Festival Press Kits That Teach Editors: Why Depth Earns Better Coverage

Why Press Kits Need to Teach Editors

In today’s crowded festival landscape, cultural festivals stand out when their stories go beyond the typical “food and music” headline. Editors and journalists often cover dozens of events, and many press releases sound alike. The difference-maker is a press kit that educates and intrigues. Festival producers who treat their media kits as teaching tools — providing context, pronunciation guides, and compelling cultural narratives — empower editors to write richer, more accurate stories. The result? Coverage that captures the true spirit of the festival, rather than just scratching the surface.

This guide shares seasoned advice on crafting festival press kits that teach editors about your event’s cultural depth. From introducing the lineage of your artists to offering guided tours with community elders, these strategies have been used by successful festival organisers across the globe. Whether you produce a small local heritage fair or an international cultural expo, the following insights will help you secure press coverage that does justice to your festival’s unique story.

Provide Pronunciation, Lineage, and Cultural Context

One practical way to educate editors is by anticipating what they don’t know about your artists and traditions. Include phonetic pronunciation guides for artist names, cultural terms, or festival features that might be unfamiliar. For example, if your festival in New Zealand features a M?ori kapa haka group, list it as “kapa haka (pronounced KAH-pah HAH-kah)” so writers and broadcasters get it right. Festival press kits for world music events like WOMAD have excelled at this — introducing audiences to artists such as Huun-Huur-Tu (pronounced “HOON-HOOR-TOO”) from Tuva or Gamelan Çudamani from Bali, complete with notes on how to say their names and which culture they represent. Such details prevent mistakes and show respect for the cultures involved.

Beyond names, share the lineage and background of featured artists and performances. Give editors the story behind the talent:

• Heritage and origin: Explain where an artist or group comes from and the tradition they carry. For instance, note that a dance troupe is from Rajasthan in India and has performed the Kalbelia folk dance for generations, or that a singer is from an Indigenous community in Australia with a rich storytelling tradition.
• Notable lineage: If an artist has a compelling lineage or mentor, mention it. (“Master drummer Yacouba’s family has passed down this craft for 300 years,” or “She is a protégé of the late legendary flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía.”) These facts pique interest and lend credibility.
• Cultural context: Briefly describe what makes the art form or cuisine special. If your cultural festival in Mexico features a Mayan chocolate-making demonstration, explain the ritual significance of chocolate in Mayan culture. If an Italian heritage festival showcases a tarantella dance, mention its folk origins and lively role in community festivals.

By providing this context in the press kit (often as a backgrounder or artist bios), you turn your media materials into a mini cultural primer. Editors appreciate ready-made insights they can weave into their stories. In the UK, for example, the organisers of the London Mela (an annual South Asian festival) include explanations of Bollywood song lyrics and the history of bhangra music alongside artist profiles. This means reporters can confidently convey the meaning behind the performances, not just list names on a lineup. In the United States, the producers of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival prepare detailed programme books and media notes on each cultural participant, which has led to articles rich with facts about traditions from Mongolian throat singing to Appalachian quilting. When editors have these cultural nuggets at their fingertips, their coverage naturally becomes more informative and engaging.

Offer Captioned Photos and Rights-Cleared Clips

Every editor loves great visuals — especially when they come ready to use. A strong festival press kit will offer a selection of captioned photographs and short video clips that bring the event to life. The key is to make them easy and safe for media to publish.

Photos: Provide high-resolution images of your festival’s highlights: performers in traditional attire, vibrant crowd scenes, beautiful venue shots, etc. Caption each photo with who or what is shown, the location, and the name of your event. For example: “Flamenco dancers from the 2023 Seville Feria de Abril performing on the main stage (Photo by Juan Perez, courtesy of Feria de Abril Festival).” These captions save journalists time — they can literally copy-paste the description into their article or photo gallery, ensuring accuracy. When the California-based Día de los Muertos Festival shares press photos, they include captions explaining the symbolism of the altars and costumes, so news stories mention those details instead of just “colourful costumes”.

Just as crucial, clear the rights to these images. Explicitly state in your press kit that media outlets have permission to use the provided photos (with credit). This might involve obtaining releases from photographers and artists ahead of time, but it pays off. A travel magazine in Singapore or a news site in Germany is far more likely to feature your Indian classical dance festival if they have stunning images on hand and written permission to publish them. In contrast, if an editor has to chase permissions or find generic stock images, they might skip the story altogether.

Video clips: In the digital age, giving editors a short clip (with rights cleared for press use) can set your festival apart. A 30-second clip of a drumming circle or a snippet of a cooking demonstration can be golden for online articles and TV segments. For instance, the Rainforest World Music Festival in Malaysian Borneo provides B-roll footage of its rainforest stage and indigenous musicians to media outlets. As a result, TV news features about the festival often show those dramatic scenes of dancers in tribal attire beneath the jungle canopy. Even smaller festivals can do this on a budget: record a quick welcome message from a notable artist or a preview of performers rehearsing. Just ensure you have the artist’s consent and any music in the clip won’t trigger copyright issues. Label clips clearly with captions like “30-second clip: Haka performers at Pasifika Festival Auckland (rights cleared for media use).”

