CLifden Arts Festival

Clifden Arts Festival boosts economy by €1.3m1

Fidget Feet perform at Clifden Arts Festival . PhotO: P HOWARD

Clifden’s Arts Festival boosts the local economy by €1.3 million and creates approximately 40 jobs during the festival period, according to a recent Research and Economic Impact Study. 

The 39th Clifden Arts Festival takes place from 15-25 September 2016, with the official line up set to be announced on 28 July. The prestigious festival attracts around 10,800 people annually; 30 per cent of these people are locals, 35 per cent are Irish visitors mainly from Dublin and Galway and 35 per cent are overseas tourists travelling primarily from the US, Great Britain, France and Germany. These tourists from overseas are estimated to stay in Clifden for approximately 6.1 nights with the majority residing in hotels, guesthouses or B&Bs. Overall, the festival generates almost 4,000 bed nights. 

According to the Research and Economic Impact Study, the average person attends 3.6 events. After attending the Clifden Arts Festival, 97 percent of overseas tourists stated that they would come back to the festival. 

75 per cent of local businesses have also found the Clifden Arts Festival has increased their overall sales during the festival period with one local adding that it: “Stretches the season to the end of September”. Another local noted that sales are 10-15 percent busier than the week before the festival. 

The festival also drives business at off peak times throughout the year as it creates a profile for the Clifden area and distinguishes the Clifden brand which encourages visitors to return to the town, according to the Research and Economic Impact Study. 

Creative Director of the festival, Brendan Flynn, said, “This year’s festival promises to be better than ever with plenty of new faces to add to the long line of artists, musicians, poets and writers who have been an integral part of the festival for decades.” 

The 2016 line-up will include spectacular performances from the multi-award winning We Banjo 3, reggae band The Light Runners and the legendary Phil Coulter who has performed his classical arrangements with everyone from James Galway to the London Symphony Orchestra. 

For more information about the Clifden Arts Festival and ticket sales, visit www.clifdenarts

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