Guest editorial

Scholarly exploration of festivals and events continues to thrive as we enter a new decade. The value of local and international festivals and events has been examined across the globe, and while festival failure is still a risk for organizers, the value of events to individuals, communities and society has been clearly demonstrated in the academic literature (Getz, 2010). As festivals and events evolve so do the information and communication technologies (ICTs) employed before, during and after the on-site experience (MacKay et al., 2017).

ICTs have altered communication in all life domains (Poushter, 2016) at every festival by integrating hardware, software, NetWare and HumanWare into the event (Neuhofer et al., 2014; Robertson et al., 2015; Van Winkle et al., 2018). Both the utilitarian and hedonic use of ICT is common at events, as technology is integrated backstage and front-of-house. Still, little is known about the implications of the continual evolution of ICT for the events, attendees, volunteers and other stakeholders. ICT integration into festival administration, design, marketing, operations and risk management has received limited attention in festival studies, and a greater understanding of supply and demand perspectives is needed. Research and theory development in this established but ever-changing area will provide a needed foundation to guide future education, practice and research.

In this special section, researchers share ideas from a range of fields including leisure studies, tourism studies, management and disability studies. Qualitative and quantitative approaches are presented to better understand the state of the industry and how ICT is enhancing (or not) access and inclusion at festivals and events.

In Bossey's paper exploring “Accessibility in all areas”, the author argues that equality in festival settings needs to be given greater attention. As such, the research delves into the current state of accessibility at UK Festivals and considers technological developments that can enhance aspects of the festival experience and delivery. By interviewing festival staff, the researchers gained a supply-side view of accessibility and inclusivity in festival settings. Bossey discusses the social model of disability which highlights the reasons for exclusion and pushes us to consider how to increase access. The researchers found that many accommodations are integrated into festival settings to enhance access; however, there are many remaining challenges that need to be addressed. Bossey suggests that festival audiences are open to technology as festivals are often the grounds of unique experiences and as such this presents an opportunity for organizers to co-create solutions to enhance access in conjunction with audiences. While not all solutions can or should be digital, the authors recognize that ICT should be considered. The value of attending the events was clearly stated and many people with disabilities remain excluded. Going forward, the authors suggest working with audiences to ensure access and inclusive experiences of live events.

Dinis, Eusebio and Breda also discuss accessibility but focus on social media to provide a framework to help event administrators examine the accessibility of their social media platforms for people with hearing and visual impairments. The authors successfully argue that ensuring access to social media is crucial for facilitating participation in the event by diverse peoples. The study assesses multiple social media platforms used by a major festival and highlights the value of ICT for engaging an often-marginalized group. The authors acknowledge that without thoughtful attention to how ICT is used the communication benefits could be lost. A need to continue to understand how ICT can facilitate participation by some but alienate others is clearly stated. This paper adds to the discussion offered by Bossey by demonstrating how the each technology integrated into the event experience in unique ways should be examined to determine how it affects groups in differing ways.

Finally, Ryan, Fenton, Ahmed and Scarf explore the digital maturity of events. The state of technology in the events industry is considered as we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution – referred to as Industry 4.0. To better understand digital maturity in the event context, the authors thoroughly review the literature related to digital maturity, review posts by industry professionals and academics on a social media platform and follow this with a survey of academics. Through this analysis, the authors are able to present a definition of Event 4.0 and preceding levels of digital maturity. Findings suggest that event organizers are striving to enhance the relationships with audiences and other organizations through technology and that as maturity increases we will see fully integrated data-driven events that add digital value chains that enhance experiences.

In the well-known book “Grown up digital,” Don Tapscott argues “To this generation, the internet is like the fridge. They do not belabor the nuts and bolts of its operation; it's just part of life.” (Tapscott, 41, 2008). As technology becomes integrated throughout our lives, we stop seeing it as technology but rather as a way to have the experiences we desire. As Ryan et al. state as events move into digital maturity the integration of more complex technologies are expected to result in more informed organization with less obvious technology. However, as this process unfolds, event academics, researchers and professionals have a responsibility to consider who is and is not affected by the technologies we choose to employ and whether or not they are inclusive.

In all of the papers, the human element of the event experience is highlighted as a key consideration when integrating ICT. As technology increases in complexity and becomes ubiquitous, we must continue to consider humanity in the digital realm. The value of technology comes from its ability to enhance our experiences and as technology advances this must be considered for all people.

Now is the time to consider ICT at festivals and events in relation to major issues facing our global community. The world economic forum has identified 10 global challenges facing humanity including digital technologies and the Internet. The Millennium Project (2019) asks “How can the global convergence of information and communications technologies work for everyone?” Some countries, like Finland, are making Internet access a right of citizenship but access does not guarantee inclusivity. Our community of event scholars and practitioners should reflect on how ICT can “work for everyone” as we reach digital maturity. We should also consider how ICT at events can address global challenges such as safety and security, climate change and social justice. Addressing these issues will require thoughtful theoretical exploration and consideration of the benefits and drawback of employing ICT. On one hand, technology can offer enhanced security, however unique security issues emerge with the introduction of technologies like Internet of Things, blockchain and drones. ICT can contribute to environmental sustainability as events better manage waste; however commonly used RFID technology can be difficult to recycle, yet this is often ignored. As technology becomes increasingly transparent, it will be a challenge to consider its impact on the many global challenges ahead. The papers presented in this special section had a strong focus on the supply side examining festival organizers' perspectives with less attention given to consumers. As we gain a more nuanced understanding of the implications for ICT integration before, during and after events gaining both consumer and producer perspectives will enable us to plan for the future.