US GB Feasibility Study RLF 12-12

NORTH AMERICAN CHRISTIAN ARTS,
MUSIC AND JUSTICE FESTIVAL
FEASIBILITY STUDY
ROBIN FILLMORE, PhD

SOJOURNERS
DECEMBER 10, 2007
PATRICK MCNAMARA, CONSULTANT

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY CONSULTING
NOVEMBER 30, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary.............................................................................. .......................3
Strategic Overview................................................................................................. ......5
Our Approach: Open Source Design, Prayer and Research.........................................................................5

Mission & Ethos: Authentic, Diverse & Engaging.......................................................................................6
Business Definition.......................................................................................................................................7
Design Overview: Transformational ............................................................................................................7
Uniqueness: A New Space in The Christian Landscape...............................................................................8
Commonalities: Embodied Social Movements............................................................................................9
Key Success Factors...................................................................................................................................10
Partners: Who Will Shape This...................................................................................................................13
Festival Design................................................................................................ ...........14
Key Components........................................................................................................................................14
Audience.....................................................................................................................................................16
Potential Locations.....................................................................................................................................18
Potential Date and Name............................................................................................................................21
Festival Connections: Ongoing Engagement..............................................................................................22
Marketing.................................................................................................... ...............23
Market Segmentation .................................................................................................................................23

Sustainable Competitive Advantage...........................................................................................................24
Outreach & Media......................................................................................................................................28
Operations...................................................................................... ...........................30
Governance.................................................................................................................................................30
Management...............................................................................................................................................30
Logistics......................................................................................................................................................31
Financial Management...................................................................... .........................31
Funding.......................................................................................................................................................31
Financials....................................................................................................................................................32
Next Steps................................................................................................................. .34
Conclusion.................................................................................................................. 34
Notes, Appendices, References................................................................ ..................35
Feasibility Study | Page 2

FEASIBILITY STUDY
NORTH AMERICAN CHRISTIAN ARTS, MUSIC AND JUSTICE
FESTIVAL:
A NEW SPACE IN THE CHRISTIAN LANDSCAPE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• A number of leaders engaged in faith and social justice and in fresh expressions of
Christianity have over the past two decades attended, led innovative worship
services and spoken at the Greenbelt Festival in the United Kingdom. Greenbelt is a
progressive Christian music, arts, faith and justice festival that draws 20,000 people
annually to a highly participatory event, engaging faith in today’s culture.
• From conversations that started at Greenbelt, a momentum began to build – calling

for a similar festival in North America. From one such dialogue, a small group
including Jim and Joy Wallis and Brian McLaren decided to explore the possibilities.
They successfully applied for a grant from Trinity Wall Street to explore the feasibility
of a North American festival.
• This report is a result of the Trinity grant to explore the feasibility of a Greenbelt-type
festival in North America where the religious landscape and multi-cultural
environment is significantly different from that of Britain. A consultant was hired by
Sojourners, the grant recipient, to facilitate the study and write this report. Much of
the work was done with a diverse design team as is detailed below
• When we began the feasibility study, having heard stories of how other festivals had
lost money in the first years, we thought the most important thing to focus on was the
hard numbers – how many porta-potties will we need, how much will insurance cost,
how much will it take to reach our audience through magazines? We thought these
details alone would make or break the festival.
• What we found is that virtually nothing exists to bring together young adults, who
happen to be Christian, in a way that’s fully engaged in today’s diverse, creative
culture. They yearn for connection with God and with each other. They want to learn
how to engage their faith and social justice work in practical ways. And, they want to
deepen their spirituality and get to know others different from them.
• Churches aren’t reaching them – only 15% go to church. (see note 3) Traditional
approaches that talk at them turn them off. They dislike the inauthenticity of
Christian music festivals that exist to entertain and sell music. They yearn for ways to
connect the faith their parents gave them with the needs of the hurting world. They
want to be totally present with God in a space that, like today’s urban culture, is
vibrant and creative.

• In addition to a sound business plan, what will make or break the festival is engaging
this unreached group, building a social network that they want to be a part of and
finding authentic ways to offer the diversity, creativity and connection that they yearn
for in a space that happens to be Christian.
• Will they find out about the festival through typical advertisements in magazines and
on radio? Probably not. It will be on someone’s facebook wall and then in a few
emails or IMs and then someone will eventually ask them if they’re going. Or, maybe
the music director at a very creative congregation will take the initiative to bring her
choir. Or, maybe they’ll hear about it from a respected musician or author on a web
banner on some random website that they visit often.
• Sure they want the latest music… and great speakers (who use a workshop
approach and tell their story). And if it’s a little too rustic or has too many choices?
That’s okay. It’s all part of the (transformative) experience. It’s worth it.
• In the past six months, we have created a design team, held focus groups,
conducted a retreat and tested our design in an online survey. We interviewed “key
influencers” and began to develop a very diverse network of support for the festival.
• We also crunched numbers in the expected due diligence of formulating budgets,

examining market potential, assessing audience size and calculating breakeven at
four possible sites. We used the methodology in Blue Ocean Strategy: How to
Create Uncontested Market Space (Harvard Business School Press, 2005) to refine
a value curve that creates a “new space” in the Christian landscape.
• This feasibility study considers what must be accomplished to create a successful

Christian arts, music, and justice festival. Our recommendation is based on the
ability to achieve six key success factors that are discussed in this study.
• Adopt the ethos proposed by the design team
• Secure partnerships that support the festival
• Ensure diversity and inclusion
• Facilitate authentic transformation
• Engage in social justice issues
• Uphold the unique identity of the festival
• Our conclusion, as you will see below is that building diverse, supportive
partnerships at many levels and growing a social network, starting with a strong
cadre of volunteers, is what will bring the festival into being.

STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
In May 2007, Sojourners received a grant from the Trinity Grants program of
Trinity Church, Wall Street. The purpose of the grant was to conduct a
feasibility study on creating a festival that would further the spiritual
development of young adults and help them connect spirituality to the needs
of the world. The proposed event would be based on the Greenbelt festival in
the United Kingdom, which attracted 20,000 people last year
(www.greenbelt.org.uk). Greenbelt’s format is a music festival that includes
preaching, teaching, and opportunities for reflection and community building.
While the majority of U.S. Christian music festivals exclusively target

evangelical youth, this festival will serve moderate and progressive Christians
from a wide variety of cultural, theological and ethnic backgrounds, and will
feature speakers and workshops on integrating personal faith and a range of
social justice concerns. We anticipate starting with a manageable and
sustainable event that could be scaled up over time. Festival participants
would have an opportunity to remain in contact with each other and the
festival organization through the Internet and local/regional gatherings.
As a starting point, the specific parameters we began with were to

• Target young adults (16-39)
• Be decidedly Christian
• Focus both on personal faith and connecting faith to the world
• Attract a minimum of 1,200 paying participants, and
• Breakeven in the first year.
OUR APPROACH: OPEN SOURCE DESIGN, PRAYER AND RESEARCH

• Design. Our business consultant decided to use open source design methodology in
creating the festival concept because it would allow a broad, diverse group of people
to create the festival based on what attendees want. It also begins to grow a social
network of support for the festival. The open source model involves customers in
product or program design. It is a participative approach that enables a variety of
agendas and priorities to be considered at the same time and then decisions are
made collectively or by consensus. Because there was no one person or
organization directing the project or making decisions, this methodology worked well
and resulted in a rich and diverse design.
• With open source as a framework, the consultant began to speak with opinion
leaders who might have an interest in creating the festival. Starting with names
suggested at a Trinity Wall Street consultation on young adult ministry, the consultant

had a number of conversations that led to an initial design team of ten members and
final design team of eight members: half people of color, half white, half women, half
men with an age demographic similar to what we expect at the festival: half in their
20’s, one-third in their 30’s and the remainder over 40.
• Prayer and discernment was and continues to be part of the process of creating the
festival. All meetings begin and end in prayer… and major decisions are made
through prayer and discernment. In this way, we are living out our faith as we work
and grow together. The design team’s hope is that at each phase of the project the
leadership will ensure worship and discernment is an integral part of the process.
That way, once we reach the festival, participants are more likely to experience a
strong connection to God and with each other as they engage in worship and
programming because this has been established in the “spiritual DNA” of the project.
• Research. A series of focus groups involving 100 leaders, a retreat of the design
team, interviews of 40 opinion leaders, and an online survey with over 200 diverse
respondents have all influenced the festival design and informed the feasibility study.
In general, we used a strength-based, qualitative research methodology, which
allowed for rich participation from people with divergent views and experiences. The
interviews and online survey used an “appreciative inquiry” approach as a basis and
the focus groups used a facilitated, participatory model. Ultimately, a design emerged
from an analysis of themes and a cumulative conversation of all inputs.
• Findings. Through this process of design, prayer and research, we learned several
things:
• The diversity of the design team led to a high level of creativity and learning.
• Ensuring participation of people in the desired age demographic led to a design
that is appealing to that age group (18-39).
• We were not successful in engaging 16 and 17 year olds and realize that this will
need to be done in the next phase through church youth leaders and national
denominational youth offices, ensuring “safe church” guidelines are in place that
ensure a positive, age-appropriate experience for these youth.
• The many past experiences and experiments of design team members and
research participants gave us grounded knowledge to create a more solid
design. (See Appendix E for sample focus group findings.)
• Norms of participation and leadership style differed based on religious tradition.
Developing an ethos provided a common language to express the group’s
intentions for leadership and participation.
• Through this research, it became evident that there is a hunger for a festival that
is transformative, engaging, and joyful – and that demonstrates a new Christian
ethos.
MISSION & ETHOS: AUTHENTIC, DIVERSE & ENGAGING

