This is an ongoing blog post, as we have yet to sit down and debrief formally. I need a complete analytical look at the social engagement figures, but on IG alone, we had 24,000 hits. The anecdotal response to the events was we attracted new people to Borth who had never been here before, and they would like to come back for another Borth Fest but stay longer.
One of the best ‘events’ for me was the inclusion and accessibility discussion. We had terrific input from many of the event guests and speakers. From professional event organisers, politicians and disability advisors.
This pilot was an ad hoc event in many ways that, at face value, looks like it all came together organically, which, to a certain extent, is true. Still, that lack of formal organisation gives you more work in the end. The next step is to keep a light touch while spreading the load. Its charm was its organic Borth feel, its pitfalls the same…
Notes from the meeting that I will carry into the formal debrief:-
What do we want from a future Borth Fest?
How are artists to be recompensed for their efforts? Do we continue in the vein of free community participation, or is that an unacceptable strain that artists are expected to work for free?
Do we want to commodify the festival for social change, and can we effect that as a festival? What is available to us? Is it funding or political?
Things to research:- Shoreham Beach has disabled access, and how has it achieved that?
Access to Borth Beach
Access into the sea at Borth
The sunset workshop this year was on the pebble beach defences outside the back of my house. It is not accessible if you are in a wheelchair, and I found it exhausting, and I live here!
I’ve found out the prom is common land, and the town council has said they have no objections to events being run there. It has a ramp and an accessible toilet, so we could use that ( look A-N artist insurance for covering that)
Reserve parking for disabled people at events.
Accessible toilets have to have suitable access. Even at the hay festival this week, the access was dreadful. Access and inclusivity can’t be a token. It’s better to say it’s not accessible rather than lie!
Hearing sound systems events need mics
Inkclusion guide we are going to look at this for next year – https://www.inklusionguide.org/
For funding possibilities Paul Hamlin society – https://www.phf.org.uk/
Online events for access, even the inclusion chat this year, weren’t inclusive because some attendees wanted to come but were exhausted and would have attended a Zoom call.
Graphics novel community has good inclusion practice
Distance – Access – function – availability… all need to be mapped in advance so that people can make plans if an event is plausible to attend. The aim is to make that the norm that folks can attend any event, but we are far from that.
Communicating access.
Hi-viz person to assist disabled attendees.
Event locations: No tables, chairs, distance for wheelchair access.
Reserve spaces accessible, not at the back!
Scarecrow comp couldn’t be seen in all locations as these are private art. It is vital to describe access.
Stop adding additional events three weeks before so a clear picture can be determined.
Use a professional printer to publish schedules… Sadie wants to do it all but she shouldn’t!
Ffs delegate… I know that feeling! But during the weekend, I had to delegate photography to Chris Denny as I couldn’t be in two places simultaneously. I was exhausted on Saturday as I covered five events, which was stupid! Even with a disability scooter!!
I am going to run a free IG workshop for BorthFest collaborators. This will hopefully extend the festival’s reach.
The reels varied from simple photo montages using an IG template to full mini films and animations with drawings.
The engagement was not based on the effort to make the film on my part but, of course, who I crossed posted with hashtags and time/dates of posting… Standard algorithm stuff. People liked the drawings, though, and they wanted to see what was produced. It is an art festival, after all!
Mx.D.P 
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