OUR WAY FORWARD: 2024 RESEARCH

The Pittenweem Arts Festival prides itself on being a community-driven celebration of art and creativity. This year we conducted in-depth research to understand the perspectives of our visitors, artists, and also, for the first time, our local community. This initiative marks a pivotal moment in our 40-year history, ensuring that every decision we make is evidence-based and aligned with the festival’s core mission to promote the arts to the Pittenweem community and beyond.

We extend heartfelt thanks to all research participants. Your insights are shaping our strategy and improvements for 2025 and beyond.

Visitors - what we learned

Our visitor research provided rich insights into who attends the festival, why they come, and what can be improved.

Visitor Demographics:

79% repeat visitors (compared to 62% in 2014). While loyalty is high, attracting first-time visitors (21%) remains a challenge.
70% of attendees are aged 55 and over—more than double the proportion in 2014. This highlights the need to engage younger audiences.

What They Value:

62% cited a "day out" as a primary motivator, alongside 37% seeking to explore art.
65% purchased art, spending an average of £280 – (up from £180 in 2023).

Experience Highlights:

94% would highly recommend the festival to others
Word of mouth remains the primary source of awareness (50%), followed by local sources (24%) and social media (13%).
Over 60% used the new website for planning, and 25% used our social media channels for information.
20% of visitors (compared to 10% in 2023) attended an event during the Festival.

Areas for Improvement:

Transportation: 90% arrive by car, which puts pressure on parking. Despite a new train link to Leven, public transport use is negligible.
Catering: Visitors noted limited refreshment options.
Art: Visitors mentioned generally the large amount of seascape-based art and lack of new work for some returning artists.

The Artists' Perspective: Creative Insights

Artists are the heart of the Pittenweem Arts Festival. This year's research provided an insight into their challenges and successes.

68% have exhibited at the Festival before.
79% rated their support as excellent (up from 37% in 2023).
95% rated the Festival as financially viable (up from 68% in 2023).
89% were likely/very likely to return, and 96% were likely/very likely to recommend the festival to other artists.
Artists were mixed on their views on how they would prefer to see Festival-managed venues allocated.

Areas for potential improvement were highlighted as:

Improvements to brochure, map and village signage.
More events and music – with the events being featured within the brochure.
Broader local publicity in tourist outlets, museums and galleries.
Support with finding venues.

Our 2025 Action Plan

Continue to improve artist communications, including clearer timelines and venue allocation processes
Better signage to direct visitors to less-trafficked areas.
A campaign to secure more venues and helpful guidance for venue owners who may be interested in participating.
Using more video on socials, introduce more content on TikTok and YouTube to boost engagement and visibility.

Chart: Artists' status

Our Community's Voice

The festival owes much to the residents of Pittenweem, whose support and cooperation make it possible.

Emerging Themes:

Community pride: residents appreciate the festival's cultural significance and economic contributions to the village.
Challenges highlighted: increased traffic, noise, and parking difficulties were noted as concerns. Some locals expressed a desire for greater collaboration between the festival and the community.

Our 2025 Commitment:

Increase community-led initiatives.
Develop mechanisms for more open feedback and collaboration.
Expanding community-centric events, supporting groups and promoting heritage where we can.
Continue to work with local authorities on traffic management solutions.
Enhanced waste management during the festival week.

Photograph by Keny Drew

Future Strategy

Our research allows us to develop a 3-year strategy, and our operational approach for 2025 and beyond. This will include themes such as:

Evolving the Festival to stay relevant, including arts programming to meet - and challenge - visitor expectations.
Enhancing Accessibility and Sustainability - promoting public transport routes and looking at ways we can support venues to be inclusive.
Upgraded Visitor Experiences – continue to increase the variety of events, including family-friendly workshops and early evening activities.
Looking at additional ways to improve the artists' experience, including communications, venue support and guidance.

Continuing the Conversation

The Pittenweem Arts Festival is evolving, and your feedback plays a vital role in shaping its future. We are committed to inclusivity, sustainability, and providing a platform for artistic excellence. If you have ideas or suggestions for improvements, we’d love to hear from you—reach us at info@pittenweemartsfestival.co.uk

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