Leisure Events And Project Management - Management Project

Introduction

I have been asked as a consultant by the Hallam Community Forum to design a community event for the Devonshire Green area of Sheffield, UK. This event is to take place in the summer of 2008 on the recently renovated Devonshire Green open air space.

I propose an outdoor film festival. This festival will celebrate local talent of both of the city’s universities and from the booming creative media industry of Sheffield and the surrounding areas.

Mission/Value Statement

The Sheffield Outdoor Film Festival exists to promote and exhibit independent UK film, with a focus upon local talent. This will be supported by screenings of major release films. We are committed to providing and nurturing opportunities to advance the education, production and discussion of film, offering illuminating experiences for all.

We are a not-for-profit, community based organisation which comes together for purpose of providing community based activities for the Devonshire Green area of Sheffield.

Aims & Objectives

• To become of international significance.

• To be a focal point for film in the South Yorkshire region.

• Our programme will be unique, informative and innovative.

• We will offer opportunities to make see and discuss film.

• We hope to establish our event as an industry summit of national significance.

• It will identify and nurture new and emerging local talent, helping them to progress within the film industry.

• To provide networking opportunities for existing film professionals to do business.

• We will celebrate the ethnic diversity of the region.

• We will offer a programme which attracts a wide range of socio-economic groups.

• Our festival will be free to enter, in order to ensure inclusion of low income groups.

• Impact of the festival to the environment will be minimised, whilst also promoting a positive awareness of the environment and environmentally responsible behaviour.

• Full access will be provided for disabled visitors, where possible.

LA Objective’s & Event Fulfilment

• The festival is to be on and around an open space within the community.

The planned event area is the recently renovated Devonshire Green park area. This provides a large open space with enough room for an event of this type. The area has been landscaped with events in mind; natural seating areas have been put in place. The area has been described as �a amphitheatre with terraced grass verges tiered for spectators’, Sheffield City Council 2007. A large grass area provides enough space for the foreseen festival capacity.

In order to keep the film festival �open to all’, it will be a non-fenced event, allowing the community to come and go as they please.

The areas will be well lit at night time; this provides security and would allow night time screenings.

• It should meet the LA's economic and social objectives

Economic

Sheffield recently launched an Economic Master plan. A promotion tool called �Creative Sheffield’ has been launched, in order to lead economic development in the city. Since to demise of the Steel industry the city has been looking for a new focus. The LA’s focus is on the creative industries, a logical extension to the city’s manufacturing base, but harnesses that huge number of creative people there are in Sheffield (Anders Hanson 2008).

This strategy of encouraging creative industries fits exactly with our film festival. Our film festival will give Sheffield residents and students the chance to showcase their work, hopefully bringing investment to the city.

“a strategy to balance the growth of an evening economy that does not detract from the development of the area as a speciality shopping destination” -

Social

“A mixed use residential area.”

“A nationally renowned cultural entertainment destination”

“All these elements will propel Sheffield’s popularity as a destination for weekend visitors.”

“The Green will be a functional park which will host small annual festivals and music events.”

Quotes extracted from the Devonshire Green Quarter Plan (part 4.4, URL: http://sccplugins.sheffield.gov.uk/urban_design/quarters_devonshire.htm)

The quotes above clearly indicate that the LA wishes to utilise the space available in Devonshire Green to its full potential. They wish for it to be known as an entertainment destination and specifically mention the inclusion of small annual festivals and music events. I also see our film festival meeting the LA’s requirement of drawing in weekend tourist visitors.

• The festival programme is to attract all socio-economic groups - to be "socially inclusive"

According to UpMyStreet.com the S1 area in which Devonshire Green sits is an area that is populated by cosmopolitan sharers or students living in flats/bed-sits. Households contain young single people renting one or two bedroom flats. Around a third are student households.

Clearly this demographic is not representative of the whole of Sheffield. Using data from the last Census, we know that the highest age bracket in Sheffield is 30-44yrs old accounting for 21.9% of people. 89.19% of people are White British, so 10.81% are of other ethnic origins. 68.55% of Sheffield’s people are Christian, so 31.45% believe in another religion or don’t at all.

Although the Devonshire Green area is made up of young residents, the footfall that

...