If the age of the artists at Glastonbury Festival continues to increase, will the demographic profile of the audience age with it?

Abstract

This study explores the motivations of visitor's to attend the Glastonbury Music Festival and whether there is likely to be a correlation between the artist and audience demographics should the average age of performers rise. In conducting this study it became apparent how little research had been undertaken on the topic, with very little literature available into festival motivations. It quickly became apparent that the majority of the current literature focused more on the general theories of event motivation, as opposed to focusing on any one type of event. The data used in this study was obtained through both qualitative and quantitative research methods to provide an in-depth analysis in to the subject area. The data was obtained through distributing 100 questionnaires to existing and potential festival attendees in order to obtain their views and opinions surrounding the topic area. This was followed by the completion of 3 interviews with regular Glastonbury Festival attendees to obtain a more in depth understanding of festival motivations. The study found that there was little correlation between the age of artists and that of the festival attendees. However this could be due to the high number of 18-25 year old respondents. The music/performers remained the strongest motivating factor for attendees, closely followed by the opportunity to socialise and gain new experiences. The study also showed that the affects of the recession had little impact on consumer spending, and did not affect the respondent's likelihood to attend the festival despite increased levels of student debt and unemployment. The research was effective in identifying the need for further in-depth research into festival motivations. With the festival industry growing rapidly, it is essential for festival organisers to maintain a clear understanding of their target audience, current trends in the market, and the range of new products and services which will meet consumer expectations at said events. Furthermore it is paramount that festival organisers understand what it is that motivates individuals to attend their events, to enable them to utilise these expectations and to ensure a sustainable growth and future.