• Mission. Through discernment of the design team and through extensive interviews,

common and compelling themes emerged for the gathering. The implicit mission is:
“This festival will provide a space and offerings that deepen the spiritual growth of
young adults (ages 16-39), connect faith and justice, and provide inspiration and
energy for fresh expressions of Christianity in today’s world.”
• Ethos. The design team formulated a set of principles that articulates a new
Christian ethos, which makes this festival different from other Christian offerings.
These principles also served as the foundation for the planning team’s interactions.
In order for the festival to maintain its uniqueness and offer a transformative,
authentic, and engaging event, it is recommended that all levels of the festival project
operate according to these principles summarized below and detailed in Appendix A.
• Work together in community and by consensus
• Ensure diversity in every aspect of the work
• Be generous in all we do – a gift economy
• Prioritize creativity and model inventive alternatives
• Minimize impact on the earth
• Participate intentionally and authentically
• Celebrate, have fun
• Recognize that our common work is an act of worship
BUSINESS DEFINITION
• Business Definition. In defining “what business we’re in” – we are both in the
“spiritual growth business” and also in the “spiritual activism business”, using
the word spiritual because it is more common (than religious) with this age group (of
whom only 15% attend church regularly – see note 3). Spiritual activism is relatively
new term; it refers to an approach to social justice work that has love, compassion,
relationships and some form of spiritual practice at its core (balanced with strategy
and passion).
• Given this business definition, other groups working toward the same ends include:
• Pilgrimages/mission trips,
• Church retreats/young-adult events,
• Meditation/yoga retreats,
• Traditional social justice & faith activities, and to some extent
• Christian music festivals.
These similar offerings will be discussed further in the marketing section (see
value curve on page 25).
DESIGN OVERVIEW: TRANSFORMATIONAL

• The event is designed to be transformational, welcoming, diverse and authentic: a
place where people can be themselves, connect deeply with others who are
different, and explore what God has in store for them.
• Using input from the focus groups, the planning team developed a festival design
that included six key elements infused with the ethos mentioned above.
• Art & Creativity – lots of good music, visual arts, dance, poetry slams,
participatory activities
• Justice & Mission – engagement with issues such as poverty, war and peace,
race, the environment, and immigration
• Worship – new and emerging forms of worship, denominational offerings,
services from the variety of cultures in North America, and festival-wide services
• Spirituality – centering practices and disciplines that deepen spiritual life
• Community – all ages are welcome into the community - with an emphasis on
young adults, there will also be intentional spaces for kids, teens and families
• Learning – allowing participants to teach one another “how-to__” (they fill in the
blanks), interactive workshops with noted experts, theology basics, learning
commons (a place to integrate what you’ve learned)
UNIQUENESS: A NEW SPACE IN THE CHRISTIAN LANDSCAPE

• By focusing on feedback from those in their 20’s and by working with the trend of
an increasingly diverse and connected society, our goal is to create an event and
to fuel a movement that will build up and emulate the church as it could be in 25
years: a positive view for the future:
o Diverse – racial diversity, theological diversity, gender balance
o Focus on engaging faith and social justice
o Radical hospitality and sense of welcome for all
o A transformational event with ways to foster ongoing connections
o Focus on young adults ages 16-39, and meeting them where they are
• These elements describe an ethos that is already present in this generation – a

way of being and working with each other that reflects the future. The festival is
unique in that it facilitates a flourishing of this ethos and gathers young,
progressive Christians into a space where they can find each other and create
support for who they are. When we say progressive, we mean people who are
progressive or creative in their own context. So, a progressive Baptist might
have different views than a progressive Episcopalian. The similarity is that each
is moving forward a new culture – a fresh expression of Christianity for today’s
world.

COMMONALITIES: EMBODIED SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
• We modeled the festival after two annual events that are, each in its own way,
shifting culture and offering something new in the spiritual landscape: Greenbelt
and Burning Man. At each of these festivals, participants engage fully, with
sensory experiences of spirituality in a liminal space – “in-between” time, space,
and norms – radically different than participants’ day-to-day world. This provides
conditions for personal transformation.
• In addition to facilitating personal transformation, these two festivals are typical of

a new type of movement – engaging participants by connecting to something
larger than oneself. This new type of social movement goes beyond networks,
action and rhetoric and incorporates spirituality, the senses, rhythm (movement
and rest) and extreme creativity – allowing for the possibility of grace, or
becoming something new, growing out of a synthesis of what might seem chaotic
at first (see note 1).
• Greenbelt
o Christian, progressive, fresh expressions of Christianity for today’s culture
o Very similar to the model we are proposing as it combines music, art,
social justice, green living and faith
o Tangible sense of participation – accessibility of speakers, musicians,
artists to engage those who attend and want more
o Draws a wide range of participants – families, teens, older adults, singles,
groups of friends
o Sense of community is perpetuated throughout the event as people meet
and get to know one another in camping areas, at concerts, in informal
gathering areas, and in sharing communion
o Excellent use of volunteers, well managed, on-site installation
o Drew over 20,000 people this year – many of whom were “trying on”
Christianity for the first time and many who have come to see Greenbelt
as their only church
o Highlights offerings from a wide range of Christian groups who have a
presence at the festival. If participants are affiliated with a group, they can
find them. They can also find brochures on various organizations or speak
with a representative from a group or connect with others from a
particular denomination or group.
• Burning Man
o Similar in that it is an intentional community, moving culture forward
o Forms annually, drawing nearly 50,000 people, and continues throughout
the year regionally at smaller gatherings of 500-5,000.
o Good use of volunteers, strong ethos, individual agency
o Unique elements that make it transformational include encouraging past

participants to discuss the ethos of the festival with new participants
before arriving, sending the ethos/principles of the festival to participants
two weeks in advance of the festival, and a ritual for newcomers marking
entry to the festival for the first time.
o Unique elements that build community are camps set up as a village,
where most people have a home camp community. Each camp does at
least one service project (volunteer) for the larger community and each
camp makes at least three offerings (e.g. workshop, a meal, etc.) to the
wider community. While we won’t copy this model, we might learn from
the community service and sense of generosity that contributes to the
transformational experience of Burning Man.
o Shared experience such as an event at the temple attended by 20,000
people who were in silence for 15 minutes also create a sense of
community and allowed each person to draw on their own spirituality.
• The hope of the design team is that the annual event would not only be
transformational on a personal level for participants, it would also connect them
with local or regional individuals, spiritual communities and events that would
further the connections, fresh expressions of Christianity and spiritual growth that
they experienced at the festival.
KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
• Adopt the ethos. The festival was designed by a diverse group of people mainly
in their 20’s & 30’s. The group was half people of color, half white, half women,
half men and because of this diversity, the resulting design was very creative and
indicative of the target audience would like to see in a festival. They articulated a
new Christian ethos. In order for the festival to be successful with this young
adult audience, the team managing and overseeing the project will need to
support the ethos set forth by the design team. Some of the key elements are:
o Diversity & Inclusion. The online survey and interviews confirmed the
desire for a diverse festival as 67% value a diverse, multicultural
experience and connecting with others different from themselves. In
order to get a diverse audience, representative diversity must be present
at every level of the project. That is, having a board and management
team that is as diverse as the design team gives us credibility among
minority constituents so they will pay attention to the project and consider
participating. Specifically, this means 35-50% people of color, half women,
and half men in leadership. The leadership composition must be diverse
from the start – this is a prerequisite for minority participation in the
festival.
o Team effort, shared leadership. Because people from diverse ethnic

and theological backgrounds will be working together - shared,

collaborative leadership is essential in order for all voices to be heard and
be considered in decision-making. A leadership style with clear roles and
responsibilities that empowers those involved and inspires creativity and
high-quality work is key. This also keeps us up-to-date with current trends
in non-profit management.
o Radical hospitality. All are invited to the festival with a profound sense of
welcome. We expect that every person will come as they are – complete
with gifts to share and past experiences that will shape their expectations.
And, we expect that mutual respect will be given for every person and in
every conversation.
• Secure Partnerships that Support the Festival – The success of moving this
plan to implementation depends on the capacity to secure a minimum level of
support at various stages, leading up to the event – proposed for summer 2009.
o Organizational partners must be sought to support the event financially

and programmatically, following the model suggested by Greenbelt UK.
In addition to financial support, partner organizations provide
programming and shape to the event by holding a seat on the board of
directors. A number of potential partners have already been identified and
initial conversations have begun to craft the path to partnership, which is
negotiated on a case-by-case basis. These potential partners include
Sierra Club, Sojourners, Trinity Wall Street, the Episcopal Church and
World Resources. According to a projected budget of $400,000 for
needed expenses (see Appendix H), the following funds must be secured:
 $100,000 by March 1, 2008 (combination of cash and in-kind

salaries) ($75,000 is for salaries)
 $150,000 by June 1, 2008 ($75,000 is for salaries)
 $150,000 by January 1, 2009 ($75,000 is for salaries)
o Denominational partners will provide similar financial support and

collaboration to shape a festival that will draw congregants from across
the theological spectrum. As partners from its inception, they will have
much invested in crafting an event that is complementary and supportive
of the spiritual formation of young adults within their denomination.
Likewise, they have the capacity to support diverse groups within their
denominations to attend. We recommend that denominational partners
provide:
 Funding for young adult and minority participation – especially

from denominations (and organizations) who place a high
importance on development of these constituencies. (Scholarships

for lower-income attendees could be accomplished by pairing
congregations in higher and lower income areas in order to
provide direct sponsorships.)
• Ensure Diversity and Inclusion
o While diversity and inclusion is part of the ethos, it is worth mentioning

again as a key success factor. 67% of constituents mentioned the
importance of getting to know others different from themselves and of
ethnic and theological diversity as well as gender balance. This means
celebrating things different, experimenting with new things and even
allowing chaos to settle into order on its own.
o Diversity needs to continue at all levels of the project and be integrated

throughout the project in order to be successful. The culture of minority
communities demands attention to inclusion from the start as a pre-
requisite for participation. Some of the interviews and focus groups also
stated the importance of “authentic social justice” where oppressed
people are present and systemic social change is addressed.
• Facilitate Authentic Transformation
o A key objective of the festival is to foster spiritual growth among young

people. 62% of respondents listed a deepening their spirituality as a key
component. In order for the event to be transformational, those involved
in every step and at every level will need to be engaged spiritually.
o For example, the planning retreat was a transformational experience that

