FESTIVAL & EVENT MANAGEMENT

TOU3925
Postgraduate Course Feedback
Week 23: Evaluation of events
Learning outcomes

By the end of this session

you will:
• Understand the nature and
importance of evaluation in event
management
• Be able to identify the evaluation
needs and expectations of
stakeholders
• Appreciate the cyclical, holistic
nature of event evaluation
• Recognise the methodological
challenges of evaluation
What is event evaluation?

• “The process of critically observing, measuring and

monitoring the implementation of an event in order
to assess its outcomes accurately” (Bowdin et al., 2001: 413)

• 3 phases of evaluation: pre, during, post event

– Pre-event evaluation: feasibility study
– Monitoring & control during the event: e.g. budget, ticket
sales, sound levels
– Post-event: evaluating the event on KPIs (key
performance indicators) e.g. event outcomes, profile of
audience, improvements to event concept, event
reputation, event management process
Why conduct evaluation?
Internal drivers
• To determine if goals/ objectives
& management functions have
been met
• Engender accountability
• Identify & address problems &
challenges
• Understand who attends the
event (& therefore target non-
attenders)
• Determine value of event to
workers, volunteers
• Determine if and how the event
can remain viable & become
sustainable
External drivers
• Determine level of awareness of
sponsors’ products/ services
• Satisfy accountability
requirements
• Extent of media coverage
• Impact on tourist arrivals,
business & other industries
• If stakeholders expectations are
met
• Determine worth of event to
patrons
Event stakeholders

Individual level Organisational level

Residents Community groups

Shareholders Government

Tourists and attendees Sponsors

Volunteers Media

Event employees Business

Event evaluation models

• Traditionally, focus is on • Or…..

economic impacts • Event elements e.g.
• Or cost-benefit or financial audience profile &
analysis satisfaction, programme,
• Stakeholder perceptions merchandising, beverages
• Also social, cultural, • Event organisation e.g.
tourism & environmental HR, volunteers perception,
impacts cash flow, sponsorship
• Ethnographic profile • Event context e.g.
– Observing experience impacts, media value/
related events coverage, local interest

(Bladen et al., 2012; O’Toole et al., 2008: 493)

Event evaluation process

• Planning & identification of event data required

– Tangible & intangible elements e.g. artistically
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Reporting
• Dissemination
Triple Bottom Line

– Measuring against economic, social & environmental

impacts e.g.
• income as a ratio of expenditure
• financial yield
• % of locals who attend
• No of volunteers/employees
• No. of businesses who provide supplies
• Crime
• Media exposure
• Resources consumed
• Waste generated
– Looking for improvements against past performance so
benchmarks are important.
Event Evaluation

• Timing of the event • Communications

• Venue • Information and signage
• Ticketing/entry • Transport
• Staging • Parking
• Quality of performance • Catering facilities
• Staffing/volunteer levels • Toilets
• Performance of duties • First aid
• Crowd control • Sponsor’s
• Security acknowledgement
• Advertising
• Publicity
• Media liaison
Evaluation data sets

Evaluation perspective Data sets Suitable methodologies

Management Financial information Audit of financial records

and accounts
Attendee statistics, Analysis of booking data
including market Attendee survey
segmentation data

Management notes and Analysis of meeting

commentary records and staff
communications
Interviews with
management staff

Staff perceptions of the Interviews with staff

event Staff surveys

(Adapted from Shone and Parry 2010: 246 in Bladen et al., 2012)
Evaluation data sets

Evaluation perspective Data sets Suitable methodologies

Attendees Attendee perceptions of Interviews

the event Surveys
Analysis of social media
related to the event
Impacts Economic impacts Quantitative economic
impact analysis

Environmental impacts Quantitative and

qualitative environmental
impact analysis

Social impacts Quantitative and

qualitative social impact
analysis

(Adapted from Shone and Parry 2010: 246 in Bladen et al., 2012)
Legacy impacts
Legacy impact Tangible
Positive New infrastructure
Urban realm improvements
Increased tourism
Urban regeneration
Additional employment
Inward investment and
company relocation
Negative Debts from construction
Debts from delivery
Redundant infrastructure
Increases in property costs
Intangible
Destination image/reputation
Renewal in community spirit
Increased regional cooperation
Formation of popular memories
Educational opportunities
Production of new ideas and
cultural forms
Opportunity costs
Socially unjust displacements
Unjust distribution of resources
(Preuss, 2007)
Measuring emotions

• Emotions are:
– positive & negative
– can vary in strength
– are temporal (past, present, future)
• But how do you measure them?
Mixed methods approach to capturing real time
& remembered experiences
Conclusions

• Evaluation can occur pre, • Drawing on secondary or

during or post event primary research
• For different stakeholders • Need to draw on lectures
• Need to consider different on impacts
approaches to evaluation • Specialist reading around
e.g. sports events measuring sponsorship
(economic), arts events
(intangible), corporate • For your assignments
events (HR/ sales) remember to include
• Can use a variety of evaluation and a budget if
qualitative & quantitative you have a public event
methods