NOVEMBER | COVER FEATURE
Green man
30-minute drive from the festival site , the research illustrated the direct economic value the festival brings by encouraging tourism to Hay . It found that the event attracts visitors from more than 40 countries , and that some 41 % of attendees stay in local accommodation for an average of four nights .
“ On top of this , you also have the harder -to-measure value of a world-class cultural event profiling writers and creatives from Wales on a global stage ,” says Hay ’ s international director Cristina Fuentes La Roche .
The spring festival was unable to take place physically this year due to the pandemic , but a digital edition proved popular and as a result the in-person Winter Weekend offshoot on 24-28 November will also be streamed .
In a normal year , around 400 staff and freelancers work each day on the spring festival , and Fuentes La Roche says the whole local community gets onboard : “ The Festival wouldn ’ t be what it is without that wider support and encouragement .”
While Hay-on-Wye may not be the easiest location to get to , Fuentes La Roche says the bookselling hotspot is a core part of the festival ’ s appeal . However , the lack of available public transport raises challenges , not least when it comes to minimising the event ’ s environmental impact .
“ We work with sustainability at our core , operating a Hay-on-Earth programme to mitigate against these negative environmental impacts on stage and off ,” she says .
Talent show Another festival that has an international impact is Wrexham ’ s multi-venue showcase event FOCUS Wales . Created a decade ago to provide a platform for fledgling homegrown acts , and a networking opportunity for industry professionals , it attracts industry professionals from around the world .
Around two-thirds of the 250 artists to play the annual event , which last took place in October , are Welsh . Among the 15,000 people who attended the showcases are festival bookers from events as far and wide as Glastonbury and Fuji Rock . Aside from the gigs , FOCUS Wales includes an industry conference that attracts around 500 delegates .
While a north Wales market town may not seem an obvious location for an international conference and multi-venue showcase festival , FOCUS Wales co-founder Andy Jones says Wrexham is ideal .
“ All of our experience tells us that these things work better when they ’ re not in a big city ,” he says . “ In cities you don ’ t necessarily get the community buy-in that you do in a smaller destination such as a Wrexham where everybody gets behind it . The venues are also conveniently clustered together .
“ As FOCUS Wales has grown , people have become increasingly aware of the economic impact it brings to the wider region . It now attracts more buyers , bookers of festivals , agents and record labels than ever and as a result we are seeing a lot more business being done and artists benefitting from playing the festival .”
Capital rising As well as being easily accessible , Cardiff boasts an impressive array of venues that range in size from intimate clubs to the 7,500-capacity Motorpoint Arena , the 10,000-capacity Cardiff Castle , the Principality Stadium with its concert capacity of 66,000 , and
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