Mintfest is an annual outdoor performance festival delivered by Kendal Arts International (KAI) in partnership with Manchester International Arts (MIA). The 2011 festival took place in Kendal from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th September 2011 and presented work from 65 companies, of which 11 were from outside the UK.
This is the fifth time that XTRAX was appointed to deliver a range of showcase services alongside the event, thus turning a popular public-facing outdoor performance festival into a strategic event for the artists presenting work, by attracting programmers and professionals to the festival.
This year XTRAX also launched XTRAX Shorts, a new strand of showcasing designed to complement the XTRAX showcase programme by providing an opportunity for artists to present new outdoor projects to an audience of promoters and street arts professionals. The purpose of XTRAX Shorts is also to add value to Mintfest as a showcase opportunity by bringing new work to the attention of potential bookers and by supporting the development of new outdoor projects.
Key Figures:
Delegate attendance
- 109 delegates registered, with 89 delegates attending the event (81.6%)
- This included 13 international delegates from Canada, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands
- 52 delegates attended the reception on Friday evening
- 37 delegates attended XTRAX Shorts on Saturday Morning
- Approximately 40 delegates and artists attended the drinks reception on Saturday evening
- 43 delegates attended XTRAX Shorts on Sunday morning
- 21 delegates attended the delegate dinner on Sunday evening
- 8% of this year’s delegates hadn’t attended Mintest before
Potential bookings
- 80% of delegates indicated that they intended on booking shows they saw over the weekend
- 7% of artists got strong indications of interest from promoters during the weekend or bookings following their performance at Mintfest
- 1% of Artists who presented at XTRAX Shorts got strong indications of interest from promoters
Networking opportunity
- 9% of delegates came to Mintfest to network and 75.8% of them to see shows that may fit in their future event
- 7% of artists indicated that Mintfest was a great opportunity for them and their work
- 69% of artists made contact with delegates during the event