deepened bonds, allowed for creativity, and led to the group operating
differently. It is important that those leading and overseeing the project,
as well as the artists contributing to the festival participate in some type of
retreat or other prayerful, creative experience so they can both help
shape the festival and also experience what the festival is. In this way,
business as usual includes God and we each grow spiritually as a result
of working and being together.
• Engage in Social Justice Issues
o Social justice will be a prime focus of the festival. 71% of those surveyed
were engaged in social justice work and 62% said they wanted to learn
more about engaging social justice and faith. 45% said they wanted to
learn more about engaging the environment and faith.
o The difference between this and more traditional events is that our
audience wants to be engaged in these issues at the festival. They want a
way to share and process what they’ve learned. They want time and

space to integrate. And, while traditional speakers may draw them, they
expect an interactive, workshop format even from the most famous
speaker. They want to engage in dialogue, not be talked at.
• Uphold the Unique Identity of the Festival
o This festival is new. It’s progressive, bold, adventurous, and fun. It’s a
place where open-minded people can meet others very different from
themselves and learn together. It’s a place where one can engage on
deep spiritual levels alone with God, in conversation with someone or in
communal worship. It’s a place where Christianity can work in today’s
culture.
o The team’s ability to claim and maintain the identity of the festival and
share the excitement about it in both the secular world and the Christian
world – because it’s new and not the norm – is a key success factor that
will allow us to create what young people are asking for.
PARTNERS: WHO WILL SHAPE THIS
A variety of partnerships, networks and relationships will take the festival to the next
level. These partners will need to understand what the festival audience is asking for
and support the founding of the festival by contributing their resources – whether
they be a network of constituents, access to creative congregations or financial
support. There are a few key points to consider in regard to partners:
• Our audience wants a diverse festival, so the partners need to be diverse in

order for this to happen. This means gender balance, one-third to one-half
people of color on teams and including organizations whose networks are
primarily people of color.
• We need a wide range of support at many levels. Ideally we need

o Three to five key organizations supporting this effort in a substantial
way by making financial or in-kind contributions at the $100,000 to
$250,000 level or by providing access to minority networks (such as
AME, CCDA, Latino Leadership Circle)
o A larger number (about 25 organizations) lending their name, engage
their networks, make smaller financial contributions and participating
in a more advisory capacity
o A very small staff of 2-4 who are dedicated to the festival and embody
the ethos of the festival
o A large number of committed individuals including:
 250 volunteers to help put on the festival

 1,000 committed individuals who would contribute $10 and
plan on attending from the start, tell friends, take surveys and
help us get the word out in other ways
• Expected strengths of partners
o Have a constituent group interested in the festival
o Willing to invest seed money or in-kind resources
o Operate in alignment with the ethos and can support others in doing so
FESTIVAL DESIGN
KEY COMPONENTS
• The design team envisioned the festival using the following metaphor to describe the
various components.
• The festival is composed of six elements (buckets) and seven vibrations – things
that, like a musical instrument, need to vibrate among the six categories. All of
this set upon a foundation of a triune God, walking in the way of Jesus and being
in beloved community with each other.
• Buckets
• Arts & Creativity
• Justice/Mission
• Worship
• Spirituality (practices and disciplines)
• Community
• Learning
• Vibes
• Diversity (ethnic, theological, cultural)
• Accessibility
• Gift economy: being generous with the fruit of one’s creativity
• Creating alternatives
• Green and sustainability
• Intentional and authentic participation
• To discover more facets of the divine in human encounters
• Creativity
• Attractional – draw people who are attracted, don’t push or sell
• Celebratory

• Ethos
• The design team also crafted the ethos/principles, which is described on page 5
and detailed in Appendix A.
• Description
• Following the retreat, team members that conducted interviews and created the
online survey refined the festival description:
The festival is a gathering of many people...
• Artists, musicians, dreamers, contemplatives
• Activists, peacemakers, people making a difference
• People living out their spirituality every day – by advocating for social justice, by
working towards a greener world or just by being authentically themselves
• Explorers of theology, philosophy, and scripture
• People walking the way of Jesus
• People open to tasting and seeing the ways a compassionate God is drawing
our whole selves into a diverse beloved community of love, justice, and
beauty
• Individuals, families with children, people of all ages.
• A sample promotion of the event follows:
The festival is a gathering where people talk with rather than being talked at. It is active
participation – searching for the meaning of our own lives in dialogue with others. It
is experimentation and investigation – in community.
The festival is your adventure – you write the script, you decide how you want to
participate and contribute. Curious about music that connects your creative energies
and yearnings for spiritual connection? We hope to have musicians and bands like…
Sufjan Stevens, Derek Webb, Jennifer Knapp, Berto Ramón, Briertone, Starflyer 59,
Woven Hand, Jeremy Enigk, Harvard University Kuumba Singers (Gospel), Lakita, Jars
of Clay, Moby, Ulali, Janni, and Tye Tribbett.
Want to learn more about how you can live out your spirituality in practical ways that
help create a better world? Attend interactive workshops on social justice, green living
and community building by speakers such as… Shane Claiborne, Alexie Torres-
Flemming, Jim Wallis, Stephanie Spellers, Brian McLaren, Phyllis Tickle, Anne Lamott,
Rudy Currasco, Alexia Kelley, and Jamal Bryant.

Explore a host of ancient and fresh expressions of prayer and worship from across
the North American Continent in an unprogrammed atmosphere. Ranging from… ancient
monastic chant, hip-hop masses, contemporary worship, abstract iconography, candlelit
choral evensong, West African drumming, labyrinth, centering prayer, contemplative
practices, spiritual direction, and group discernment.
Inquisitive about the timeless ways Christian poets, mystics, monks, and prophets
reached for union with that which is beyond time and space? Join in conversations with
others like you who are reaching back into the mists of ancient spiritual traditions in
search of a bond with that which defies comprehension or explanation.
The festival is a connection where strangers find each other. With the diversity and
sophistication of a cosmopolitan city, the simplicity and friendliness of a small town, and
the earthiness and freshness of the outdoors. It's a place where families can bring their
kids to the kidzone and where teens can be together in a safe place. Most of us will be
camping and some will stay in hotels – in either case, we will create a sense of
community during our four-days together.
The festival is a place to share and receive visions of a world where social justice,
personal authenticity, and profound spiritual attunement with God, are experienced in
unity. Transformative, authentic, engaging.
• Music
• Since music is a very important part of the festival, two volunteers continue to
work on this programming area. They have created a list of potential musicians
and bands as a starting point for exploration (see appendix D). And, they have
begun interviewing musicians to get input on festival design. Following the
model used to create the Greenbelt Festival, we plan on having an artists retreat
as a way to collaboratively design the musical components of the festival.
AUDIENCE
• Who we expect to attend
• As mentioned in the previous section, the festival will draw a wide variety of
people: artists, musicians, contemplatives, activists, explorers of theology, people
making a difference, individuals, families, with children. We expect that one-third
to one-half of the participants will be people of color, half in their 20's, one-fourth
in their 30's, one-fifth "spiritual but not religious" and folks from a wide variety of
Christian faiths and traditions.
• Our research indicates that the festival will draw a diverse group of people who

“think for themselves” and are in some way moving culture forward. That is, they
might have created or participate in an innovative group in their church, they
might be following the latest “indie” music or films, or they might be engaged in
social justice or environmental work. They want to experience and explore new
and old expressions of Christianity that work in today’s culture.
• In interviews, we learned that being Christian can be countercultural for folks in

their 20’s. Some reported that they experienced themselves as outcasts within
their non-church environment. Being progressive within some Christian circles
can also feel uncomfortable even though an emerging class of “cultural creatives”
is now 25% of the North American population (see notes 4 and 5). Our hope is
that the festival will help connect people with others like themselves and
strengthening their identity as Christians.
• Because we expect a very diverse audience from many cultures, faiths and
ethnicities, we recognize that marketing and on-site materials will need to speak
to a variety of audiences. Some materials will be in Spanish language, some
materials intentionally tailored to specific cultural groups and all materials tested
for cultural sensitivity – ensuring that some of our abstract concepts maintain
their meaning with audiences used to more familiar concrete language.
• The online survey showed demographics of our likely audience as:

Age
18-22 8%
23-25 20%
26-29 19%
30-39 27%
40-55 20%
56-70 3%
Over 70 1%
TOTAL 100%
Ethnic and Cultural Background

Hispanic/ Latino/Latina/ Mexican-American/ Puerto Rican 12.4%
Black/ African-American/ Caribbean Islander/ African 14.2%
Asian/ Asian-American/ SE Asian/ South Pacific Islander 4.1%
American Indian/ Native Hawaiian or Alaskan/ First Nation 3.7%
White 65.6%
TOTAL 100.0%
Primary Theological Orientation

Spiritual but not religious 10%
Orthodox (Eastern Rite, OCA, Coptic, etc) 1%

Roman Catholic 5%
Anglican (Episcopal, Anglican Church of Canada, etc) 17%
Methodist (UMC, AME, Nazarene, Wesleyan, etc) 5%
Reformed (PCUSA, PCA, UCC, etc) 7%
Lutheran 4%
Anabaptist 6%
Pentecostal (Charismatic, etc) 5%
Evangelical (Non-Denominational, Vineyard, Southern
Baptist, etc) 20%
Contemplative Tradition (Quaker, etc) 1%
Metaphysical Christian (Unity, etc) 1%
Other Religion (Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, etc.) 1%
None 1%
Other, please specify (many listed multiple religions) 20%
TOTAL 100%
Geographical Location
East Coast 49%
West Coast 14%
Southeastern U.S. 15%
Southwestern U.S. 5%
Midwestern U.S./Prairies 16%
Central Canada 1%
TOTAL 100%
POTENTIAL LOCATIONS
• Members of the design team explored an initial list of sites including Seattle,
Portland, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Albuquerque and Baltimore/Philadelphia.
• Based on an objective set of criteria that included weather, rainfall, access to
creativity and current music as well as the sense of welcome from Sojourners’
contacts, the local Episcopal diocese and others potentially involved. An additional
site, Raleigh/Durham, was added because of feedback from African Americans in the
interviews that there needed to be a Southern US choice. Raleigh/Durham was also
added because of the rich history of faith-based social activism there. After visits to
Portland, Seattle and Kansas City, the search resulted in four sites. These sites were
tested as part of our online survey of 212 potential participants who are already
connected to the project because they were involved in a focus group or interview or
because they were invited by someone involved in the project.
• Potential Locations
• Baltimore/Philadelphia Area
• Kansas City Area

