MIF Celebrates Increased Visitor Numbers

ATTENDANCE at MIF 2011 went up by four per cent from the previous event in 2009, as the city welcomed 231,598 vistors over the 17-day festival.

Fifty three per cent of the audience came from Greater Manchester, with 13 per cent coming from elsewhere in the North West and 36 per cent coming from the rest of UK and overseas. 2011 also saw the festival reaching new audiences with 64 per cent being first time attenders (compared to 56 per cent in 2009).

International attendance at the festival also increased by 126 per cent, as it attracted bookings from 51 different countries, compared to 33 in 2009.

"This year’s festival was a resounding success and shows it is going from strength to strength."

This year's festival was helped by its 14 international and national co-commissioners, as well as well-known mainstream headliners such as Snoop Dogg and Bjork, who debuted her latest album at MIF.

The festival did fall short on two of its targets, however, failing to reach it's target of 500 educational events - it managed 461 - and also missing its sponsorship target oif £2.6m by £300,000.

The city council also claims MIF was worth £37.6m to the local economy, although no breakdown of the figure is ever made available.

That was an increase on the £35.7m the festival was said to have brought in two years ago. The economic impact of each festival has risen every time. The figure is calculated by consultancy Morris Hargreaves McIntyre.

More than 4,000 people took part in the 2011 MIF Creative programme – compared to 2,683 in 2009.

383 volunteers took part in the festival’s volunteer programme – a 16 per cent increase on 2009.

The council is expected to sign off £2m of support for MIF 2013 later this month and festival director Alex Poots is already understood to have commissioned half a dozen shows for the next run.

Councillor Mike Amesbury, Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said: "This year’s festival was a resounding success and shows it is going from strength to strength despite the prevailing difficult economic climate.

"It makes a major contribution to Manchester’s economic and cultural life, and is underlining the city’s international reputation."

Alex Poots, festival director, said: "We are very grateful to the council for their unflagging support of the Festival. Their early and continued endorsement allows us to build relationships with other supporters and partners and has enabled the Festival to grow and flourish over three editions.

"We look forward to presenting ambitious new work to audiences from Manchester and beyond for many years to come."