8.1. Appendix 1: Interview questions template
Introductory questions:
• Your are the [position] of [organisation]. How long have you been in this position?
• Can you give me a brief overview of what you do in your job? What are your main tasks?
• Related to those tasks, what are yourself wishing to achieve in your job?
• How do you, personally, understand the word “partnership” in a festival context?
• Could you give me a defining of what you think is a “good” partnership relationship?
• Do you have a specific project that comes to mind which would be a good example of the focus on this research?
PART I. Partnership strategy
To festival organisers:
• How was the partnership strategy when you started working at [organisation]? (Aim: assess if a shift happened or not)
• How would you describe your partnership strategy nowadays? (Aim: gain knowledge of the current model used by the organisation)
• At what point of the development of the partnership project do you determine your organisation’s objectives? (Aim: know if before or after determining common objectives)
• Have you been engaged in more collaborative partnerships? By collaborative, I mean that you have co-created a project which links both organisations and their field of activity.
YES : What do you think you have to gain/loose in using collaborative partnerships?
NO : Any specific reasons which make you feel like you do not wish to engage in such partnerships and stay focused on a more marketing exchange?
• How do you measure the results of each partnership deal? (Aim: find out the tools festivals have to evaluate the partnership)
• How do you handle the content created with your partners? It is part of the core program offered by the festival, or is it a side program? (aim: learn more about the importance given to the content created with a sponsor)
To other organisations (Pink Eminence, Finland Festival):
• According to you, how are partnerships deals done in the festival field right now ?
• Do you think it is a good way ? If not, do you think should change ?
• Cultural organisations complains that sponsors do not give them more support, but keep using the same approach. Corporations say they don’t have money but that they still wish to support festival somehow. What do you feel about that ?
• Is there in Finland any law which regulates/limits sponsorships to cultural organisations ?
To sponsor :
• What’s your company partnership strategy in the cultural field ?
• How do you measure the results of each partnership deal? (Aim: find out the tools festivals have to evaluate the partnership)
• At what point of the development of the partnership project do you determine your organisation’s objectives? (Aim: know if before or after determining common objectives)
• Have you been engaged in more collaborative partnerships? By collaborative, I mean that you have co-created a project which links both organisations and their field of activity.
• What do you think you have to gain/loose in using collaborative partnerships?
PART II. Partnership relationships
To festival’s organisation
• Could you describe your relationship with your partners in general?
• Are you trying to build a special relationship with each partner you have?
• What is the oldest partner you have?
• How has the deal evolve over time? (aim: make the respondent assess the evolution of a deal)
• To festivals which use collaborative model: how was it to convince your partners to do things differently?
To other organisations (Pink Eminence, Finland Festivals)
• Do you have an opinion why festivals tend to stay on a more moneratory based sponsorship, event though they do not bring any added value to their organisations ?
• Have you ever discussed this issue with festival organisers ? If so, what was their feeling out of it ?
• Could you come up with keywords to describe what would be according to you an ideal partner-organisation relationship ?
• About co-created content ?
To sponsors
• What is the oldest festival partner you have?
• How has the deal evolve over time? (aim: make the respondent assess the evolution of a deal)
• Could you describe me the process of co-creating a partnership project with the festival? (aim: find out initiators)
• What is the festival you are working the closest with ? How was your first project with this organisation? (aim: was it a monetary or collaborative deal)
• Could you describe your relationship with this festival?
• What is your role in the partnership relationship?
PART III. The involvement of the sponsor in the festival’s organisation decision-making process
To festival organisations
• How often do you meet with your partners?
• Do you think this partnership would continue if you/your sponsor’s collaborator would not be in the professional position you are now?
• Are you partners taking part into strategic decisions of your organisations ?
• Can your partners influence the artistic orientation ?
• Can you partners influence your overall strategy ?
• Do you consider your partners are external consultants ?
To other organisations (Pink Eminence, Finland Festivals)
• In the case of a collaborative partnership, do you think partners should have a word to say in the decision-making of the festival ?
To sponsor
• How do you see your place in the decision-making process of the festival you are supporting?
• Would you like to engage in a year-around project with the festival ?