• Raleigh Durham Area
• Seattle Area
Each of these sites would result in a markedly different festival in the first years
because of the local culture, because of the regional audience we would draw
and because of the venue. Our online survey showed that 37% would prefer a
festival in their region and an additional 15% would drive or fly to a neighboring
region. Only 18% would fly or drive cross country for the festival. Below are
some highlights of what a festival might look like at each site.
• Baltimore/Philadelphia Area
• Accessibility to a large number of African American and Latino/Latina people
is one strength of an east coast festival. Additionally, the number of artists is
growing in Philadelphia because of the low cost of living there. We would
have to take extra efforts in order to ensure representative Asian and Native
American participation.
• The site near Baltimore/Philadelphia is a former Jewish girl’s summer camp.
It is very rustic in a lush, secluded homey atmosphere. It would be ideal for
creating a sense of community. It has many fun things to do, such as the
campfire circle next to a pond, and it also is a contemplative space with a
labyrinth and beautiful wooded areas for hikes. Nearly all events could be in
indoor spaces given the large number of buildings. Rain in this area averages
3.7 inches in June.
• The site, Ramblewood, is ten miles from an Amtrak station (Washington to
New York line) and hotels, so we would have to arrange transportation by
having van service available.
• 41% of survey respondents preferred Baltimore/Philadelphia and 54% of
those ages 18-26 preferred this location.
• Kansas City Area
• The Kansas City area site is 55 miles south of the city bordering a U.S.
interstate highway. 12% of respondents preferred the Kansas City area. A
majority of our network (84%) is not from the Midwest and since only 18% of
people in our network said they would fly or drive long a long distance to the
festival, the Kansas City area may prove to be a small festival without
sufficient participation to break even. Average rainfall in June is 4.7 inches,
The highest rainfall of all potential choices.
• The site itself is a Christian youth camp, YouthFront South, on expansive
grounds with many contemplative and worship spaces. There is a stage and
natural amphitheatre suitable for 70,000 people. With 600 acres, there are
many options with this site. There are 22 cabins to accommodate 220
participants with some additional cabins about 4 miles away. The nearest
hotels are about 15 miles away.
• Raleigh Durham Area

• As a place of historic faith-based, social justice efforts, Raleigh/Durham
seems a likely spot for the festival. One potential site, The Stone House, is a
center for spiritual life and strategic action. Their mission is very closely
aligned to the purpose of the festival. Located on 70 acres of land they have
40 acres open space that could be used for camping. There is also
contemplative space (hermitage). The site is 6 miles from hotels and 35
miles from Raleigh/Durham. Average rainfall in this area is 3.7 inches in
June.
• Of the respondents, 28% preferred Raleigh/Durham and they were evenly
distributed among ethnic and age categories.
• We were not able to make a site visit to Raleigh/Durham site so that would
have to happen if we were to go further with this location.
• Seattle Area
• The level of creativity in Seattle in the city itself and in emerging expressions
of Christianity there and in the Cascadia region makes Seattle a very
appealing choice. Additionally the indie (independent) music scene is very
strong and festivals are very popular in the region. We found from our survey
that far fewer Black people in our network would attend a festival in Seattle.
• The site we chose near Seattle, the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, has plenty
of space for the festival while camping would be tight. The organization gave
us a very warm welcome and, in a secular way, their mission was in
alignment with ours. They regularly work with church volunteer groups and
included a Christian band as one of their regular acts at last year’s fair. It is
located close to some very beautiful natural areas, accessible by public
transportation ($3.65 from Seattle) and close to many hotels for those who
don’t want to camp. Rainfall in June averages 1.7 inches. Evergreen is also
in partnership with local Native American people and has a Native Long
House which could be used for contemplative space.
• Even though only 14% of our network is on the West coast, 25% of respondents
preferred Seattle, showing that it would be a draw to people from other parts of
the country.
• Location Analysis
• Of all sites, Baltimore/Philadelphia was favored by a significantly higher
number of survey respondents. Since the survey represents our current
network – people who understand and support the festival – we feel it’s
important to pay attention to these numbers. The site itself is very conducive
to community building because it is nestled in a wooded area and because of
the fun activities available.
• Raleigh/Durham has about the same amount of camping space as
Baltimore/Philadelphia. It does not have the same number of structures and

that would give us more freedom to create the space with tents.
Raleigh/Durham is an interesting option but may be slightly too small. A site
visit would help answer this.
• Kansas City would be an excellent site if we surpass 6,000 attendees. In the
first years, our 3,000 – 5,000 participants might be dwarfed up by the
enormity of the property.
• Seattle would be an excellent location once the festival has a following and
more participants would be willing to travel to the West coast. The level of
creativity in the Cascadia region and the number of groups embodying fresh
expressions of Christianity is significant. The site could handle over 5,000
people if camping could be secured in the parking lot outside the grounds.
• We recommend that the decision on festival location be made by the group
chosen to be the advisory group to the project. It is only by involving a
representative group in decision making that we will be able to have a truly
multi-cultural festival.
POTENTIAL DATE AND NAME

• Potential Dates
• Other Christian festivals are held at various times throughout the summer,
usually on the same weekend each year so as to insure repeat attendance from
those know come to know that the festival is always on the same weekend. This
recommendation was affirmed by the trustees at Greenbelt who suggested that
the US festival should find a date that works organizationally and fits into the
culture of summer plans for the most people possible who are likely to attend –
and then adhere to this date.
• In the survey, we tested the last weekend in June, Fourth of July weekend and
the second weekend in July. We also had an “other” category. The last weekend
in June was selected by 44% of respondents, especially those 18-22. The
second weekend in July was preferred by 31% and Fourth of July, by 20%. For
those who filled in a date, a small number (2%) suggested Memorial Day
weekend and a small number (2%), early August.
• Based on these suggestions and findings, we recommend that the festival be
held on the last weekend of June.
• The Name
• The design team came up with a number of very creative names at the retreat.
These are listed in Appendix A. Among the names suggested, Evergreen has
been the most popular. Naming the festival is another decision that will need
special attention by the advisory group.

• Three year plan
• For Greenbelt, it has been advantageous to move the festival after a period of
years in order to accommodate larger crowds. In North America, given the
distances and the fact that at least half of participants will be regional, it is
essential that we be intentional in reaching the entire population over time. One
possibility is to move the festival from region to region once it is established –
that is, after it has a following. Or, a festival in another region could be started
(two festivals per year). Finally, the festival could remain in the same location and
a series of regional events could help bring the festival to others (Burning Man
model).
• At this point, it would probably be better to see how things unfold before creating
a plan since there are so many unknowns.
• Recommendation and decision-making process
• The most important decision to be made pertains to location and timing. We
recommend that a diverse advisory group (forerunner to an established Board of
Directors) be established as soon as possible to engage these questions.
FESTIVAL CONNECTIONS: ONGOING ENGAGEMENT

• The festival is a place where people will meet new friends, learn about fresh
expressions of Christianity, experience deeper sense of spirituality and learn about
living out their faith in the world. Many will want to continue connections after the
festival and we can see many possibilities of how these connections could continue.
• Networks may form spontaneously around interest areas or friendships
• Regional gatherings could eventually form, possibly with assistance of the
festival organization
• A website with resources could connect festival participants with local churches
that are considered to be creative congregations or experimenting with fresh
expressions of Christianity
• A website page could help individuals connect with others by listing events or
encouraging meet-up groups
• The festival staff could intentionally develop “covenant groups” that ask
individuals to commit to meeting for a specific frequency and possibly to a set of
operating principles, process or ethos.
• While one can not force a movement into being, the festival organizers might
want to look more intentionally at social movements and what it would take to
energize the festival follow on activities as a movement.
• Continuing the connections and energizing the festival network is in the interest of
the organizers because it facilitates continued participation in the festival and
achievement of the festival’s mission.
• We see many possibilities and it really will depend on the energy at the festival, the

level of enthusiasm and connection and the need people express to continue those
relationships.
• The budget includes staff time to nurture the network and continue relationships that
started in the focus groups and among design team members, which provides a
base of initial volunteer support. Much creativity can be used to foster a strong,
continued network beyond the festival itself.
MARKETING
MARKET SEGMENTATION
• We explored several ways to segment the market for the festival – that is, to divide
potential participants into groups that have distinct likes and preferences in terms of
a festival. We found that age is clearly the most differentiating characteristic. Ethnic
background is another distinguishing factor. We found many fewer differences when
we looked across theological orientation. Below is a summary of our findings:
• Younger (20-24) participants are looking for emotional, inspiring, strengthening,
powerful experience – that feel like home.
• Those in the 18-22 category value art and creativity as well as diversity. They want a
fun atmosphere (“go for the festival part”) and said they would be attracted by “give-
aways” like free food and t-shirts.
• In the 23-25 year old group, dimensions of justice/mission, creating alternatives and
diversity excite them the most. Music (well-known bands) and green living are also
important. They are also looking for a popular event that promises to be large and
have a good buzz (word-of-mouth on facebook and other sites). Authenticity in
advertising is also essential to this group.
• Those 26-29 stated that a relaxed, creative, connecting, transforming, worshipful
experience in community is important: a transformative experience that would
help them deepen their faith. They also value justice, spiritual growth, learning and
creating alternatives. This group is also very keen on high-quality music and asked
us to work hard to attract a diverse audience.
• Respondents in their 30’s are looking for justice and mission offerings integrated with
their faith. They are also interested in arts and creativity and engaging with a diverse
group of people. They want a unique festival that has both big names (speakers and
bands) as well as a conversational atmosphere through which they can
integrate what they’ve taken in both intellectually and spiritually.
• An inclusive sense of community that inspires creativity is important to those
over 40. They are also interested in spiritual growth offerings and use descriptors
like substantive, holistic and diverse with a “clear sense of purpose” for the event that
relates to who they are.