By supplying readily usable visuals:

• You make life easier for editors and producers (which they love).
• You control the narrative through captions that emphasise cultural context.
• Your festival’s coverage becomes more eye-catching – readers are drawn to stories with vivid photos or videos, meaning your event gets more attention.

Pitch Angles Beyond “Food and Music”

Most cultural festivals feature delicious food and wonderful music — and of course you’ll mention those. However, to truly capture an editor’s interest, go beyond the obvious. Think about the deeper stories your festival can tell, and pitch those angles in your press communications.

Ask yourself: what is unique or meaningful about this event that a journalist can latch onto? Some angle ideas:

• Heritage Preservation: Emphasise if your festival is helping to preserve a fading tradition. For example, a press pitch for a Japanese cultural festival in São Paulo might highlight that it’s keeping alive the art of taiko drumming among Brazilian-born youth. That’s a compelling story of cultural preservation across continents.
• Community and Identity: Is your festival a point of pride for a certain community? The Notting Hill Carnival in London, for instance, isn’t just a parade of costumes and music; it’s a celebration of Afro-Caribbean heritage and resilience. Media angles that discuss how Carnival emerged from the Caribbean immigrant community’s history in Britain add depth beyond the spectacle. Similarly, Australia’s Byron Bay Bluesfest underscores cultural respect by incorporating a Welcome to Country – a traditional Indigenous welcome ceremony – at its opening. Bluesfest’s press releases prominently mention this ritual, so coverage in Australian media often notes the festival’s respect for Aboriginal heritage as an integral part of the event, not just the concerts.
• Unusual or Surprising Pairings: If your event brings together cultures or art forms in a novel way, spotlight that. A case in point: at a recent festival in New York, traditional Garifuna musicians from Central America jammed with jazz artists — a fusion that got press attention for its originality. Similarly, Mexico’s prestigious Festival Cervantino often pairs international artists with local traditions (like a classical orchestra playing alongside Indigenous musicians), giving arts reporters a rich cross-cultural narrative to write about.
• Personal Journeys: Human-interest stories captivate editors. Maybe one of your featured artists has a remarkable journey — a refugee-turned-chef who now shares her homeland’s cuisine, or a young dancer who learned an ancient dance from their grandmother. Share these narratives in your press kit or pitch. Editors may choose to profile that individual as a way to cover the festival. For example, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival (formerly Caribana) once pitched a story about a mother-daughter duo designing Carnival costumes, underlining themes of family and cultural inheritance.
• Impact and Social Relevance: If your festival addresses contemporary issues or has a social impact angle, bring it forward. Does the festival promote sustainability, like using biodegradable serveware or solar-powered stages? Is it part of a city’s post-pandemic cultural revitalisation? Such angles can attract news features or even business press. The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, for example, garnered press by highlighting its programme on sustainable farming and zero-waste cooking, tapping into a broader food industry conversation.

When crafting your press release or talking to journalists, tailor the angle to the outlet. A music blog might love the story of how your festival unearthed a forgotten folk instrument, while a travel magazine might be intrigued that your rural festival is drawing visitors off the beaten path. Festival producers like Peter Gabriel of WOMAD have long understood the power of a good story: WOMAD’s communications often stress its mission of cultural exchange and peace through music, which has led to features in international media far beyond the music pages.

Finally, don’t shy away from educational angles. If your cultural festival offers workshops (dance lessons, craft making, language classes), pitch it as an immersive travel/cultural experience, not just entertainment. A well-rounded press kit for a cultural festival in India might say, “Beyond performances, guests can learn hands-on Kolam rangoli art from local masters,” which gives journalists a hook to write about learning and cultural exchange, not just watching and eating.

Host Press Tours Led by Culture Carriers

One way to guarantee deeper coverage is to let journalists experience the culture first-hand under expert guidance. Consider hosting a press tour or preview event led by culture carriers – respected individuals who embody the traditions at the heart of your festival. This could be an elder, a master artist, a community leader, or a knowledgeable curator who can explain the significance behind what the press is seeing.

For example, suppose you run a folk culture festival in Ireland. You might invite a handful of journalists a day early for a guided tour of the festival site, led by your music director who is also a renowned folk fiddler. As they walk from stage to stage, he might demonstrate a fiddle tune and share the history of Irish céilís (social dances), or introduce the press to craftsmen in the market area who are making traditional instruments on-site. This kind of interactive crash course equips journalists with anecdotes and understanding that they can’t get from a standard press release.

