1

What are Events?

Learning Objectives

After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

• define special events, mega-events, hallmark events and major events
• demonstrate an awareness of why events have evolved in human society
• describe the role of events in the UK, and the UK tradition of events
• describe the rise and effect of the community arts movement on events
• understand the growth and emergence of an events industry
• distinguish between different types of events
• discuss the attributes and knowledge requirements of an events manager
• describe the consolidation of the events industry in the UK

Events Discussed

Organisations/Companies Discussed

Figures from Events Management

1.1 Categorization of events (p. 16)

Tables from Events Management

Case Study - Manchester 2002

References

• Allen, K. and Shaw, P. (2001). Festivals Mean Business: The Shape of Arts Festivals in the UK. London, British Arts Festival Association.
  
• Anon. (1998). Live players go to centre stage. AV Magazine, February, 15-16.
  
• Barnes, P. (1999). Bournemouth makes Labour's part swing. Access All Areas, October, 44, 3.
  
• Barrett, J. (2000). About (Internet) London, The Championships.
  
• Bear Necessities of Golf (1998). (Internet) Electronic Telegraph, Issue 1310, 26 December.
  
• Britannica.com (2001) (Internet) Encyclopedia Britannica.
  
• British Arts Festivals Association (BAFA) (2001). New Research Shows that Festivals Mean Business (Internet) London, British Arts Festivals Association press release, March.
  
• British Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech (BFF) (2001). General Information (Internet) Macclesfield, British Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech.
  
• Business Tourism Forum and the Business Tourism Advisory Committee (1999). Business Tourism Leads the Way. London, British Tourism Authority.
  
• Cartwright, G. (1995). Making the Most of Trade Exhibitions. Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann.
  
• Coulson, C. and Coe, T. (1991). The Flatter Organisation: Philosophy and Practice. Corby, Institute of Management.
  
• Crofts, A. (1992). Corporate Entertaining as a Marketing Tool. London, Mercury Books.
  
• Dale, M. (1995). Events as image. In Tourism and Leisure - Perspectives on Provision (D. Leslie, ed.), vol. 2. Brighton, LSA.
  
• English Tourism (1999). Tourism and sport in England (Internet) London, English Tourism. Media brief, July 1999.
  
• Exhibition Liaison Committee (1995). The Exhibition Industry Explained. Exhibition Liaison Committee.
  
• Fletcher, M. (2000). Calling time on the gender gap. Marketing Event, October, 23-24.
  
• Goldblatt, J. (1997). Special Events: Best Practices in Modern Event Management. 2nd edn. New York, John Wiley & Sons.
  
• Greaves, K. (1999). Tailor-made for business. Marketing Event, October, 45-50.
  
• Greaves, S. (1996) Post millennium motivation. Conference and Incentive Travel, July-August, 46-48.
  
• Hardman, R. (1995). Youth sets the tone for peace in Hyde Park (Internet) Electronic Telegraph, 8 May.
  
• Harrowven, J. (1980) Origins of Festivals and Feasts. London, Kaye & Ward.
  
• Judd, D. (1997). Diamonds are forever? Kipling's Imperialism. History Today, January.
  
• Lord Mayor's Show (2000). History of the Show (Internet).
  
• Manchester 2002 (2000a). Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games Corporate Plan. Manchester, Manchester 2002 Ltd.
  
• Manchester 2002 (2000b). Manchester 2002 the XVII Commonwealth Games. Press release, 6 April. Manchester, Manchester 2002 Limited.
  
• Manchester 2002 (2000c). Spirit of Friendship Festival Executive Summary. Manchester, Manchester 2002 Ltd.
  
• McKay, G. (2000). Glastonbury: A Very English Fair. Gollancz (Internet). Extract available from
  
• McLuhan, R. (2000). 20 ways to cut costs. Marketing Event, March, 43-44.
  
• Millennium Commission (2000). Celebrating the Millennium. (Internet)
  
• Millennium Commission Press Office (2000). August Bank Holiday Sees High Point for Millennium Festival. Millennium Commission press release, 23 August (Internet)
  
• Mintel (2000). Music Concerts and Festivals. London, Mintel International Group Ltd.
  
• Mullins, L. J. (1999) Management and Organisational Behaviour. 5th edn. London, Financial Times, Pitman Publishing.
  
• NetAid.org (1999). Netaid.org Web Site Sets World Record for Largest Internet Broadcast; More than One Thousand Organizations Join Initiative to Fight Extreme Poverty. 12 October 1999. (Internet)
  
• New Leisure Markets (1995). Festivals and Special Events. New Local Authority Leisure Markets, 4. Headland, Cleveland, Business Information Futures Ltd.
  
• North West Arts Board (1999). No difference, no future! Action for cultural diversity in Greater Manchester (Internet) Manchester, North West Arts Board.
  
• Oxford Interactive Encyclopedia (1997). Folk Festival. The Learning Company, Inc.
  
• Palmer, G. and Lloyd, N. (1972). A Year of Festivals: British Calendar Customs. London, Frederick Warne.
  
• Perry, M., Foley, P. and Rumpf, P. (1996). Event management: an emerging challenge in Australian education. Festival Management and Event Tourism, 4, 85-93.
  
• Policy Studies Institute (PSI) (1992). Arts festivals. Cultural Trends, 15. London, Policy Studies Institute. (Pdf)
  
• Ritchie, J. R. B. (1984). Assessing the impact of hallmark events. Journal of Travel Research, 23(1), 2-11.
  
• Rogers, T. (1998). Conferences: A Twenty-First Century Industry. Harlow, Addison Wesley Longman.
  
• Rolfe, H. (1992). Arts Festivals in the UK. London, Policy Studies Institute.
  
• Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport (1999). Fourth Report: Staging International Sporting Events. London, The Stationery Office.
  
• Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport (2001). Third Report: Staging International Sporting Events. London, The Stationery Office.
  
• Shone, A. (1998). The Business of Conferences. Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann.
  
• Shone, A. with Parry, B. (2001). Successful Event Management. London, Continuum.
  
• South East Arts (1998). A Festival's Strategy for the South East. London, England's Regional Arts Boards.
  
• Toulmin.V. (1995). National Fairground Archive (Internet) Sheffield, University of Sheffield.
  
• Travers, T. (1998). The Wyndham Report. London, Society of London Theatre.
  
• UK Sport (1999a). A UK Strategy: Major Events - A 'Blueprint' For Success. London, UK Sport.
  
• UK Sport (2000a). UK Bids for World Stage (Internet) UK Sport press release, 15 June.
  
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Updates

This section will include updates on information/events referred to within Events Management.

October 2001 - Due to the outcome of a review into the use of Pickett's Lock as the venue for the IAAF World Athletics Championships 2005, during which the UK government offered Sheffield as a replacement host-city, the IAAF have decided to re-open the bidding process (see the Carter Report (pdf), see Select Committee on Culture, Media & Sport First Report - Unpicking the Lock: The World Athletics Championships in the UK).
April 2002 - The Arts Council and eight English Regional Arts Boards have joined together to form one organisation for arts development in England (more)
April 2002 - UK Sport hosted their fourth Major Events Conference on 14th April (more)
July 2002 - A new telethon and programme of fundraising events, Sport Relief (developed by Comic Relief and BBC Sport), will take place on 13th July 2002 (more)
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