• In terms of ethnicity, while we had 34% people of color respond to the online survey,
we did not have enough people in each racial category to generalize. Attention will
need to be given to cultural sensitivity when developing materials for the festival.
• Some clear differences were the interest African Americans had in spirituality, the
preponderance of Latinos and Whites interested in social justice/the environment,
and the desire of Asian Americans and Native Americans to connect with others
similar to themselves. Again, with this small sample size we cannot generalize.
In building social networks, word-of-mouth buzz and advertising for the festival, we can
pay attention to differences by age and ethnicity. More detailed information is available
that shows which media is predominately used by each age/ethnic group and is
discussed in the outreach and media plan section (see page 27).
SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

• When we began to look at events that compete for our audience’s attention, we first
thought of Christian music festivals. There are 25 major festivals with an audience of
5,000 to 100,000 every summer in North America. The majority is targeted at white,
socially conservative, Christian, Evangelical teens and carries a message forth in a
way that works for that audience.
• A few of these festivals are somewhat more progressive and while many are
beginning to talk about social justice – that message is overshadowed by the
amusement-park atmosphere (hot dogs, cotton candy, army-recruiting tents, music
CD sales). In the best case, these festivals reach 1 to 1.5 million young people
annually – only 3-4% of the approximately 37 million churchgoers ages 16-39.
We realized that there was a large, unreached market.
• Successful Christian festivals, Ichthus and Cornerstone, (see Appendix I for a
description of these festivals) offer similar models in terms of structural elements
(camping, music, speakers, safe space for young people), but there are great
differences in the offerings. The primary motivation for these festivals is the
promotion of Christian bands with speakers offered as a side note, whereas the
festival described in this plan has the foundation of social justice. The primary
audience of these other festivals is the youth group which targets high school
students, whereas the festival described here targets young adults in their 20s and
above. The primary activity of the attendees at the other festivals is to listen,
whereas the primary activity of the festival described in the plan is to interact and
engage. Ichthus and Cornerstone (and the 23 others) show from their longevity that
large Christian festivals are profitable and sustainable. This feasibility study
highlights the components not being explored in the existing festivals and has the
capacity of capturing the growing market of young adults interested in music as well
as social justice.
• Through focus groups, interviews and a survey, we found that the current festivals do
not offer the engaging, adventurous, creative, authentic experience that young adults
hunger for. We knew we were on to something with our unique festival design.

• Using the tools in Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space
(Kim and Mauborgne, Harvard Business School Press, 2005) we began to discover
other ways young adults were getting their needs met and we re-defined our
business focus to be “spiritual growth” and “spiritual activism.”
• Through this analysis, we defined nine factors that influence buying behavior and
four other types of events that compete for our audience’s attention.
• Factors in engagement decision
• Diverse and connecting
• Integrates social justice and faith
• Deepens my spirituality
• Adventurous
• Non-commercial
• Hip, current, progressive
• Transformational
• Close to where I live
• Invited by a friend
• Competing events with similar purpose
• Christian music festivals
• Church retreats & young adult events
• Traditional social justice activities (soup kitchen, protest/lobbying, crop walk)
• Pilgrimages/mission trips
• Looking at the entirety of the four “competing” events, Christian music festivals reach
approximately 1.5 million young adults, church retreats and young adult events reach
approximately 4 million young adults, traditional social justice activities might reach 1
million and pilgrimages/mission trips could reach 500,000. That totals 7 million young
adults reached by one of these events, which is about 20% of churchgoing young people
and 4% of all young adults (since only 15-25% even attend church).
• All of that to say that at least 30 million Christian young adults are not being reached
by Christian spiritual growth and spiritual activism activities. So there is good
potential to penetrate this market if we have something young adults value.
And we do. The value-curve analysis that follows shows how we’ve created a
new space in the Christian landscape.
• Value Curve
• The “value curve” below plots out each type of event that competes for our
audience’s attention. You can see that the festival (dark line at top connected by
circles) has characteristics at the upper range of attributes. This is because it is
more adventurous, more intense in connecting faith in today’s world, more

transformational than most of the other types of events. This intensity is what our
survey and focus group participants were asking for.
• Surprisingly, Christian music festivals, traditional social justice activities and

church retreats showed a low value proposition for our constituents. These
events have been, up until now, the only option available for young Christians
who want to join together for spiritual growth and/or social justice. This festival
will not be competing with them once it’s established.
• The closest type of event to the festival is a mission trip or a pilgrimage.

However, these trips are expensive and take time so only a limited percentage of
the population can access these rich experiences that change lives.
• The festival is an offering that is desired but does not exist in the current market.
If it catches on, it could re-define the market like Southwest Airlines redefined the
airline industry. It could make Christianity available to a much larger, young-adult
audience in tune with today’s culture.
• Will it do that? We don’t know. But, to be successful, we only need to reach

3,000 to 5,000 young people in the first year and 20,000 in five years. This is a
very small fraction (.1%) of the 20 million unreached churchgoing Christians ages
16-39. Or, more realistically, 1% of the unreached target population within a five-
hour drive from the Baltimore/Philadelphia area. This seems achievable if we
pay attention to the key success factors in this study.
• The marketing section outlines a strategy to be successful in the first year. By

starting with this value curve analysis, we have created potentially uncontested
market space. It is up to the partners involved in this project to build the network
of constituents and participants who will engage in the festival and grow this new
type of event.

Value Curve
3
Christian Music
2 Festivals
Type of Program Church Retreats &
1 Young-Adult Events
Traditional Social
0 Justice Activities
Pilgrimages/Mission
Trips
The Festival
Adventurous
Non-commercial
Transformational
Invited by a Friend
Social
Diverse & Justice & Faith Close to Where I live
Connecting
Deepen My Spirituality
Hip, Current, Progressive
Decision Factors
• Buying Behavior
• The nine decision-making factors describe what we know of the “buying
behavior” of our participants. If we pay attention to these factors in our message
on the festival and continue with the festival design outlined in this study, based
on the market potential calculations (see below), we should attract a sufficient
audience to at least break even.
• To be more certain of exact numbers in this market, a more extensive, traditional
market research survey could be conducted with a larger audience not already
connected to festival partners. However, the very positive response to the little
we’ve done to date seems to indicate that there is a strong demand for the
festival. (We already have 100 individuals of the 250 needed for a beta festival in
2008). So, rather spend resources on more research, it might be wise to focus
on social networking.
• Unique Value Proposition
• Most of our analysis in this study is geared toward the end users, those in their
20’s and 30’s who are the “target participants” in the festival. The festival does

hold a unique value proposition to partners who fund and support the festival. It
will help them get to know and engage this younger audience.
• And, because of the age and diversity demographics, and focus on innovation,
the festival may be a taste of what Christianity will be like 20 years from now. It
may be a good place for funding organizations to experiment with new ideas and
to test what the future holds.
• Our understanding of how partners benefit from the festival will be further
explored as we engage in conversation with potential partners.
• Pricing
• The online survey showed that 40% of respondents would pay $200 to attend a
four-day festival with free camping. A weighted average of all respondents
resulted in an average “fair price” of $189 (after scholarships).
• We have included substantial scholarship monies in the budget because we
know that is what we will need to get a diverse mix of participants to the festival.
‘We budgeted scholarships of $60-150 for one-third of participants. Factoring
this in, the adjusted fair price, before discounts, would be in the range of $208 to
$236. A price of $225 was used for budgeting purposes knowing we can charge
an additional $10 to offset the cost of an early-bird discount.
OUTREACH & MEDIA

• Four means of outreach. The online survey showed that a variety of traditional
media and newer social marketing will need to be used to reach our audience.
• Social Marketing and Informal Networking. Of the over 200 respondents, 70%
said they would hear about the festival from a friend via email, 69% from a friend
in person and 67% from a friend online (myspace, facebook, instant messaging,
etc.). Word of mouth is traditionally the most effective way to spread a message.
And, with social marketing outlets like facebook, we can be intentional about how
we reach people this way.
• Key influencers will also be important in getting our message out and building a
constituency for the festival. In the survey, 56% said they would hear about the
festival from a respected speaker or musician. (Interestingly, they also said that
they did not want big names to be touted at the festival.) In the interviews, people
of color mentioned the importance of creative ministers and music directors
because they have access to whole networks of people who might be interested
in the festival. Finally, bloggers, college group leaders and college chaplains
were mentioned as influencers.
• Electronic marketing. Using electronic marketing like web banners may be a
way to reach the 45% who said they would find out about the festival while
surfing on the web. And forwardable email blurbs could help us more
intentionally reach the 67% who expect to receive an email from a friend about

the festival.
• Traditional marketing approaches. Post cards or flyers in church (45%) and in
coffee shops/public places (27%) were sited as a good way to find out about the
festival. Magazines were listed by 33%, the most frequent being Sojourners and
Relevant Magazine. And radio was named by 24%, mainly African American and
Latino respondents. Only 20% expected to receive a brochure in the mail so we
can save resources on expensive print materials. The media plan below outlines
possible outlets and approaches.
• Three Types of Outlets. Taking the four key ways our potential participants expect
to hear about the festival, we suggest focusing the work and the marketing budget in
the following three areas:
• Informal Network-Building
• We have begun an intentional effort to build a network of individuals in
influencers who understand and support the festival. We did this by using an
engaging, collaborative approach in our research and by asking research
participants to let us know if they were interested in continuing to engage with
the festival community.
• In the next phase, extensive efforts will be needed to build an informal
network of supporters who will engage their churches, networks and friends.
We will also need to develop a formal network of volunteers in order to have
sufficient staffing to carry out the festival plans. This task of networking and
volunteer engagement is such a critical piece of creating the festival that we
are recommending it be a full-time position.
• The person in this position will need to take the research from the
assessment phase and create a segment-by-segment plan to further identify,
reach out to and engage key influencers and volunteers.
• Social Marketing Outlets
• Social marketing through outlets like facebook and myspace was cited by
about 75% of the online survey respondents as the primary way they expect
to hear about the festival. In Appendix F, there is an initial list of potential
social networking sites as well as sites where web banners, articles and
advertisements can be placed.
• Because this is a key factor in building a constituency for the festival, we are
recommending that an approximately half-time position be dedicated to social
networking.
• Traditional Media Outlets
• While only 33% of online survey respondents said they pay attention to
magazines and other traditional media outlets, this is still an option to
consider in getting the word out about the festival.

