The challenges of festival scenography

Whether it’s to meet the varied requirements of the artists, ensure the safety of the participants or manage the infrastructure needed to hold a festival, every scenographic and technical aspect of a festival requires meticulous planning and constant adaptation. We explain the different challenges of this type of project, the particularities that differentiate it from stage design in theatres, and the prospects for innovation and sustainability that will shape the future of festivals.

Organising the set design for a festival presents unique and demanding technical challenges, in terms of both stage design and logistics. Antoine Douillet, project manager at dUCKS scéno, is no stranger to this field, having organised festivals himself. He works with dUCKS on the subject of the permanent infrastructure for temporary events. He gives us an overview of the main issues facing technical designers to ensure a safe and successful festival experience.

● Scenic issues
Antoine says: “For each festival, the enhancement of the performances and the festival-goers’ experience are at the heart of the concerns.” Unlike a theatre where the same show can be repeated several times over the course of a week, a festival has to manage several different shows in a single day. This diversity requires great flexibility and speed in the modulation of the stages with less sophisticated systems than those found in a theatre stage house, for example. This requires more effort to set up and precise preparation to allow quick and efficient stage changes between artists. The modularity of both sets and lighting is simplified, and the equipment is designed to be shared.

● Safety
Safety management is essential, involving for example the installation of miles of barriers and signage to manage crowds of spectators as well as the circulation of specific elements for the stage such as crash barriers. The site must meet accessibility standards to enable people with reduced mobility to get to the festival, and must have a sufficient number of emergency exits. The safety requirements are virtually the same as for a concert hall, but must be thought through and implemented in sites that are less suitable for a concentrated period of a few days.

● Resource management
Good electricity management is essential, not only to power the stage, projectors and speakers, but also for all the associated areas, particularly the toilets and catering areas, which consume a huge amount of resources. In addition, infrastructure must be provided for the backstage areas, where the artists will be hosted, as well as for the hundreds of volunteers, staff and so on.
Water management is also essential, with many festival spaces requiring a water supply.

● Sanitary facilities
Sanitary facilities represent a real challenge, both for the festival-goers’ experience and for waste management. “It’s crucial to find solutions to reduce waiting times, and improve waste collection and processing for example, this is one of the challenges we face” confirms Antoine.

● Camping
Finally, the camping part of festivals involves technical developments in terms of energy, sanitary facilities and the safety of festival-goers. These areas must meet the needs of festival-goers while guaranteeing their comfort and safety.

Festival scenography has its own particularities compared with venues. Antoine Douillet gives us an overview of the main differences and the specific requirements for this type of event.

● Venue-related constraints
Theatres are designed to host performances, with adapted and permanent infrastructures. By contrast, festival venues are generally used for other purposes throughout the year and do not have dedicated logistical access. This calls for in-depth logistical thinking on a number of points, such as access to the venue: “How do you plan access without hindering the initial use of the venue during the set-up and dismantling phases?” asks Antoine. We also need to determine the most appropriate times to set up the show to avoid any nuisance and ensure that the site remains usable for its original purpose.

● Weather constraints
The weather is a crucial and unpredictable factor and remains “the sinews of war” for outdoor festivals, confirms the project manager. “It’s essential to provide technical facilities capable of withstanding bad weather to avoid cancellations”. Today, many festivals are equipped to meet these challenges, and the vast majority of their broadcasting and lighting equipment is water-resistant. Increasing attention is also being paid to the heat (structures guaranteeing shaded areas and plenty of water), which has become a real danger for festival-goers.

● Length of occupancy
Theatres welcome the public for shorter periods, but the venue lasts for several years. Paradoxically, festival-goers spend a longer time at a festival site, which then becomes a real living space, despite being temporary.

● Renewal and immersion
Festivals need to renew themselves every year to offer an immersive and unique experience. The relationship with time is different, festival-goers spend a lot of time at the site, so it’s important to vary the layout of the installations and the scenography from one year to the next to offer the public renewal. In venues, on the other hand, it’s mainly the performance that is renewed, while the infrastructure remains constant.

Technological advances and new economic perspectives are making festival infrastructures increasingly permanent. Antoine gives us his thoughts on these developments and their impact on event organisation.

● Permanent or semi-permanent infrastructures
More and more festivals are opting to install heavy infrastructure on a permanent or semi-permanent basis. “Rather than using semi-trailers of generators, fixed electrical networks are being installed, as is the case at many festivals.” These permanent installations, such as water inlets and electrical installations, make the venue capable of hosting other events throughout the year.

● Reuse and sharing of technical elements
“Given the short duration of festivals, it is becoming increasingly common to plan for the shared use of technical equipment”. This pooling encourages the design of infrastructure and equipment that can be reused by different festivals. This optimises costs and reduces the ecological footprint.

● Reuse and adaptation of sites, outside festivals
“It’s essential to think about how festival sites can be used outside of event periods. For example, a stage can be turned into a kindergarten for the rest of the year.” Imagining venues capable of adapting to different uses is essential, as shown by the example of the Horst festival in Belgium, where the main structure of the festival stage is transformed into a children’s park, sports ground and dance studio for the rest of the year.

In conclusion, festival scenography requires a combination of flexibility, innovation and rigorous management to meet the many technical and logistical challenges. By using increasingly sustainable infrastructures and a collaborative approach, festivals can offer immersive experiences while respecting environmental and economic constraints.