The What…
We Maker Folk will be an annual arts festival, embedded in the culture of the twin towns of Hastings and St Leonards.
It was founded as an artist and community centred seedbed for creativity in order to -
Foster and develop our region’s unique creative economy
Provide training and opportunities for members of our community, and early-career and emerging creatives
And to support the development of social enterprises and creative start-ups in our region
It will centre upon a core performance programme while also creating a town-wide platform for all the creative arts, providing an opportunity for local and visiting audiences to experience and engage with a diverse range of artistic work.
The why…
For many performers, even considering attending a festival is a financial impossibility.
Artists carry too much of the financial burden
For many artists, losing significant sums of money in order to take part in markets or festivals has become the norm.
Meanwhile, established artists, or those with access to more disposable funds, often find it easy to dominate the landscape.
Ticket prices mean audiences are discouraged from taking risks
When ticket prices are high, audiences are reluctant to take risks — they no longer follow their own interests or passions but feel that, with limited budgets, they have to see certain shows for fear of missing out. We want audiences to feel free to be adventurous.
Opportunity has become about money, not ideas
At many festivals, opportunity is often handed to those who can afford it. Working hard and being good at something no longer seems enough.
What we’ll do…
Reduce the financial burden for both audience and artists
We want to reduce the financial risk and level the playing field, so that artists win audiences and attention through merit.
Ensure accommodation and venue costs are kept low
We will create a network of hosts who will provide low-cost accommodation, and develop and train artists and local people to run and have ownership over the stages and venues — with each working to protect the nature of the festival by keeping costs low.
The deal will be the deal
Many venues advertise a box-office split and then add so many extras that, in one case, we have found a 70% cut being reduced to 22%. We Maker Folk’s deals will be transparent.
Create many routes into the festival
The festival will be programmed through various systems — an artist can apply to attend, a venue can choose who they programme, we will ask established artists to recommend new artists to appear, and theatres and producers can recommend people.
Build on what is already here
Hastings and St Leonards already have strong and ever-growing reputations as creative towns, We Maker Folk will build on these reputations. As seaside towns, they already have the infrastructure to accommodate large numbers of people, while their creative communities provide a strong foundation for the festival.
How we’ll do it…
By Building the Foundations for a Micro-City
The festival provides the infrastructure
There will be a number of central stages and venues run by We Maker Folk, alongside an unlimited number of additional venues. The festival will provide the infrastructure that allows the whole network to function, including ticketing, health and safety and security, while individual venues remain responsible for their own programming.
We will create a Community Interest Company
The CIC will create, develop and sustain a network of local hosts who will provide low-cost accommodation for our visiting artists.
It will also work with local groups and artists to create an on-ramp for employment and ownership of the stages and venues.
Promote Autonomy and Organic Growth
No single organisation will be responsible for deciding what the whole festival looks like; it will be able to grow organically, made whole by the variety and breadth of additional venues, stages, galleries and shops, each catering to their own interests and expertise.
Embed itself in the Lives of the People of Hastings and St Leonards
It will invest in the future of the towns and people of Hastings and St Leonards by developing local skills, ownership and infrastructure, creating sustainable opportunities for jobs and income for local people.
Embed itself in the Lives of its Artists and the Cultural Sector
By creating a lasting infrastructure through which artists can develop and new creative work can flourish.
The When…
2027 — Two Foundations
An Artist Convention
The first step will be an artist-only convention in Hastings and St Leonards. This will bring together artists, producers and other creative people to begin building the relationships, ideas and networks that will form the foundations of We Maker Folk.
A Community Connection
We will begin building the networks of venues and accommodation that will form the backbone of the festival, as well as developing our training and support offers for each venue. This will begin to connect the festival with local people and ensure that the infrastructure is being built with the community, rather than simply brought into the town.
2028 — The first We Maker Folk Festival
The first full Festival will take place in July 2028, bringing together a huge range of artists, venues and audiences across Hastings and St Leonards.