Dancing to sustainable tunes: an exploration of music festivals and sustainable practices in Aotearoa

Abstract

Living sustainable lifestyles that meet the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs has become a driving force for social change. Music festivals are contextualized within this setting and can provide both a site to encourage environmentally responsible behaviours and a place for communities of likeminded people to meet. A sense of community and freedom, efficient festival organization, good music, and being in the outdoors are all aspects of positive festival experiences, but so too does caring for the local environment and community. This paper discusses a qualitative research project that investigates the extent and impact of sustainability-related social and environmental aspects of music festival experiences. Tentative conclusions suggest that the way festival organizers plan for social and environmental impacts directly influences the experience of those attending, but also has the potential to instigate social and environmental change in ways which at present are largely untapped.