• Radio was especially noted by African American and Latino respondents.
And, online radio programming was cited by respondents interested in high-
quality music. An initial list of potential stations is listed in Appendix G.
• While fewer younger participants said they read magazines, print media
geared toward specific segments of the target population was cited in the
survey by specific sub-cultures. This initial list can be found in Appendix G.
A comprehensive budget that focuses efforts and maximizes effectiveness in
informal network building, social marketing and traditional media outlets can be
developed in the next phase. This will require additional, more detailed research
on pricing, audience reach and timing.
OPERATIONS
Because of the multi-cultural nature of the festival and expertise needed from a variety of
ethnic communities, it is important to limit the decisions made until the entire decision-
making team is composed.
GOVERNANCE
• The design team discussed a structure for the project that facilitated a collaborative
management style that allowed many views to be heard in decision-making. While
the structure will be decided in the next phase, below are highlights from the design
team:
• Establish an independent non-profit, 501c3 entity that has autonomy from any
one organization and participation from multiple organizations.
• Ensure a diverse board of 8-10 people: half people of color, half white, half
women, half men.
• Include a larger advisory board, possibly with 25 organizations diverse
organizations represented that reflect future festival participants.
• Engage 3-5 key partners that provide funding and diverse constituents.
• Board, advisors and partners sign on to the ethos of the festival as basis for
working together and creating the festival that will benefit all partners.
MANAGEMENT
• Given the size of the project and the necessity to engage many volunteers in a
concerted way, a flexible, collaborative management team will be necessary. We
envision three key roles:
• Executive Director: a full-time person who will manage this new venture in a
somewhat entrepreneurial style. Taking direction from the Board and working
closely with the Chairperson of the Board, she or he will assemble and manage

the project team, identify and engage partners, further develop a project plan,
and carry out the plan to create and direct the festival.
• Two staff positions have been identified: a volunteer engagement coordinator
and a marketing/ program/ web technology coordinator. Since this is a new
venture, paid members of the team will need to wear many hats.
• Volunteer Engagement Coordinator will seek out and build the network of
organizations and individuals who support the festival and plan on
participating. This individual will contact denominations on the national level
as well as ministers and music directors on a local level to seek out religious
participation. He or she will also use innovative means to find creative
individuals and congregations that are aligned with the project and who would
benefit from participation. The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for
developing a formal engagement process that helps volunteers understand
and set goals for personal and professional benefits of volunteering in the
project – and commit to specific roles and responsibilities.
• Marketing/ Program/ WebTech Coordinator is responsible for planning and
managing the innovative online marketing efforts that engage individuals and
build a social network that leads to participation in the festival. She or he is
also responsible for website development as well as overall program
coordination. Volunteers can be engaged to carry out activities, yet the
Coordinator maintains overall responsibility.
• Administrative Support. A minimal amount of money is in the budget for
administrative support. This might be used to sub-contract specific project
tasks or to hire a part-time person to help with administrative activities.
• All positions can be funded by in-kind or financial contributions.
• Volunteers are an essential part of creating an event of this size. Both the
Greenbelt Festival and Burning Man have well-developed processes to engage
and manage volunteers. Given how busy people are and the many demands on
their time, this process will need to be developed carefully and managed closely.
LOGISTICS
• The Executive Director will be responsible for developing a logistics plan based on
the site chosen and dates of the festival.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
FUNDING
• The Executive Director will be responsible for developing and carrying out a plan
to fund the festival.

• Funding activities will most probably start with the initial positive response from
organizations like Sierra Club and World Resources and following up on leads at
the Ford Foundation, World Vision, Oxfam, and International Justice Mission as
well as several individuals who may be interested in supporting the festival.
• Demonstrating our initial constituent base with half in their 20’s and one-third
people of color has already shown to be attractive to potential partners as we
have had unsolicited requests to help fund the project. Funding and partnership-
development activities can continue from this place of strength.
• While we have had positive initial response by potential funders, the success of
the project rests on having resources to carry it out. The cash flow spreadsheet
(a separate document), shows the timing of cash inflows necessary to keep the
project solvent over the 18 months leading up to the festival. Commitments for
$100,000 by February 2008 is necessary to begin the project. This should be
received in increments of $50,000 by March 2008 and $50,000 by June 2008.
• If funding isn’t secured by February 2008, it is possible that the project could
continue with volunteers so long as a dedicated team is pursuing funding. If
funding is not committed and the first $50,000 received by March 1, 2008, it
would be best to either push the festival to 2010 or to redesign the festival to be a
very small, organic, volunteer-run event that would grow slowly over a period of a
decade. A team of dedicated volunteers would need to be identified in this case.
Given the limited time volunteers have been able to spend on the project,
success with this scenario is questionable.
FINANCIALS
• Below is a simple income statement for the festival in two phases.
• The first phase is a retreat attended by a group of 250-300 volunteers and artists in
June or July 2008. This gathering would serve to engage participants in planning the
2009 festival and would also give them a taste of the festival with a small number of
participatory activities that include music, workshops and worship.
• The second phase is budgeted beginning July 1, 2008. This is to carry out the first
full festival. The budget goes until December 31, 2009 in order to ensure minimum
salaries and funds are available to hold a second full festival in 2010.
• The basic budget below shows a loss in the first six months of almost $20,000
because we are relying on social capital to fund this first phase. The budget shows a
breakeven in the second phase with approximately 4,000 participants.
• A more detailed scenario-based budget (in a separate excel spreadsheet) shows
more precise break-even figures based on a range of attendance and expense
possibilities.

Two-year Break-even Budget Based on Baltimore/Philadelphia Site
Phase I Phase II
Category Mar -June '08 June '08 to Dec '09
REVENUE
Average Entry Fee** $50 $225
Attendance 250 12,500 4,000 900,000
VARIABLE COSTS
Venue/Grounds $75 (18,750) $23 92,000
(on a per person basis)
Scholarships $150 $150

(25% of attendees) 75 (11,250) 1000 150,000
GROSS INCOME (17,500) 658,000
FIXED EXPENSE
Executive Director Volunteer 80,000
Pgm, Mktg & Web Tech 5,000 67,500
Admin 5,000 15,000
Volunteer Coordinator 5,000 40,000
Artists & Workshop (honoraria &
travel) 5,000 148,500
Promotion 10,000 60,000
Registration 1,000 10,000
Signage, banners, decorations 1,000 10,000
Production 2,000 40,000
Insurance 50,000
Staff travel, volunteer meals 2,000 9,500
TOTAL FIXED EXPENSE (36,000) 530,500
Income before land repair (53,500) 127,500
Land Repair Fee 0 20% 25,200
NET EVENT INCOME (53,500) 102,300
NET PROJECT INCOME (two year) 48,800
** No early-bird discount was factored in this pricing. A discount of $50 for the first
500 people would raise the overall price about $10 in order to pay for the discount.
This is consistent with the online survey - expected entry fee of $235.

NEXT STEPS
• There are three key next steps in order for the project to proceed:
• Secure a committed team to launch the project. In order to maintain
momentum for the project, a small team of individuals needs to commit volunteer
time to take the necessary steps below (funding, establishment of the 501c3,
shepherd the birth of the advisory team, and the engagement of
artists/musicians).
• Secure $100,000 in initial funds in order to start the project. These funds will
need to come from private sources that don’t require a formal non-profit
organization to receive the funds. Most probably, this funding will come from
individuals and organizations that already know the project and the current
individuals involved in the project.
• Establish an independent 501c3 non-profit organization. For this to happen
the current “oversight group” will need to identify and engage a diverse Board of
Directors. They will need to meet, agree on an ethos and overall plan for the
festival, and then file paperwork for IRS determination of their non-profit status.
• Engage artists/musicians in a retreat to get their input for and to help plan the
festival. This could happen at the 2008 beta festival to reduce costs. Two
volunteers are ready to begin this activity but would need a member of the
project team to coordinate their efforts with overall plans.
CONCLUSION
• Strengths
• The festival as described above creates a new space in the Christian landscape.
It fills a latent need expressed by Christians in their 20’s and 30’s and it gives
churches and organizations access to young adult Christians.
• Challenges
• The initial start-up in the next two months will be a challenge and will require a
small number of people to make a strong commitment to the project, to praying
together and to the ethos of the festival. It is only by creating diverse team and
atmosphere of support for the project that this will happen in the timeframe
outlined.
• Risks
• There is a risk that the festival will not meet financial goals – starting with
securing funders that would basically underwrite the initial operations of the
festival and then to cover the costs not covered by the proceeds in the first year.
The budget shows of profit of nearly $40,000 but this relies upon attendance of
4,000 with expenses kept very low. An attendance of 4,000 must be considered
the break-event point for the festival.

