| 
 Sponsorship
John Arcand Fiddle Fest
Information for Sponsors
1. John Arcand Fiddle Fest Sponsorship Marketing Opportunities
>> A more detailed version of this portion is available from the download centre
We apply a philosophy of sponsorship as a marketing tool, more than community involvement and support. Custom made agreements are developed for each purchaser of a sponsorship marketing package, focusing on building awareness and recognition that responds to each one’s individual objectives and characteristics. Wherever possible, creativity and fun are injected into the arrangement to enhance the experience of our participants, adding impact and increasing the memorability factor of your marketing activities.
The possibilities for recognition through a sponsorship marketing agreement at our festival are virtually endless.
The following table outlines basic positioning opportunities - the higher your position, the more exposure you receive. The pricing framework starts at $250 and increases appropriately based on positioning and additional rights and benefits within the agreement that we build together.
Festival Title Sponsor |
(Your Name) John Arcand Fiddle Fest |
Festival Presenting Sponsor |
John Arcand Fiddle Fest presented by (Your Name) |
Major Sponsor |
Presents a series of programming, a major concert, or key site amenity |
Associate Sponsor |
Presents an element in a series, a dance, or secondary event/site amenity |
Patron Sponsor |
Listed in program and on website as a sponsor |
2. Sponsorship Marketing 101
Event sponsorship as a marketing tool is taking a serious foothold in the communications toolboxes of businesses all over the world. While the concept is relatively new to the Saskatchewan market, it is really quite mature, with its roots having been planted over 20 years ago at major US and European events.
Through sponsorship marketing at a community event, businesses have the opportunity to reach targeted segments of their market, showcase product attributes, directly connect with potential and existing customers, enhance their experience at the event, and leave a lasting impression. Surveys of the general population have shown that consumers are more likely to experience good feelings about businesses that contribute to their communities and more likely to purchase goods and services from those businesses as a result.
While sponsorship marketing can simply be raising awareness for you brand with on site signage and mentions in printed, online, and on-site communications, it is most effective when accompanied by creative activation.
Activating a sponsorship refers to how you connect with the audience once you are there. In traditional media terms, think of the fee you pay to the event as your purchase of space or time in print, radio, and television and your investment in activation as the production of an ad to fill the space or time. The difference here is that you have the opportunity to actually connect with potential customers face to face, provide them with opportunities to experience your product or service, run promotions to measure effectiveness, and if done effectively, leave them with good feelings and memories of their experience with you.
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3. John Arcand Fiddle Fest Description
Introduction
The John Arcand Fiddle Fest was founded by John Arcand, Master of the Métis Fiddle, in 1998 in Greencourt, Alberta with $750 out of his own pocket. Approximately 300 people attended and the artists worked for free out of their respect for John and commitment to his dream.
In 1999 the festival relocated to Windy Acres near Saskatoon, and by 2006 expanded to four days, enjoyed an audience of over 3700 and had a budget of over $130,000, including expenditures to pay performers and instructors. The 2007 budget is projected at over $141,000.
Programming
The festival delivers a combination of programming to youth, adults and senior citizens.
Workshops
Two days of workshops (free with admission), led by nationally renowned instructors (including John Arcand), transfer skills to developing musicians and dancers in fiddle, jigging, guitar, and piano. In 2006, 883 people registered for workshops – a 258% increase over 2005.
Concerts & Dances
Evenings and Sunday morning are filled with entertainment with the presentation of four concerts and two old-time dances.
Thursday – Concert presentation
Friday – Showcase of multi-cultural talent in music, dance, and sometimes, even theatre. An old-time dance ends the evening.
Saturday – Headline concert featuring John Arcand and other well-known names from the fiddle world. An old-time dance again ends the evening.
Sunday – Fiddles & Flapjacks breakfast followed by a non-denominational Gospel Hour
Contests
Developing fiddlers and dancers of all ages are motivated to improve skills and hone public performance abilities through the sanctioned fiddle contest and the Canadian Red River Jigging Championships. Contests take place all day Saturday and a half day Sunday. The fiddle contest and festival itself concludes with much excitement as competitors take to the stage en masse for the popular Fiddle Finale. Over $10,000 in prize money is distributed. In 2006, 54 fiddlers and 30 jiggers competed.
