We have already shared our original EU Grundtvig -funding application (see post from 02.03.2015) as a way of opening up our festival production process. However, it only partially elaborates how the different festivals and events are financed in the context of the Open Sourcing Festivals. Indeed the Grundtvig funding covered only a small percentage of the larger events’ costs, mainly the travel & accommodation costs of nominated 'teachers and learners' by the different project partners, including some fees. Money - or rather the economical model employed - is a key backbone in festival organising, we wish to also to share some budget data with you.

We start with this post about Camp Pixelache 2014, the unconference-type event organised on the island of Vartiosaari in Helsinki, during 6-8 June 2014.

Clearly, the main income sources for the event was Finnish public cultural funding, via Finnish Ministry of Culture’s festival grant and the City of Helsinki’s activity grant.

Almost half of the money went towards the salaries of the Pixelache crew planning and producing the event, with several smaller fee payments for guest local producers and facilitators. Another 30% went towards other production expenditures, included catering costs on the island, PR agency services, as well as technical equipment and venue hire. Note that food costs were partially balanced by incomes from the sale of food packages (40e for 4 meals), as Pixelache could not afford to provide free food to all and organizing catering to an island where there are no food stores and no other shops or restaurants at all was also costly.

Travel and accommodation support was allocated for a select number of invited participants, including two international keynote speakers. There was also a reserved amount to support participants attending via regional road and sea travel from neighbouring countries, given on an open call for need/'first-sign-up' basis. Camp participants from beyond the regional area (and not part of Grundtvig project), had support to attend by other means including: project or cultural institutional support arranged via Pixelache or partner Finnish Bioart Society; universities staff travel support; or indeed used their personal resources to attend.

Camp Pixelache was promoted as an inclusive event without participation fee, attracting over 140 participants. The programme had over 60 separate event contributions as presentations, workshops, expeditions & guided tours, and a few other activities. 

However, the economic model could only allow for very few receiving a fee (or per diems) to compensate their contribution, such as keynotes, longer workshops hosts, or facilitators. Hence, most of the programme content was shared voluntarily, and this labour is included as in-kind value.

Additionally, volunteer in-kind production support included a wide range of efforts including, for example, assisting in setting up the camp during construction-workshop, rowing participants back and forth on and off the island, guiding newcomers and so on.

Attached to this post and also available from our publications’ page is a summary of Camp Pixelache 2014 realized budget. Attache as well in open office excel format, our budget template for any one to reuse.