• Selecting a location that has the capacity of drawing diverse participants is one
variable that the plan cannot completely address. Each location investigated had
strengths and weaknesses. The challenge with location is to select a venue that
will draw enough participants in the first year to break even and capable of
growing over several successive years in order to build the reputation of the
event. Likewise, the selection of location will impact potential funding opportunity
as some likely partners will have preferences for locations where they have an
established constituency.
• Aspirations
• To reiterate the words of the design team: We aspire to a festival that is
transformative, engaging, and fun – and that demonstrates a new Christian
ethos. Our working together in generosity, caring and joy will inform the work of
the team and the experience of participants at the festival.
• Results
• It is possible to hold the festival is in 2009 if initial funding of $100,000 is secured
(cash and in-kind) before March 1, 2008 and if resources are dedicated to
continue fundraising efforts. The key success factors of the festival, detailed in
this study, will also need to be in place for the festival to be successful.
NOTES, APPENDICES, REFERENCES
List of Tables
Notes page 35
Appendix A: Ethos/ Principles page 37
Appendix B: Elements of the Festival Design page 39
Appendix C: Potential Names page 41
Appendix D: Music by Genres page 42
Appendix E: Sample Focus Group Findings page 45
Appendix F: Potential Internet Outlets page 46
Appendix G: Traditional Media Outlets page 47
Appendix H: Financial Scenarios page 49
Appendix I: Competing Music Festivals page 50
References page 52

Notes
1. Current literature on social movements discusses the transformational nature of

being part of a movement because of the “freedom, egalitarianism, communion, and
creativity” that participants experience (Yang, 2000). The experience of pilgrimage is
similar in that it takes the participant into a different (liminal) space/time, spiritual,
moral and social structure. Read more about this in The Liminal Effects of Social
Movements by Yang, Global Movements: Action and Culture – Rethinking
Movements by McDonald and The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure by
Turner.
2. In an article in the Washington Monthly, May 2002, Richard Florida, author of Rise of
the Creative Class states, “Talented people seek an environment open to
differences. Many highly creative people, regardless of ethnic background or sexual
orientation, grew up feeling like outsiders, different in some way from most of their
schoolmates. When they are sizing up a new company and community, acceptance
of diversity and of gays in particular is a sign that reads "non-standard people
welcome here. The creative class people I study use the word "diversity" a lot, but
not to press any political hot buttons. Diversity is simply something they value in all
its manifestations. This is spoken of so often, and so matter-of-factly, that I take it to
be a fundamental marker of creative class values. Creative-minded people enjoy a
mix of influences. They want to hear different kinds of music and try different kinds of
food. They want to meet and socialize with people unlike themselves, trade views
and spar over issues.” (Given Dr. Florida’s observations, it seems that we are
targeting the Christian ‘creative class’ to attend this festival.)
3. Statistics on church attendance (the statement that only 15% of North Americans in
their 20’s attend church) came from several sources. The Handbook of the Sociology
of Religion, Chapter 7: Church Attendance in the United States by Mark Chavez and
Laura Stevens (Dillon, Cambridge University Press, 2003), Britanica Online (number
of Christians by continent) http://www.britannica.com/eb/table?tocId=9394911,
Adherents.com, the Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches (Lindler, Abingdon
Press, 2007), and the Statistical Abstract of the United States 2007, tables 572 & 74
(United States Government Publications, 2007).
4. According to Ode Magazine, “the market for goods and services focused on health,
the environment, social justice, personal development and sustainable living is worth
almost $230 billion. The consumers who make up this market have been described
as ‘the fourth sector,’ some 50 million or so are ‘cultural creatives’ and early adopters
whose purchasing decisions are guided as much by ethical and environmental
concerns as by economic considerations.”

5. In their book, The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Milliion People are Changing the
World, Paul Ray and Sherry Anderson (New Harmony Books, 2000) define a new
segment of the population: the cultural creatives. Now over 25% of the North
American population, the cultural creatives “care deeply about ecology and saving
the planet, about relationships, peace, social justice, and about self actualization,
spirituality and self-expression. Surprisingly, they are both inner-directed and socially
concerned, they're activists, volunteers and contributors to good causes more than
other Americans. However, because they've been so invisible in American life,
Cultural Creatives themselves are astonished to find out how many share both their
values and their way of life. Once they realize their numbers, their impact on
American life promises to be enormous, shaping a new agenda for the twenty-first
century.”
Appendix A: Ethos / Principles
Covenant Statement of Ethos & Principles
We covenant to articulate, live by and demonstrate a new Christian

ethos as described in the principles below. Our integrity in
upholding this ethos in all we do will be reflected in our work and
will be experienced by those who participate in the festival.
We work together as a community and reach agreement by consensus. To

this end, we covenant to:
- Listen as the Holy Spirit speaks to us as a group

- Work collaboratively, make decisions by consensus, and defer when
necessary
- Be mindful that in all we do, we are working for a greater good that will
be manifested by the planning and implementation of the Beta Festival
We ensure that there is diversity in every aspect of the planning and

implementation of our collective work. To this end, we covenant to:
- Uphold a standard for diversity in race, ethnicity, theology, class, and

income for all volunteers, staff, board members and participants
We will operate with the guiding principle that everyone affiliated with the
festival has charisms to be offered as part of a gift economy. To this end,
we covenant to:
- Be generous in all we do and with all that we have, including our time
and talents
- Recognize that in areas of conflict, we are required go 100% of the way

as we reconcile with one another
- Work as a team and draw upon the special gifts of each member,
thereby fostering real leadership from everyone on the planning team
We prioritize creativity and model inventive alternatives in our modes

of thought and interaction and in our methods of planning. To this end, we
covenant to:
- Create something fresh at every level of our planning and

implementation
- Offer alternative solutions rather than simply disagreeing when
opinions differ
- Set aside time for fresh thinking and new approaches that further
imagination
We are cognizant of the impact of our actions on the earth in all that we
do. To this end, we covenant to:
- Commit that our first option is no-impact and carbon neutral. If this
standard cannot be met, we will use the lowest-impact options
possible.
We ask and encourage intentional and authentic participation from all

those who plan, advise, volunteer, and attend the festival. To this end, we
covenant to:
- Welcome all, offering radical hospitality

- Expect that every person will come as they are – complete with gifts to
share and past experiences that will shape their expectations
- Expect that mutual respect be given for every person and in every
conversation.
We celebrate in each moment that we dream, plan, implement, and offer

the festival. To this end, we covenant to:
- Seek joy, laughter, and hope in all that we do.
We recognize that our common work is an act of worship. To this end, we

covenant to:
- Walk in the Way of Jesus at each step

- Dance with the Triune God
- Practice being the beloved community as an intentional spiritual
community

Please let us know how you would like to help be a part of this community
whose purpose is to create the Festival but is also to live out a new kind of
faith community - actively and authentically engaging with others like you
and others very different from you.
Contact rfillmore@sojo.net 202 328 8842

Appendix B: Elements of the Festival Design
Overview of Festival Design
July 26, 2007, Notes revised August 7, 2007
A. Elements of the Festival (six buckets)
Please note: this list is intended to expand both in terms of the content of the
“buckets” and the main categories themselves.
1. Art and creativity

a. Music
i. Professional level music stage, quality music
ii. Up and coming musicians, buskers
iii. Kids music and spaces
b. Film
c. Dance
d. Drum circles
e. Sculpture
f. Visual art
g. Literary
h. Poetry
i. Participatory art
2. Justice/ Mission
a. Immigration
b. Green
c. Poverty
d. Peace
e. Globalization
f. Race
g. Organic food
h. Fair trade
i. Violence
j. Sex trade/ slavery
k. The “slow” movement, slow living
l. Millennium Development Goals
3. Worship – old and new

a. Big worship (festival wide)
b. Experimental or new forms
c. Denominational/ established traditions
4. Spirituality (practices and disciplines)

a. Centering prayer

b. Personal formation, spiritual direction
i. Roaming spiritual development counselors
c. Labyrinth
d. Sweat lodge (Native American practice)
e. Yoga
f. Individualized ways of connecting with God.
g. Keeping of the hours – praying at 3, 6, 9, 12
h. Chant
5. Community
a. Gift economy (or barter economy)
b. Family and kid welcoming
c. Disabled welcoming
d. Petting zoo
e. Multiple safe spaces
i. For fundamentalists
ii. For gay people
iii. For racial minorities
6. Learning
a. How to do X
i. Like knitting
ii. Run your car on bio diesel
b. Groups can explain issues and help others who want to take on issues
i. Providing information
ii. How to organize
c. Café space, beer tent (?), open mic.
d. Theological conversation
e. Presentations by practitioners – people who have ‘done it’
f. 101 Courses – the basics
i. History of emerging church
g. Engagement between academics and practitioners
h. Teaching (evangelistic)
i. Learning commons – using kiosks and technology to help people
connect to “learning commons”
j. Learning encounters, dialogues on specific subjects
k. Spontaneous workshops, open space technology – a bulleting board or
technology so participants can offer something on-site and others can
find out about it
B. Vibrations: things that need to vibrate throughout categories
- Diversity
o Ethnic diversity not just racial diversity (multifaceted)
o Theological diversity within ethnic diversity (multifaceted)
o Accessibility (Spanish language listed in program like a menu, sign
language)
- Gift economy: being generous with the fruit of one’s creativity
- Not just resistance but creating alternative

- Green and sustainability
- Intentional and authentic participation
- To discover more facets of the divine in human encounters
- Creativity
- Attractional – draw people who are attracted, don’t push or sell
- Celebratory
C. Theological foundation: Trinitarianism:
- Trinity as relational dynamic

- Trinity’s perichoresis: respectful conversation and willingness to engage as a
reflection of this Trinitarian attribute
The analogy here is that the festival is an instrument played out by the hands of
those gathered. The strings that run throughout the festival are the components or
the ‘buckets’ – the arts, the community and justice – that resound as ‘vibrations’ of
diversity, creativity and authenticity – the essence of the festival.
Appendix C: Potential Names
FESTIVAL NAMES
Perichoresis (dancing triune god)

Holy Spirit Firetemple Festival
Rabbit Fox
Communitas/communion
Kaleo (fest)
Kairos (fest)
Imago (fest)
Trinitune/trinitoon
Eskinesis (pitch a tent?) – Greek from John 1
Metanoia (transformation/conversion)
Within – in mother language? Latin or greek
Oikoumene – beloved household (oiko = eco = household (ecology/economy)
Icon (fest)
TriniTentsfest
• Potential Festival Names from Focus Groups
o Inter Action Music Fest, interACTIONfest
o JUSTice pARTy – JUST ART - at the foot of the cross
o Greenbelt
o Inspire the fire, be the change

Appendix D: Festival Music by Genres
Rock/Folk
David Crowder Band

Jennifer Knapp
Cobalt Season
Isaac Everett
Madison Greene
Evensong Rising
Kyle Matthews
Solomon’s Porch Band (Potter St. bands)
The Psalters
Derek Webb
Waterdeep (if still touring)
Michael Blair Project
House of Mercy Band
Sarah Masen
Derek Webb
Michael McDermott
David Wilcox
Julie Lee
Carrie Newcomer
Jeshua Erickson
Gordon Gano
Ashley Cleveland
Denison Witmer
Over the Rhine
Indie
Anathallo
Delta Spirit
mewithoutYou
David Bazan
Low
Half-handed Cloud
Damien Jurado
Danielson
Innocence Mission
Wovenhand

