplish this is to succeed and generates estimates impression 
you make in your proposal. Meetings with sponsors, consider the event fulfilled. This is the 
first step towards next year's sponsors renewed. Be sure to send them a formal letter of thanks.
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