Laura
I’ve worked with the festival since 2014 on their PR, publicity, digital marketing and branding.
Liverpool Irish Festival is a ten day arts and cultural festival linking Liverpool with its strong neighbours in Ireland. The city has a major Irish population and cultural heritage. The festival itself has evolved in its ten year iteration, developing from a few live music gigs to a full on ten day celebration of arts, performance, music and culture.
I manage the PR and digital marketing strategy, promoting all aspects of the festival and its partners. We’ve secured coverage in the Irish Times, Irish Post, The Times, The Metro, Bido Lito, Liverpool Echo, BBC, Big Issue and many more. On social media I’ve built the networks up to have a much greater reach, using the channels more effectively to showcase the artists taking part in the festival. I’ve worked closely with the festival’s web developer to better connect it’s online profile, building traffic to the festival site and widening its audience. I also work with the branding team and festival manager on all marketing collateral, advertising and manage a media sales plan.
At the end of the festival I compile an evaluation report, looking at what worked and what didn’t, building a picture of the online reach and the profile of the festival through its marketing and PR. Increasingly for arts and cultural organisations, this evaluation process is a key way to secure funding and profile. In 2015, an extensive evaluation programme during the festival, including the commissioning of two films, helped to connect more effectively with the festival’s audience, shaping its future programme and development.
Image courtesy Pete Carr and Liverpool Irish festival