In addition to valuing the impact of the MACUFE Festival, one of the aims of this research was to test the Framework for the Monitoring and Evaluation of Publically Funded Arts, Culture and Heritage (SACO, 2016).
Using the Framework for the Monitoring and Evaluation of Publically Funded Arts, Culture and Heritage (SACO, 2016), this study interviewed audiences and organisers to evaluate the 2016 MACUFE Festival. The Festival is managed by a private events company on behalf of the Free State Dept. of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation and receives additional sponsorship from corporates, such as Standard Bank and Vodacom.
The main focus in 2016, as in previous years, was around African music using local and some international African artists. It included the MACUFE Divas, an Arts and Craft market, a Beer Garden, Comedy evening and a Sports event. Slightly more than half of all ticket sales were for the Main Music event. The Festival had a significant emphasis on youth and audience development with reduced prices for scholars.
The vast majority of patrons (79%) had been to the Festival before, 25% having attended 6 or more times, with 96% saying that they would recommend MACUFE to other people. Nearly a quarter (23%) of Festival goers were day visitors. Overall 55% of attendees spent 4 or more days at the Festival, a considerable increase over the 2015 Festival; were well educated (64% diplomates or graduates); household income of 31% equaled or exceeded R30 000/month; and spending per person averaged at R3 156 for people from outside Bloemfontein and Mangaung.
The study found that the over 25 000 individuals bought nearly 43 000 tickets in a total of 68 600 visitor days resulting in net visitor spending of R36,65m and a total economic impact of R103,4m of MACUFE on Bloemfontein and Mangaung.
In addition to the monetary contribution of the Festival, the theory that a relationship exists between subjective quality of life and cultural participation and consumption was tested. It was found to support the contention that attendance at live events is positively correlated to personal well-being or quality of life.
