Ariano Folk Festival

We had a chat with the organizers of the now-historic Ariano Folk Festival.

Twenty years is no small feat; we certainly hadn't foreseen such longevity. Obviously, in 20 years the festival has changed considerably in every respect, thanks to the experience we've built up and the research we've done in the field. At this point we don't set ourselves specific goals: we've gained enough experience to keep improving and to further refine the organizational machine.

Twenty years of the Festival in the same place means, I think, first and foremost great empathy with the local Council. Have you always had full support in that regard?

Ours is an apolitical, independent association, so our relationship with the institutions is direct and transparent. Over twenty years several different administrations have come and gone, and we haven't always had adequate support, but over time the festival's specific weight has made the difference, so, as always, we're optimistic about the near future.

This year's line-up also offers several gems, Calexico above all. What kind of criteria do you use to put together the line-up and choose the guests?

We believe ours is a fairly standard approach, in line with that of the European festivals we regularly attend. We scout out bands we consider suitable, travelling more or less everywhere to see them live, and then we bring them into our context. This year the watchword of the Ariano Folk Festival is frontier, and what better band than Calexico?

Is there a particular edition or a single date you're especially proud of?

All of them, obviously for various reasons, but I think the 2007 edition left a mark on all of us. I remember we closed that edition on a Tuesday, which could have been an unfavourable day, but we hosted Gogol Bordello, who were still largely unknown at the time, and their explosive live show was, we believe, unforgettable for us and especially for the audience there that night.

What kind of obstacles do you encounter every year in organizing the festival, in its many different aspects?

Well, the dynamics have changed completely over twenty years, from logistics to bureaucracy, from dealings with booking agencies to technical requirements — in short, plenty of extra problems that by now we manage to solve. The biggest difficulties we find are mainly in our dealings with regional institutions, which most of the time don't assess the real specific weight of these events (economic impact, growth of the area, cultural value, etc.) but rather political colour and personal connections, which is rather deplorable.

What kind of audience does the Ariano Folk Festival have? Have you noticed — beyond the numbers, which it would be great if you could share — any significant changes in your target audience?

The Ariano Folk Festival audience is truly enviable: it's made up of all kinds of people, all smiling, from every social background, ranging in age from 5 to 100. I invite everyone to observe it, it's quite a sight. With 20,000 attendees a year, we're fully satisfied, and that figure is also crucial in letting us look to the future with hope.

Which guests do you hope to bring in the future — even in a world made purely of dreams?

Franco Battiato, Will Holland (Quantic), Calle 13, Tom Waits, and I think I'll stop there. Imagination has no borders...

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