Is it still about the arts? The perceived contribution of KKNK to the arts

Abstract

Arts festivals have grown in both number and size, especially in South Africa. This growth could be attributed to the numerous benefits associated with arts festivals. However, to date the exact nature and extent of the contribution of such festivals to the various art forms are rather unclear. The aim of this study is to determine the contribution of one of South Africa's largest and most popular Afrikaans arts festivals, the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK), in terms of its economic impact on the arts from the festival visitors' perception. A destination-based survey was administered at KKNK in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, during March/April 2012. A factor analysis was subsequently conducted and five factors were revealed: Visual arts enhancement, Performing arts enhancement, Emotional inspiration, Visual arts involvement and Performing arts exposure. ANOVA's and t-tests were done for further statistical analysis to determine differences between socio-demographic characteristics of the visitors to KKNK. There were some statistically significant differences between the perceptions of visitors based on their age. Implications were structured for the festival in order to ensure its further contribution to all forms of the arts equally, as the festival is in fact perceived to be making a contribution to the arts.