2024 Annual Conference

Review. Revise. Reward – The Federation in 2024 and Beyond

Our Annual Membership Conference took place for a second year running at the Warwick Conference Centre, University of Warwick - Coventry Campus. For the first time, the event ran for a full 2 days from 10am on Saturday, 28th until 4pm Sunday, 29th September 2024.

Our annual conferences allow our members to talk through relevant topics, challenges and opportunities, they also give us the opportunity to hear from guest speakers who are highly esteemed professionals in their field. Each year the conference agenda is revised and updated to most accurately reflect the wants and needs of our membership and provide an informative and entertaining event for all. 

This year's conference focussed on building the future of BIFF.  Our full programme of events is available to view here. 

Saturday sessions 

• Chair's opening - Review, Revise, Reward – The Federation in 2024 and Beyond 
• Festivals in 2024 –Safe and successful marketing, branding and fundraising for festivals & adjudicators (Chair: Chris Blurton)

1. Part 1: Social Media, Technology and Film (Presenter: Sophia Melvin – Head of Marketing & PR at Kode production studio)
2. Part 2: Fundraising, sponsorship and partnership working (Presenter: Annette Brown, CEO of Sydney Eisteddfod and BIFF International Board Member)

• Arts Award (Presenter: Sarah Hughes)
• A conversation with Braimah Kanneh-Mason and Winnie Su  (Chair: Deborah Ward)
• "If you can’t say it, sing it! If you can’t sing it, dance it!” Bringing it all together! Adopting the new BIFF mark scheme in musical theatre. Chairs: Co-Chairs of the Adjudicators' Council: Ben Costello (Music), Karen Blackburn (Dance), Rebecca Vines (Speech)

Sunday sessions

The focus for the Sunday morning was the continuing professional development of our members through the delivery of discipline specific workshops looking at innovation, new skills and best practice.

Music sessions

• ‘Sounds Contemporary’ - How do we maximise entries for rock and pop? How do we ensure adjudication is the same quality as it is in other genres? (Presenter: Joanna Walling – Rock and Pop specialist)
• Talk into the new’ - Conversations about what’s new, problem solving and moving forward for music festivals and adjudicators (Presenter: Nancy Litten)

Dance sessions

• Embracing the new: Acro and hip hop/commercial dance (Presenters: Melanie Hadfield, Acrobatic Arts and Damien Anyasi, Founder of Be-Better)

Speech & Drama sessions

“Time gallops withal” (Chair: Rebecca Vines, Contributor: Peter Dayson, Speech & Drama Adjudicator)

• Hip hop, rap and performance poetry in the syllabus.
• Post- 2000 poets and playwrights.
• What makes a good adjudicator: A best practice refresher.
• Bums on seats: Keeping Shakespeare relevant in the digital age.

Forum sessions

Embedding equality, diversity and inclusion practices into your festival / practice (Presenter: Sophie Tickle, DanceSyndrome)

Changing the Narrative

Arts education and the cultural sectors are rapidly changing across the world. We consider the future of our festivals on a global stage; the positive impact they have on all those involved including performers, supporters, teachers, adjudicators and festival organisers. (Chair: Deborah Ward with Annette Brown, Yvonne Baisden, Rebecca Vines & Nicole-Lily Baisden)

Conference presentations

You can view all the Conference presentations on Members' Resources here.