Agenda item

The Director of Tourism; Culture & Inward Investment submits a report to the Commission on the 2026/27 Festivals and Events Grants Programme including background, new commissioning process and criteria, successful applications and awards. The report also outlines how the grants programme has evolved and its strategic relevance to the city.

The Director of Tourism; Culture & Inward Investment submits a report to the Commission on the 2026/27 Festivals and Events Grants Programme including background, new commissioning process and criteria, successful applications and awards. The report also outlines how the grants programme has evolved and its strategic relevance to the city. 

The Assistant City Mayor for health, Culture, Libraries and Community Centres introduced the report and noted that where there was competition for resources, it was necessary to have a transparent process that was fair and could be understood. She acknowledged that moving to another system always had challenges, but this change had happened relatively smoothly.

She further reported that people had engaged well and the process had been open and transparent.  She suggested that this was a good foundation for the Council to continue to develop.  She highlighted the value of festivals to the city and individuals, and noted that some smaller events had a disproportionate impact in delivering for the city.

The Head of Festivals and Events and Cultural Policy attended the meeting to help present and assist with discussions.

Key points to note were as follows:

• The report provided an overview of the Festivals and Events Grants Programme for 2026/27, including the introduction of a new commissioning process, the assessment framework used, and the recommended funding awards for this financial year.
• Leicester City Council already delivered a number of major events directly, including Light Up Leicester, Riverside Festival, Diwali Day and the Abbey Park Bonfire. Alongside this, the Council supports external organisations to deliver a broader programme of festivals and events that contribute to the city's cultural, social and economic wellbeing.
• Following a review of the previous grants programme, a new commissioning approach was introduced for 2026/27. The intention was to create a more transparent, robust and strategically aligned process, ensuring funding supports high-quality, inclusive and environmentally responsible festivals and events that deliver clear benefits for Leicester residents and visitors.
• The funding opportunity was publicly advertised in March 2026, with applications promoted through council communications, social media, local press and directly to previous recipients and local cultural organisations. This resulted in 68 applications requesting a total of approximately £927,000, significantly exceeding the available budget.
• Applications were assessed against published eligibility requirements and a detailed scoring framework. Criteria included cultural quality, community cohesion, participation and accessibility, environmental sustainability, economic impact, organisational capacity and value for money. Following eligibility checks, 33 applications were excluded for not meeting the published criteria, with the remaining applications scored and reviewed by officers.
• Originally, a budget of £165,000 had been identified for the programme. However, due to the strength of applications received and the strategic importance of festivals and events, a further £65,000 was approved, increasing the total programme budget to £230,000. This additional investment formed part of a wider increase in the Arts and Museums budget and reflects the Council's commitment to accessible cultural activity across the city.
• As a result, 20 festivals and events were recommended for support in 2026/27, with awards ranging from £5,000 to £45,000. The programme included established events such as Leicester Caribbean Carnival, Leicester Mela, Leicester Pride, Black History Month, Leicester Comedy Festival and Bring the Paint, alongside events celebrating dance, poetry, film, music, heritage and emerging communities. Together they represented a broad and balanced programme that reflected Leicester's diversity and supported participation across different communities and age groups.
• The programme was designed not only to support cultural expression but also to strengthen community cohesion, encourage civic pride, increase footfall for local businesses and ensure that free and low-cost cultural experiences remained available to residents during a period of continued financial pressure.
• All successful applicants would be subject to formal funding agreements, monitoring requirements and post-event evaluation. This included attendance data, financial reporting, evidence of outcomes achieved and, where necessary, audit and compliance checks to ensure public funding delivered measurable value.

In response to member discussion, the following was noted:

• In response to a query about whether there was any conflict with residents in the city centre, it was noted that no complaints had been received from residents about festivals and events negatively affecting the environment.
• In response to a query about whether events increased footfall for local businesses, it was noted that businesses welcomed the programme as it brought people into the city.  Attendance data was asked for as part of the evaluation.   A methodology was then applied to this data to get an estimate of the economic impact.
• Footfall trackers were in place, and software could measure hotspots to identify the number of people in that area of the city at a particular time.  These trackers worked off mobile phone data and could look at the profile of the phone-user, this could be applied to particular events.
• Organisations needed to match-fund.
• In response to a request for clarification about the Monsters event, it was clarified that this was an event that had previously occurred in the city and would occur again.  It featured large inflatable monsters on buildings.  This would be during restaurant week and half-term and would tie in with restaurant promotions.
• In response to a query regarding reasons for refusal, it was noted that 33 applications had been ineligible.  Some refusals had been due to match-funding requirements where organisations had asked for over the 50%.  Other requirements had been attendance and participation of over 3000 as wide-ranging events were aimed for.  Applicants who came through the eligibility tests were scored against the criteria based on how well they answered 17 questions, the scores were amalgamated and the best selected for funding.  Some applications had been just below the threshold, and others further below.  Feedback had been given where requested on how they could improve applications in future.  It was hoped to re-open the application process in October.
• In terms of promoting grants, this was done through the usual Council channels and through local media.  Community partners were also asked to help with communications.
• In terms of awareness of the events, there was a package put together, mentioned in social media and local media outlets.  Additionally, interviews were conducted on local radio.  Further to this, there were on advertisements on council buildings such as libraries and also on buses.  The Council organised communications for the whole city, whereas the individual organisations targeted communications at particular communities.
• In terms of application support, officers were available if people/organisations had questions.  Not many questions had been received, but there were a broad range of applicants. Even though some applicants were ineligible, the applications were representative of communities in Leicester.
• The work was multi-layered and multi-faceted.  For example, with events such as the Diwali celebrations, the majority of funds were spent on closing the road rather than the cultural content.  In contrast, where events were on parks, the infrastructure costs were lower.  Events were not always like-for-like.  The return on investment was good.
• It was noted that some smaller festivals could go under the radar.  Although some may have ward-funding.
• The What’s On guide was no longer produced as there was a challenge around the cycle of applying for funding meaning that organisations could not always commit to do what they said they would do in six months’ time as they did not know whether they would have the funding to deliver.  In it’s place, Visit Leicester acted as a portal.  When information came late, it was easier to turn it around on a digital platform.  Additionally, it was not known what the take-up of the guide was, so it was necessary to think about value for money.  Some events, such as Diwali and Light Up Leicester had printed material, but his was done on a case-by-case basis.
• Groups that had just missed out on funding were signposted to other options, including through the website.  Groups who had missed out would get feedback, but would still need to re-apply and demonstrate that they could meet the criteria.
• Sustainability and inclusion forms were part of the feedback.
• Officers from the Festivals and Events team could not attend every event due to limited numbers, however, arts organisations that received grants would be surveyed and the data analysed.  The survey had particularly high uptake at the Riverside Festival. 
• The Festivals and Events team supported a rich and diverse mix of festivals, including working with smaller organisations across parks and in the city.
• In response to a question on whether commercial festivals brought in money that could subsidise the other festivals the Council gave grants to, it was clarified that this money helped, but did not make up all of the money involved.  It was a mixed economy underpinned by the Council who put in more than 50% of the budget.
• The Festivals and Events Team were thanked.  Work was being moved forward and there was an emerging vision regarding festivals.  It was important to have ownership and dialogue as festival were so important to the city.  It was suggested that a further report come back to the Commission on the vision for festivals, exploring both larger and smaller festivals.
• The importance of festivals for the performers was highlighted.

AGREED

1)    That the reports be noted.

2)    That comments made by members of this commission to be taken into account by the lead officers.

3)    That a further report be brough back to the Commission on the vision for festivals.