Site and Happenings
The festival delivers a warm and welcoming family atmosphere on approximately five of Windy Acre’s 80-acre expanse.
Onsite camping, without services, is offered free to interested participants. A concession operates all weekend and serves standard festival fare as well as Bannock, in reverence to John Arcand’s Métis roots. The festival is developing plans to add a marketplace that will offer goods and services to enhance comfort and entertainment value.
A children’s playground lies at the heart of the site and providing activities for youngsters.
The festival’s main stage is under a large tent that accommodates approximately 1500 spectators at a time. The audience often spills beyond capacity into the surrounding open air for the festival’s many popular presentations. Workshop tents are scattered throughout the site, and when not in use are used for spontaneous jam sessions or as shaded rest areas for patrons.
News media and film production companies are a regular occurrence and cameras can be spotted at virtually any time during the festival capturing the artistic and cultural activities occurring.
A pancake breakfast, dubbed Fiddles & Flapjacks, takes place prior to the Gospel Hour on Sunday morning.
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Audience Profile
Demographics:
| Youth – aged 0-20 |
5% |
| Adults – aged 21-49 |
20% |
| Adults – aged 50-64 |
30% |
| Adults 50+ |
45% |
Attendees originate from:
| Saskatoon area |
30% |
| Saskatchewan (IncludingSaskatoon and area) |
70% |
| Canada |
98% |
| USA and abroad |
2% |
Future Plans
Future plans for the festival include:
- Construction of a main concert venue with a permanent roof and stadium seating
- The attraction of higher profile artists for instruction and performances
- Improvements to concession and camping amenities
- Continued expansion of the number of days of programming, which will be focused on increasing workshop delivery from a variety of artistic disciplines, genres, and cultures.
- A larger audience, with international reach
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Communications Profile
The John Arcand Fiddle Fest executes a multi-media advertising plan with a value of approximately $34,000 (up from $20,000 in 2005) to build awareness and attract audience to the Festival.
Direct Mail & E-Mail
One mass mailing effort takes place in January of each year to a database of 1000. The majority of recipients have Saskatchewan addresses with the balance located in other Canadian provinces and the USA. E-mail news updates are distributed to 400 recipients 4-6 times per year.
Flyers/Posters
5000 flyers/posters are distributed throughout Saskatchewan through festival networks, partners, mail database, volunteers, and by John Arcand during his busy performance schedule.
Newspaper Advertising
Star Phoenix (Includes ad placement and a full-page story feature)
RM Review
Prince Albert Herald
Sweetgrass News
Eagle Feather News
Rural Roots
Pike Lake News
Saskatoon Sunday Sun
Manitoba GrassRoots News
Saskatchewan Senior
Planet S Magazine
Magazine and Other Print Advertising
Wholife Magazine
Govan Fiddle Fest Program
Ness Creek Journal Program
Provincial Fiddle Association Newsletters
Prairies North Magazine
Saskatchewan Sage
Radio Advertising
CJWW – Saskatoon
Hot 93 - Saskatoon
CJVR – Melfort/Tisdale
Media Releases
Two-four media releases per year, distributed to 45 Saskatchewan media outlets and 10 media outlets throughout Western Canada.
On the Web
- johnarcandfiddlefest.com and johnarcand.com
(12,800 unique visitors in 2006) and johnarcand.com
- Listings on fiddle and music websites throughout Canada and the US
News and Network Presence
The Fiddle Fest is routinely covered in the Saskatoon and national news media and has been the subject of several television documentaries and features. Over the past two years, the following production companies have attended and filmed the festival:
Company |
Program |
Type |
Network |
Description |
| Good Medicine Media |
The Mix |
one episode |
APTN |
Festival specific episode |
Plan 9 Films |
Middle of Somewhere |
13 episode Travel Log |
SCN |
A journey through rural and uncommon routes of Saskatchewan |
Sharing Circle |
Sharing Circle, Crooked Music: John Arcand Master of the Métis Fiddle |
Documentary |
CITY
APTN |
Aboriginal documentary series |
Bluehill Productions |
For the Love of the Land |
Prominent Saskatchewan artists |
SCN |
Centennial Project |
Metcom |
On spec |
On spec |
On spec |
Métis owned film company |
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