Focus on World Festivals: Contemporary case studies and perspectives provides the reader with a contemporary overview of festival activity from around the world based on over 30 case studies drawn from every continent. Through its case-study focus this book can be utilised in several ways; to examine different types and genres of festivals across the world; to consider in detail specific festivals in specific contexts; to look at management and organisational issues in festival provision, and to illustrate debates and theories pertaining to festivals throughout the world. This book is a companion to 'Focus on Festivals', it is written by a varied mix of academics, practitioners and cultural commentators. It expands many of the central themes and issues to reach a global understanding of festivals. The key themes this book discusses are: * The nature of festivals, festivalisation and the growth of festival provision around the world * Interest in festival’s potential economic, social, place-making and political impacts * Festivals as ‘glocal’ players * The relationship between festivals and tourism * The management and business of festivals in different locations responding to differing social, political and market contexts * The role of festivals in identity making *Festivals as sites of participation, co-creation and experiences It is a dynamic and indispensable text for students in arts and festivals management, events, tourism, creative industries, cultural and public policy, music industry and management courses as well as for festival and events managers, public authorities and existing and potential sponsors. Through the variety of festivals illustrated in this book, the reader will discover that much about the nature of festivals crosses borders, they are a recognisable and growing part of societal and cultural delivery around the globe; their impacts, economic, social and cultural are a major driver in their development; their popularity with audiences, arts organisations and performers is undiminished in this ever-expanding cultural phenomenon of festivals..