A Swedish Perspective
Jennie Turner Operations Manager at the International Science Festival in Göteborg www.vetenskapsfestivalen.se
Is it possible to move the festivals to a virtual space? What are the pros and cons of such a solution? Is it a good idea to use social media not only as a marketing tool, but also as a tool to transfer knowledge? Will it allow us to have a new formula of a scientific event with a new group of receivers, or should we rather see it as a threat to a more traditional approach? Can we use our „old ways and ideas” to promote science and knowledge solely on the Internet? As we see it in Gothenburg, we think the future will be both digital and physical. By being digital we have enormous opportunities to do things that are not possible IRL. It will also open doors to people who for a variety of reasons won’t be able to come to a festival. It can be physical, geographical or other reasons that may prohibit a visit. In that aspect, a digital festival will be more inclusive – and perhaps more creative, given we take the chance to think outside the box. What we feel is important, though, is not losing the interactive part. We think certain concepts and content are more desirable live. That in itself might even be a reason for not streaming and spreading those particular meeting places – what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas… With a well-thought-out mix of digital and physical meeting places, we believe we can reach further, meet new target groups and widen our offer.
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Science Communication in the New Reality. How to organise science festivals after the coronavirus pandemic?
