This November 10th and 11th sees the annual Association of Irish Festivals Events Conference (AOIFE), aptly titled ’The Business of Fun’, taking place at the Carlton Shearwater Hotel, Ballinasloe.
The Business of Fun is an excellent networking opportunity for those working in the Irish festival and events sector and has some of Ireland’s leading speakers presenting on a diverse range of festival related topics including: greening your festival, a festival’s marketing tool kit, the Tall Ships Festival 2012, sponsorship and commercial presentations focusing on everything from festival friend schemes, fundraising and revenue ideas, and we’ll also be hearing from the Arts Council and Failte Ireland on both their reviews of 2011 and plans for 2012.
As already mentioned, Maria Moynihan Lee is curating this year’s main conference which is now online at www.aoifeonline.com. As part of this year’s programme, I am quite excited to be programming the digital and social media strand over the two-day conference featuring some of Ireland’s leading digital movers and shakers in the area of arts, culture, festivals and events.
Social Media/Digital Marketing Stream
Aoife Flynn | asquared consultancy | @stranded_aoife
Presentation: Twitter for festivals
Aoife started her career in Dublin with The Dublin Theatre Festival, then Abhann Productions and has over a decade of experience in cultural management and marketing. Passionate about arts marketing and audience development Aoife specialises in strategic digital marketing and has a deep understanding of visitors honed during her Development Manager role at The Model – one of Ireland’s leading arts centres and one of Sligo’s leading visitor attractions. Specialising in online marketing she has been invited to speak at conferences on this subject, and was contracted by The Arts Council as a mentor in digital marketing. She is the bees knees 
Catherine Egan|PR and Social MEdia Manager at Entertainment.ie | @teabags18 | @entertainmentie
Presentation: Online PR for Festival & Events
Catherine manages public relations, social media and online communications for entertainment.ie. She has worked as a social media manager, assistant to the PR executives, receptionist and conference organiser over the past three years with organisations such asTheatre Forum, St. Patrick’s Festival, Wilson Hartnell Public Relations and the National Campaign for the Arts. She has a Master’s in Public Relations from Dublin Institute of Technology and holds a BA in English, Sociology and Political Studies from NUI Galway
I first met Catherine at St. Patrick’s Festival and it has been a wonderful digital friendship ever since!
Darragh Doyle | Community Manager at World Irish | @DarraghDoyle |
Presentation: 10 things I hate about You!
Darragh helps people online. He trains organisations in Ireland on using Social Media effectively. This includes blogs, forums, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. 2009Darragh advises organisations on their use of Social Media and their online presences. They’re as diverse as Google, Microsoft, RTÉ, ESB Electric Ireland, Eircom, Meteor and Festival and charity events. He uses competitions, twitter, tumblr, blogs, facebook, forums, YouTube, podcasts, emails, Yelp and more to help brands, charities, companies, events, marketing departments and PR companies get the word out to their audience.
Sarah Murphy | Business Development Manager at Entertainment.ie | @sarahrmurphy
Presentation: How to make your ticketing work for you (ie how not to waste time, Venergy, & money)
Sarah Murphy manages the ticket project at entertainment.ie, Ireland’s largest entertainment website. She has worked as a producer and cultural marketeer in Ireland & the UK since 2003 with Music Network, ABSOLUT Fringe, Cardboard Citizens (UK), Theatre Forum, and her own arts management agency, to upstage. Sarah co-ran Aurora Nova Productions (Berlin) which presented a new model of artist-led touring for innovative theatre and dance. Sarah holds a degree in Literature (Northeastern University, USA), a Masters in Anglo-Irish Literature (TCD) and H. Cert in Management Practice in the Arts (University of Ulster, NI). Sarah has also just started her own DIY MBA, she rocks.
Zara Sheerin | Mint Digital |www.mintdigital.ie
Presentation: Getting the most out of social media
Zara Sheerin established Mint Digital Marketing in March 2011 after years of working in cutting edge digital agencies in Dublin and London, including Harvest Digital and Cawley Nea/TBWA. Zara led the digital strategy for worldwide brands such as Audi, Jameson, Etihad Airways as well as great national brands like ESB, Meteor and Change.ie.Mint is a full service digital marketing agency based in Galway and Dublin – with a specific focus on developing facebook applications that deliver real engagement and tangible results as well as email marketing strategies, web design & development, search marketing and strategic planning. Mint Digital develop targeted online campaigns, specifically social media applications, for clients such as The Salthill Hotel, BORN Clothing, Kilkenny Group and others in the retail, hospitality, medical and services sectors.
Denise Rushe | Communications Executive & Online Community Manager @ Temple Bar Cultural Trust
Presentation: Irish Festivals Networking Online | @TBCT| @ladydotty
…and then there’s me. I currently work with TBCT’s communications department, developing with the team communication & digital strategies around our events and projects such as Culture Night, Handel’s Day, First Thursdays Dublin, and Meeting House Square.
Since graduating from IADT in 2008, I’ve worked at various festivals and cultural organisations starting with production, marketing and now working in online community management and communications. Previous to this role, you’ll have found me at The Model Arts Centre, Sligo Live, St. Patrick’s Festival, Volvo Ocean Race Galway, Dublin Theatre Festival, and Playhouse on Liberty Hall. For my presentation, I shall be discussing how Irish festivals and events can get network online, using established festival networks, newsletters, and hopefully give you the tools to shout a little louder about your festival or event online.
[Registration for this year's conference is open over here>]
Meeting House Square at The Business of Fun
During the conference, attendees will also have the opportunity to see the new Meeting House Square which will be reopening shortly following the installation of a retractable canopy, designed by Sean Harrington Architechts.
Lynsey Ni Rainaill, Venue Manager for Meeting House Square, will be on hand to answer all questions and discuss event opportunities on the Square for festivals and events.
