Increasingly, scholars have examined the relationship between sport events and both tangible and intangible heritage. However, few have examined this relationship in the context of community sport events organized by and for local residents. Thus, the purpose of this study was to understand how a community sport event is organized for outcomes related to heritage and rural culture. Using an instrumental case study approach, drawing on interview and observational data in the context of the Opeongo Heritage Cup, we investigated how organizers and participants use sport as a platform to engage with heritage and rural culture. Two main themes were developed: enabling playful enactments of culture, and fostering intergroup connections and relations. The findings are discussed through a lens of heritage sport events and liminality. This research has empirical and theoretical implications, extending understanding of sport’s relationship to rural heritage and culture.
This study develops a planning model for press events, a strategic tool that has gained increasing relevance within corporate communication strategies. Despite their importance in media relations, the literature reveals a lack of models specifically addressing the planning of press events in a structured and sector-adapted way. To address this gap, a qualitative methodology based on in-depth interviews with 20 professionals from corporate communication departments and event agencies in the automotive sector was adopted. The findings show that press event planning extends beyond operational considerations and is strongly shaped by communicative and relational objectives. The analysis identifies a sequential process comprising event design, planning, execution, and evaluation stages, while highlighting the importance of media relations, product storytelling and journalist experience. The proposed model expands existing event planning frameworks by incorporating these communicative and relational dimensions into the planning process.
As festivals increasingly adopt edutainment to promote sustainability, understanding how attendee profiles shape the reception of these initiatives is important. This exploratory pilot study examined how place attachment and pro-environmental behaviors influenced perceptions of marine conservation initiatives and future loyalty at a surf-anchored, hybrid music and cultural festival in Spain. Using a quantitative approach, semistructured questionnaires were administered after the 2025 festival (N = 52), with data analyzed through confirmatory exploratory factor analysis and multiple regressions. Findings revealed high levels of place and festival attachment, conservation attitudes, and positive perceptions of the Aula del Mar educational program. Perceptions of Aula del Mar significantly predicted the festival’s identity as an environmental awareness platform, while attachment and conservation attitudes influenced future behavioral intentions. The findings suggest that integrating environmental education into cultural leisure settings can strengthen festival identity, audience alignment, and support for sustainable initiatives, providing a foundation for future research with larger international samples.
Immersive exhibitions are commonly associated with both immersion and personal relevance, yet empirical evidence does not consistently show that one gives rise to the other. Moreover, less is known about how immersion and personal relevance emerge through visitors’ encounters with immersive environments. To address these issues, the study investigates how visitors experienced immersion and personal relevance within an immersive art exhibition. Drawing on Carù and Cova’s experiential consumption framework, the analysis is based on 28 qualitative postvisit interviews. Findings reveal that immersion and personal relevance did not necessarily cooccur, giving rise to distinct experiential patterns. Based on these patterns, the study develops a typology of experiential configurations comprising Sensory Seekers, Reflective Connectors, Personal Resonators, and Detached Observers. By demonstrating how immersion and personal relevance may combine in different ways, the study helps explain why the same immersive environment can generate markedly different visitor experiences and offers theoretical and practical implications.
This study explores the role of professional relationship networks in shaping career development, mobility, and visibility within Australia’s Fringe festival sector. Given the temporary, project-based nature of festival employment, professional ties play a critical role in accessing and sustaining work-based relationships. Drawing on Social Network Theory, this research employs Social Network Analysis (SNA) to examine the interpersonal structures of core operational staff at the Adelaide Fringe Festival (n = 34) and FRINGEWORLD Perth (n = 14). Complementary qualitative data were collected through open-ended survey responses to capture lived experiences of career progression in the sector. Our findings reveal the importance of networks in providing career opportunities and support. They show that individuals with high in-degree centrality—those frequently named as collaborators—were often regarded as influential in hiring and organizational decisions. Weak ties were frequently cited as important pathways into more sustained roles, particularly for those transitioning from casual or volunteer positions. This study demonstrates the value of SNA-based methodologies in identifying structural inequalities, informal access points, and central actors within festival organizations.
