The Impact of Hybrid Festivals on Audience Participation, Research Paper Example

Cultural festivals serve as platforms for people to congregate, interact and share traditions. People participate in events to gain memorable experiences by engaging in events they like (Fragkogiani, 2018, p.37). As per the theory of cultural festivals and interaction, cultural festivals promote understanding among people enabling them to appreciate diverse cultural practices. Cultural-inclusive events enhance interactions among people to establish long-term relationships that promote understanding and social cohesion. Events enhance people’s experiences when organisers plan activities that promote satisfaction by meeting expectations (Biaett and Richards, 2020, p.277). With the appropriate approach when organising cultural events, organisers create an atmosphere that enhances interactions among people. Dominant characteristics of cultural events are that they are marked by traditional activities involving foods, music, and foods that indicate historical values and beliefs communities used to embrace. Cultural events emphasise issues with historical significance to people, which motivates them to attend. People attend events for different reasons, such as socialisation and family togetherness (Nicholson and Pearce, 2001, p.). Events facilitate social interactions enabling people to escape from routine activities. The network society has expanded globally due to the internet and digital innovations that have accelerated social transformations (Castells, 2010). Cultural festivals also serve as opportunities for people to connect with their cultural heritages even if their residing places are far from their ethnic communities. People attend festival events due to the desire to meet their motives influenced by cultural conditioning and perceptions (Crompton and McKay,1997, p.425). Thus, cultural festivals foster unity and mutual respect among people by allowing them to celebrate unique practices.

Audience engagement is based on people’s psychological experiences that stimulate loyalty and attentiveness when interacting with media. Audiences engage with media content and brands by investing time and emotions (Broersma, 2019, p.1). The theory of audience engagement posits that audiences consume media irrespective of their locations and undertakings through active participation and emotional connection. Enhanced audience engagement contributes to successful cultural events that promote memorable experiences among people. Culture shapes audience engagement by influencing how people perceive and respond to media with cultural significance to them. People connect to interactive media to enhance their engagement with relatable characters or events (Kharouf et al., 2020, p.2). For instance, cultural values influence the media people to find engaging by perceiving it as educative or entertaining. People from diverse cultures are likely to engage with media differently due to different perceptions based on values. Cultural differences impact how people engage with media, as some may express open emotions while others might not indicate maturity and self-control. People understand and appreciate events that provide immersive experiences despite how cultural differences impact audience engagement. This implies perception is an integral factor influencing how people understand and engage with cultural events. Cognitive appraisal of events enhances audience engagement to achieve enjoyable and meaningful experiences (Yang and Cen, 2011, p.26). Event organisers who involve audiences’ views when planning activities ensure their implementation meets their interests and preferences. Therefore, there is maximum audience engagement in cultural events when organisers research people’s cultural values and beliefs to tailor content that meets cultural expectations.

Hybrid festivals rose during the pandemic due to government restrictions on gatherings and public events. COVID-19 led to strict lockdown, but the digital transformation was a solution to disruptions that led to restrictions on physical distancing (Estanyol, 2022, p.648). Per the theme of hybrid festivals and the pandemic, COVID-19 impacted how people organised and conducted cultural festivals by compelling them to adapt to new circumstances different from in-person events. Covid-19 disrupted the global cultural sector, compelling people to find new ways to conduct things and earn a living (“Covid-19 Research Project,” n.d.). People conducted traditional in-person events before the pandemic as there was no fear of infections and deaths. Traditional in-person events became hybrid in response to the pandemic’s adverse effects. For instance, in-person events shifted to online events conducted through virtual platforms. Hybrid events facilitate online and physical interactions by enabling people to embrace practices that shape communities (Simons, 2019, p.145). Hybrid events enhance social interactions among people to appreciate culture through flexible virtual viewing. Virtual platforms during the pandemic enhanced interactive experiences by allowing people to participate in live-streamed events at home (Thomasson, 2022, p.230). Other hybrid events combined virtual and in-person gatherings while adhering to government restrictions on social-distance gatherings. COVID-19 led to a need for organisers to become innovative and conduct festivals through arrangements that honoured cultural significance and government restrictions (Esfahani and Abbasirad, 2021, p.26). Through hybrid events, people accessed opportunities to honour cultural heritage beyond traditional practices making them celebrated by wider audiences that promoted cross-cultural exchange globally.

Hybrid events were successful during the COVID-19 period implying they are likely to succeed in the post-pandemic period, irrespective of government interventions toward normalcy. Based on the theory of hybrid cultural festivals during the post-pandemic period, entertainment and cultural trends after the pandemic will influence how people conduct and organise cultural events. The pandemic spurred innovation to contribute to positive cultural engagement by allowing people to celebrate cultures through virtual platforms (Price, 2021). People leveraged opportunities to celebrate cultures during the pandemic despite government restrictions on social interactions and gatherings. For instance, online content platforms enhanced cultural content streaming due to people’s desire to celebrate culture (Davies, 2021, p.2). Online platforms offered convenient benefits, unlike traditional cultural festivals conducted through in-person attendance. The surge in cultural engagement during the pandemic is unlikely to decrease as hybrid cultural festivals conducted through online platforms were based on convenience. During the pandemic, consumers were willing to pay for exciting experiences leading to enhanced service delivery (Shipman and Vogel, 2022, p.2). People are likely to replicate similar innovativeness witnessed during the pandemic in the post-pandemic period to enhance cultural engagement and digital experiences. Hybrid festivals will incorporate digital elements, resulting in increased online concerts and virtual exhibitions after the pandemic to enhance participation based on comfort. Hybrid festivals during the post-pandemic period will likely combine in-person and digital experiences to enhance online and offline engagement. As a result, people will attend digital and in-person events during the post-pandemic period to celebrate cultural traditions and heritage.

References

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