Project Management for Festivals and Events

Some people think that anyone can produce an event and that special skills or training aren’t required, but this type of thinking leads to projects that are plagued with problems.

Festivals attract tourists as well as people from the local community. Expectations continue to increase and organizers are faced with the challenge of how to create a more attractive event while working with limited resources.

Those charged with the responsibility of delivering a quality event would benefit from the use of formal project management tools that have been adapted to suit the needs of festivals and events. Project management tools will help make the next festival or event more successful and more enjoyable for everyone.

This fundamental course is modular in nature and is presented in 2 days. A 3-day in-company delivery is possible if in addition to the course material, an organization would like to develop a project plan for their event.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Participants will gain practical skills to:

• Understand and identify best practices for organizing festivals and events
• Apply project management tools in order to increase the level of success.
• Be able to approach the next festival or event with greater confidence
• Return to your organization ready to improve your event management process.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The Project Management for Festivals and Events course is appropriate for individuals who:

• Are involved in organizing festivals or events.
• Manage or are part of a team producing corporate events.
• Are involved in fundraising activities for non-profit or community organizations.
• Work in the tourism or hospitality sectors.
• Would like to learn fundamental project management tools and techniques.

PREREQUISITE

There is no prerequisite for this course. It functions as a stand- alone course.

MATERIALS

You will receive a course binder containing course notes, exercises, and suggested solutions.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Event Management

• Define goals and objectives
• Identify and organize the work that needs to be done
• Create, manage, and control the budget and schedule
• Avoid the confusion caused by changes
• Manage uncertainty
• Determine the feasibility of the festival or event before proceeding with the project

People Management

• Manage stakeholders and their expectations
• Communicate with committees, boards, and your team
• Manage volunteers and sponsors
• Determine the resources required