Festival Stakeholder Roles: Concepts and Case Studies

TLDR

This exploratory study of festivals in two countries examines how managers collaborate with stakeholders and offers recommendations for future research and theory development. Using resource‑dependency and stakeholder theory, the authors present a conceptual model showing that festivals are produced within and by managed stakeholder relationships. Stakeholders assume roles such as regulator, facilitator, coproducer, supplier, collaborator, audience, and impacted, with key stakeholders playing multiple roles that influence festival organization, and the study provides practical guidance for event managers on identifying, evaluating, and managing these relationships.

Abstract

In this exploratory research, multiple case studies of various types of festivals in two countries reveal how festival managers work with stakeholders and who they are. Stakeholders' roles are categorized as regulator, facilitator, coproducer, supplier, collaborator, audience, and the impacted, and the results show clearly that key stakeholders take multiple roles affecting the organization. Practical implications are drawn for event managers regarding the identification, evaluation, and management of stakeholder relationships. Drawing on resource dependency and stakeholder theories, a conceptual model is presented that illustrates the conclusion that festivals and events are produced within and by a set of managed stakeholder relationships. Recommendations are made for development of this line of research and theory building.