Some tips for effective culture-led press tours:

• Keep it intimate: A small group (perhaps 5-10 media guests) allows for questions and personal interaction. It’s easier to coordinate and feels special, increasing the chance that each outlet gives you coverage.
• Highlight behind-the-scenes elements: Perhaps let them watch a rehearsal, or visit artisans preparing their booths. In 2019, journalists covering a festival in Kyoto were invited to observe geisha preparing for a performance – a rarely seen process that became the focus of several articles.
• Use authentic voices: Ensure the person leading the tour or the people they meet are deeply connected to the culture. At a Maori arts festival in New Zealand, the press tour might be led by a M?ori elder who can speak to the meaning of a welcome ceremony. At the Santa Fe Indian Market in the U.S., organisers have arranged for Native artists to talk journalists through the symbolism in their paintings and jewelry. These authentic voices resonate in the journalists’ writing.
• Logistics count: Coordinate timing so that tours don’t conflict with press deadlines or key festival moments. Provide easy transport, and maybe a taste of the festival food or hospitality as part of the tour. A comfortable, well-managed experience puts everyone in a positive frame of mind.

The payoff from these efforts can be significant. When journalists truly grasp the cultural significance of your event, they write with enthusiasm and insight. A shining example comes from the Smithsonian Folklife Festival: reporters who took advantage of behind-the-scenes access have produced vivid stories, such as the tale of Malian craftsmen (“mud men”) building a traditional mud-wall gateway on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The press, having spoken directly with these artisans and festival staff, described their trials with unfamiliar rainy weather and even noted how the technical director bought them all boots when their footwear proved inadequate. That level of detail and human interest made the article stand out and conveyed the festival’s authenticity (festival.si.edu) (festival.si.edu). Similarly, journalists who joined a guided walk through a Diaspora community at a Canadian multicultural festival got to hear personal stories from community elders — their eventual articles read more like compelling travelogues than generic event coverage.

Depth Earns Better Coverage

All these tactics boil down to a simple principle: the deeper the well of information and experiences you offer, the better your media coverage will be. Festivals that embrace this find their press clippings not only multiply but improve in quality. Instead of a paragraph in the local events roundup, you might get a full-page feature with photos in the Sunday edition, or a thoughtful review in an arts journal that captures the soul of your event.

Consider the difference in outcomes. A basic press kit might yield a few listings that say, “The XYZ Cultural Festival will have food, music, and dancing this weekend.” But a rich, educational press kit can inspire coverage where the headline reads, “How a Tiny Village Festival in Spain Revived a Dying Language” or “Meet the Master Chefs Preserving Mexico’s Culinary Heritage at XYZ Festival.” These kinds of stories happen when you’ve given journalists depth — they have material to write a story, not just an announcement.

Real-world success stories abound. The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival has attracted feature articles in global outlets by emphasising its history of emancipation and cultural fusion, often provided through detailed media packets and knowledgeable spokespeople. A small town flamenco festival in Spain gained international press when editors learned (from the press kit) that it was the first in the region to feature Roma (Gypsy) and non-Roma performers on equal footing — a narrative of social progress. And when the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (while primarily an arts festival) opened a special programme highlighting Indigenous performers from around the world, their media team provided cultural context and artist backstories; it resulted in richer reviews and even documentary coverage by the BBC.

Seasoned festival producers from Mexico to Malaysia will attest that investing effort in press materials strengthens your festival’s brand in the long run. It not only boosts ticket sales through better publicity, but also positions your festival as a culturally important event. Sponsors and funders notice when a festival garners thoughtful coverage in esteemed media. Attendees, too, often come across these articles and feel more excited to attend, knowing the event has substance.

In short, depth earns better coverage. By teaching editors about your festival’s cultural significance, you transform them from passive reporters into enthusiastic storytellers. They, in turn, pass that rich storytelling on to their readers, listeners, or viewers, raising the profile of your festival. It’s a virtuous cycle: the more context and authenticity you provide, the more compelling and widespread your media exposure becomes.

Key Takeaways

• Educate through your press kit: Don’t assume editors know the culture – provide pronunciation guides, translations, and background for every important name, term, and tradition.
• Supply media-ready assets: Include high-quality photos (with informative captions and credits) and short videos or audio clips that press can use freely. Make it as easy as possible for outlets to cover your festival with engaging visuals.
• Pitch compelling stories, not just events: Identify what makes your festival culturally unique or newsworthy – heritage, community impact, personal stories, innovative mash-ups – and highlight those angles in your media outreach.
• Engage cultural insiders for press outreach: Involve cultural experts or community leaders in press events or interviews. A guided tour or Q&A led by a culture bearer can give journalists richer insight (and great quotes) that translate into better articles.
• Depth = better media coverage: Ultimately, the more depth and authenticity you offer, the more likely editors will give your festival serious, positive coverage. Investing time in educating the media is investing in your festival’s long-term success.