Pitch’d Circus and Street Arts Festival by Circus Factory Cork ran for the 8th consecutive year but did not receive festival funding for this year (2025). That means no budget for marketing, PR, artists, people, renting. Everything that goes into running a festival.

The already stretched Arts Grant Funding and Cork City Council funding was stretched even further to make the festival happen. Here is a good time to thank the circus community and friends of Circus Factory for showing up and donating their time and skills to make this festival 1) happen and 2) one of the best yet.

Where money could be found, it went to necessities for the festival. Regarding marketing and PR, I was the budget. I manage all marketing and communications for Circus Factory Cork on a part-time basis and take on the dual role of Festival Marketing Manager when Pitch’d comes back around.

Marketing a Festival Without a Budget

With no budget, you need to get creative and rely on your own skillset who you know and what resources do you already have at your disposal. Pitch’d Circus and Street Arts Festival belongs to Circus Factory Cork which operates all year round. We already have an engaged audience to tap into. I integrated Pitch’d Festival into the Circus Factory marketing to engage out existing community. On top of this:

• I looked into media partnerships

• Had lots of partner conversations

• Designed and managed the Pitch'd website

• Created and managed tickets on ticketing platforms

• Wrote a lot of press releases

• Recruited an intern and mentored

• Wrote focused newsletters, to name a few.

All while still managing the usual Circus Factory activities like setting up workshops, preparing links and marketing for the new adult term, newsletters, social media etc.

I secured radio partnerships with Cork's 96fm and C103fm, print partnerships with Cork Independent. Got press releases published on Yay Cork, Craving Cork, Echo Live, Cork Beo and we even saw bits on the Irish Examiner.

Over 2,000 people attended the opening weekend of Pitch'd Festival. Over 800 people at the Community Fire Show at Marina Park alone.

P.S On top of marketing and PR, I also hosted the Pitch'd Festival Gala.