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Who we are

Who we are. Independent Educational charity, Edinburgh Science Foundation , founded in 1988 by the City of Edinburgh Council. What we do. Two trading companies Edinburgh International Science Festival Ltd The annual Festival Our education programme (Generation Science)

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Who we are

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  1. Who we are • Independent Educational charity, Edinburgh Science Foundation, founded in 1988 by the City of Edinburgh Council

  2. What we do • Two trading companies • Edinburgh International Science Festival Ltd • The annual Festival • Our education programme (Generation Science) • Edinburgh Science Festival Ventures Ltd • Abu Dhabi Science Festival • OttoBockparalymic exhibition • Misc workshops internationally, inc Beijing Festival of Science and Technology • Others, pending…

  3. Our mission • To inspire, encourage and challenge people of all ages and backgrounds to explore and understand the world around them – and to communicate the educational, social and economic benefits of science and technology.

  4. Festival 2013 • 2 weeks • +90,000 visitors • +200 events • +125 speakers, storytellers, chefs and comedians • +50 partner organisations • +25 varied venues • + 200 temporary staff and volunteers • + 180 delegates from 12 countries

  5. Education • Generation Science • 600 primary schools • 1400 shows and workshops • 55,000 children • Live for It • Diabetes UK • P6/7 S1/2 • 3 workshops and challenge • Going forward ID the opportunities • More transition work, CPD and healthcare

  6. (New) Ventures • Abu Dhabi Science Festival* • Wrote business plan • Sourced international events • Shipped 4 x 40ft containers with 26 events • Trained 500 local undergraduates • 50 science communicators as team leaders *2011 figures

  7. Organisational structure Workstreams

  8. Things are taking off!

  9. Science Festivals – a global phenomena Estimate of the number of science festivals in 2013

  10. Key to success • Customers (ie, visitors): You probably want lots of the right sort to achieve your goal • Business model: You need the right business model (and a good team!) to run a great festival • Product: Quality of events; You must be great!

  11. The 3 legs on the (stable) stool Markets / Social need (Customers) Events / products (Festival, Gen Sci, Ventures ) Income / funds (Sales 1/4, Subsidy 3/4)

  12. CUSTOMERS: Markets/social need

  13. The customer is (nearly!) always right • We became a ‘customer focused’ organisation early on. • Many science festivals are ‘science focused’ – we think this is less effective.

  14. Edinburgh – Festival city! • ‘If you want to be really good at what you do, work in the most competitive markets you can find.’Michael Porter, company strategist • Edinburgh has a special competitive place in the world of events and festivals: • Festivals and events compete intensively for audiences, funding, sponsorship. • New festivals set their standards by the more established ones and develop quickly. • The supply of specialist people and services is so good that you are not held back. To survive in Edinburgh you have to be good!

  15. Know your audiences: What motivates your visitors to come? • Family fun • Existing interesteg, a hobby • Concern about an issue eg, health, ethics • Self improvement – joy of discovering new things • Noveltyeg, walking on fire • To see and hear a famous person • Their teacher told them to come! • A night out with a difference! + Programme to match their motivations

  16. And what they want…New markets for science events Specialist subjects = niche High Few people Level of interest in ‘science’ Lots of people Psychology, wildlife, space etc = popular ‘Science for the sociable’ Low

  17. When a potential visitor gets up in the morning they have a lot of choice…… Low(er) participation High participation Science festival family events, extreme sports for kids, day at the beach Cinema, stadium football match, concertScience festival talks High impact Watching TV, reading a book Swing park, routine sports and games Low impact EISF aims to be mostly high participation, high impact

  18. Festival visitors Competitors Families with children aged 3-12 years. Individuals aged 17 years upwards. Local and day trip market • Retail, especially retail with ‘entertainment’ for children aged 3-12 • Home entertainment e.g. TV, computers, books • Other visitor attractions in Edinburgh and within a days travel • Outdoor activities and sports • Visiting friends and family • Cinemas, theatres, bowling alleys • Clubs and hobbies • Eating out Tourists staying over night • Other cities and holiday destinations in the UK Know your competitors: and make them your friends • Work with competitors such as shopping malls or commercial visitor attractions – they help you rather than compete with you

  19. EVENTS/PRODUCTS

  20. Aim to be GREAT! Quality • Don’t be afraid to say no! Exclusive not inclusive - to ensure our visitors get ONLY good quality events. • Hire science communicators to help improve content – being very good is linked to achieving our goals. • Quality over quantity: Evolve and improve the festival and grow organically Variety • Multiple products for multiple audiences and stakeholders. • We want to be No.1 in the world for innovation. • Create bespoke content. Creative collaboration/ Partnership • From collaboration comes innovation! • ID the opps – £s, networks, knowledge etc…

  21. Recognise the need for specific skills 1. Professional science communication 2. Science & scientists Great science festival events live here

  22. Quality of events – ‘the supply-side problem’ • This is not a well established cultural area, there are few adopted professional standards and so the supply of good events is poor. • Many contributors are scientists and technologists first, communicators second. • We need to guarantee high quality. • How do we respond to this issue, in the absence of functioning markets?

  23. INCOME/FUNDS

  24. Stakeholder PUSH providing ‘investment’

  25. Our funding • Festival Ltd turnover £1.6m • Group turnover est. +£3.5m • ‘Profit’ from Ventures used for investment in delivery of the Festival and Education programme

  26. Major stakeholders: financial • Trusts and foundations: 20% • Private sponsorship through companies/corporations: 20% • National and Local government grants 20% (Edinburgh City Council 10%, Scottish Government 10%) • Other public bodies (eg, research councils; RCUK):10% • Festival and Schools income: 25% • Ventures investment: 5% = NEW Year-round fundraising for all activities

  27. Our funding partners

  28. Major stakeholders: non financial Edinburgh International Science Festival  Saturday 3 - Saturday 17 April 2010

  29. Sustainability of success • Define your purpose clearly and accept your festival may have many purposes • Understand your visitors very well by talking to them • Have a business model that gives you the skills and the authority to be great • Set out to run spectacular events by investing in the skills needed

  30. Map your festival ecosystem Money Events City Schools Universities National / regional government MEDIA Scientists Private companies Professional bodies Cultural bodies eg, museums, zoos, art galleries VISITORS Funding agencies Visitors Venues

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