An Investigation into Aspects of Motivation and Satisfaction in Contemporary UK Music Festivals and the Importance of Gender Diversity in Line-ups

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this research was to identify aspects of motivation and satisfaction of consumers attending contemporary music festivals, exploring their relationship. It is evident from the literature that as festivals have grown in importance and size so have the number of attendees, and the possible reasons for attending. The literature in events and festivals have identified motivations in abundance, this study focusses on identifying those motivation and uncovering the many diverse aspects of each. Further to this, the study attempts to investigate the impact which gender inequality in music festivals has on the identified aspects of motivation and satisfaction. Value Despite the breadth of literature regarding motivation and satisfaction, to date there have been very little with focus on the impact that gender has on these aspects. Further to this there are no studies within the literature which investigate how the issue of gender inequality in line-ups affects attendance. Methodology The study uses a qualitative methodology and semi-structured interviews with four participants identified through convenience sampling, to investigate the indicated area. The study required participants to be aged 18-25 and to have attended at least one contemporary music festival in the UK between the years 2017-2019. Findings The methodology was successful in achieving the depth of understanding which the research had intended, resulting in several key findings. The results of the study identified music and socialisation as the core motives in festival attendees and, in concurrence with the literature, corroborate claims of a link between core motivations and satisfaction. Though results do suggest that gender inequality in line-ups has no impact in this study, conclusions suggest it is still an area worthy of interest.