Sleeping at Last
Starflyer 59
Jeremy Enigk
Michelle Shocked
John Davis
Josh Caterer
Nathan & Stephen
Breathe Owl Breathe
Bigger, Faith-y Pop Rock
Switchfoot
The Fray
Flyleaf
This Beautiful Republic
Gospel/R&B
Kirk Franklin
Tye Tribbet
Yolanda Adams
Fred Hammond
Israel Houghton
A Capella Gospel
Take 6
Alabaster Box
Hip Hop
Cross Movement label artists

Pigeon John
Bigger, mainstream market acts
O.A.R. (Pop rock/jam band)(connection)

Gillian Welch (Country)
Allison Krauss (Country)
Neko Case (Country)
India.Arie (R&B)
Matisyahu (Reggae/Hip hop)

Latin
Berto Ramon (hip hop)

Mana (worship)
Reggae
To be discovered
Jazz
To be discovered
Big Targets
Sufjan Stevens (Indie)

Moby (Big, mainstream market)
Patty Griffin (Folk)
Bruce Cockburn (Folk)
Old Crow Medicine Show? (Bluegrass)
Sweet Honey in the Rock (A Cappella)
Big targets w/established relationships
Jars of Clay
T-Bone Burnett
Emmylou Harris
Indigo Girls/Emily Sailers
Dave Crowder Band
Huge
Bono/U2
Lauryn Hill
Friends
Lakita Garth
Penelope Grant
Tim Holder
Leviticus (Gospel group used for Pentecost)/other Gospel choirs used
Tim Lowly

Bill Tucker
Nikoah
Saturn Project
John Doe Project
Thin Cities
Becky Johnson
Natalie Rivera
Jelani Greenidge
Steve Thorngate
Appendix E: Sample Focus Group Findings
North American Greenbelt Festival

Pentecost 2007 – Focus Group
Key Findings
• Questions
o What does the festival feel like?
o Who will come – and why?
o What is it called?
o What are the most important ingredients to you?
• Objectives
o To help build the initial vision of a North American Greenbelt Festival
o To get a sense of what people in their 20’s who are interested in social justice –
especially people of color – would find important in a Christian arts and music
festival
• Summary of demographics (number of participants, age, ethnicity, other)

o 18 participants, 5 facilitators
o 10 people ages 20-24, 8 people ages 25-29
o 2 African American (11%), 3 Asian American (17%), 12 Caucasian (67%), 1
international (5%)
o A mix of issue-based (39%), moderate (22%), progressive (11%), liberal (22%),
undeclared or unknown (6%)
o A mix of faith traditions: evangelical (22%), emergent (17%), mainline (28%),
Pentecostal (5%), non-denominational (11%), undeclared or unknown (17%)
• Significant findings
o The focus group members contributed rich images, text and concepts that will be
useful in shaping the North American Greenbelt festival, confirming key issues
heard at other focus groups
o No major differences in participants’ responses based on race, faith or race
o Some differences based on age
 Younger (20-24) participants were looking for emotional, inspiring,
strengthening, powerful experience – that felt like home

 Older (25-29) participants stated that a relaxed, creative, connecting,
transforming, worshipful experience in community was important
• Representative answers
o What does the festival feel like?
 it should feel honest, passionate, and applicable
 a positive community, Christian and non Christian sources; action, love,
opportunity, learning creativity, speakers
 grassroots, organic, authentic, honest, beautiful
 safe, secure in a community committed to transforming the world by
God's grace
o Who will come – and why?

 people who want to see the end of poverty and the beginning of
community
 believers and non believers, younger than older, and all are welcome
 the folk who come will be those whose hearts align with the mission and
have a real reason to see justice to be done. Emphasis on this being as
multi-generational and multicultural as possible. To achieve this it will be
important to find creative solutions to get folk there who can't afford to get
themselves there
 people with a heart and passion and loving Christian spirit for social
justice, who want to build community with other activists, learn more
about activism, and be motivated to do social justice, through the arts
diverse multicultural all ages
o What is it called?
 Inter Action Music Fest, interACTIONfest
 JUSTice pARTy – JUST ART - at the foot of the cross
 Greenbelt
 Inspire the fire, be the change
o What are the most important ingredients to you?

 space - for creation, expression, silence, God, learning, discussion and
fun
 sufjan stevens, black rebel motorcycle club, briertone, David Bazan,
starflyer 59, woven hand, jeremy enigk
 creative expression paired with social justice and poverty and
environmental protection
 music of all genres, food, people, something I can take home (organizing
and training materials list of good contacts, etc.) visual demonstrations
 green, community building, authentically artistic and expressive, not too
cheesy/campy, please. Good music! Not all Christian artists, diverse
music, maybe film, education ops, culture, and arts and crafts, etc. coffee
and god people
Appendix F: Potential Internet Outlets

Internet Outlet Name
Number of Mentions
120 Facebook
29 Myspace

11 Blogs
5 emergentvillage.org
3 youtube.ocm
3 yahoo and yahoogroups
2 craigslist.org
2 nytimes.com
2 thesimpleway.org
2 The Ooze
andrewsullivan.com
beliefnet.org
biblegateway.org
ccda.org
commondreams.org
democracynow.org
flixter
gaychristian.net
God's Politics Blog
Hi5
idealist.org
kadmusarts.com
linkedin.net
mychurch.org
relationships.com
RSS feed from festival website
sermoncentral.org
sojo.net
streamingfaith.com
tallskinnykiwi.com blog
wild postings on the Internet
Appendix G: Traditional Media Outlets
Media Outlet Type
Number of Mentions
Christian Magazines (97 mentions)

33 Sojourners
21 Relevant Magazine
10 Christianity Today
6 Geez Magazine
5 Christian Century
4 Episcopal Life
2 Other Denominational Magazines
2 Prism Magazine (Evangelicals for Social Action)
Discipleship Journal
Journal of Student Ministries
Leadership Journal of Christianity (owned by Christianity Today)
Leadership Magazine (owned by Christianity Today)
National Network of Youth Ministries Newsletter
New monastic

Outreach Magazine
Religious monthlies but advertising won't payoff
Rev Magazine
The Congregationalist
The Word Network
Whittenburg Door
Youth Group Newsletters
Youth ministry magazines
Youth Worker
Cultural Creative Magazines (9 mentions)

Body & Soul
makezine.com
Ode Magazine
Slate.com
Spirituality & Health
The Onion
Utne Reader
Wired
YES Magazine
Black Magazines & Outlets (8 mentions)

2 Ebony Magazine
2 Essence Magazine
2 Jet Magazine
BET TV
BET.com
Music Magazines (8 mentions)

6 Music - Paste Magazine
2 Music - Vibe Magazine (R&B, Hip Hop)
Gay Magazines & Outlets (8 mentions)

3 Gay local newspapers - DC - Metro Weekly
3 Gay local newspapers - NYC - The Blade, The City Paper, HX
Gay National Magazine - The Advocate
GayChristian.net
Health-Related Magazines (2 mentions)

2 HIV Positive magazines (Poz, HIV Plus)
Newspapers
2 Weekend Papers - Time Out magazines in every city
2 Weekend Papers - City Paper DC, Metro Weekly
2 Local Newspapers - Washington Post
2 National Papers - New York Times
Web Banner - nytimes.com

Radio
19 Radio - Christian Radio (local - see list below)
18 Radio - NPR
4 Radio - online alternative & indie rock including:
WSWD/the sound, WWCD/cd101, WWDC/dc 101
3 Radio - Jazz
3 Radio - Gospel
2 Radio - Christian - The Fish (national syndicated Christian)
Radio - online R&B/Hip Hop - KS 107.5
Radio - Public service announcements
Radio - Sponsored programs on public radio
Radio - NPR interview
Local stations included a mix of public radio, Christian
and alternative WAMU, KEXP, KGNW, WHUR, WMCA, WTMJ,
104.5 Christian Radio (multiple cities)
Television
2 TV - MTV
2 TV - National Commercial - CNN, MSNBC, etc
TV - PBS
TV - The Anderson Cooper Show
Appendix H: Financial Scenarios
Phase I Phase II Phase II Phase II
Category Jan-June '08 High Medium Low
REVENUE People People June '08 to Dec. 09
Average Entry Fee** $50 $225 $225 $225
Low Attendance 200 10,000 2,615 588,375 588,375 588,375
Medium 300 15,000 3,000 675,000 675,000 675,000
High 500 25,000 5,000 1,125,000 1,125,000 1,125,000

VARIABLE COSTS
Ground
Venue for Planning Mtg. s
Low Attendance $50 10,000 $27 70,605 70,605 70,605
Medium $50 15,000 $23 69,000 69,000 69,000
High $50 25,500 $17 85,000 85,000 85,000
Scholarship (25%)- travel $200 $150
Low # Scholarships 50 10,000 650 97,500 97,500 97,500
Medium # Scholarships 75 15,000 750 112,500 112,500 112,500
High # Scholarships 150 30,000 1250 187,500 187,500 187,500
GROSS INCOME
Low (10,000) 2,615 420,270 420,270 420,270
Medium (15,000) 3,000 493,500 493,500 493,500
High (30,000) 5,000 852,500 852,500 852,500
FIXED EXPENSE
Executive Director Volunteer 80,000 80,000 80,000

Pgm, Mktg & Web Tech 5,000 67,500 67,500 45,000
Administrative Support 5,000 30,000 15,000
Volunteer Coordinator 5,000 40,000 40,000 40,000

Artists & Speakers
(honoraria & travel) 5,000 200,000 160,000 148,500
Promotion 10,000 80,000 60,000 30,000
Registration 1,000 10,000 10,000 10,000
Signage, banners, decorations 1,000 20,000 10,000 5,000
Production 2,000 80,000 40,000 30,000
Insurance 50,000 50,000 50,000
Staff and volunteer expenses 2,000 9,500 9,500 9,500
TOTAL FIXED EXPENSE (36,000) 667,000 527,000 448,000
NET INCOME
Low 2,615 (246,730) (106,730) (27,730)
Medium 3,000 (173,500) (33,500) (45,500)
High 5,000 185,500 325,500 404,500
NET PROJECT INCOME

Low (46,000) (292,730) (152,730) (73,730)
Medium (51,000) (224,500) (181,000) (96,500)
High (66,000) 119,500 259,500 338,500
Appendix I: Competing Festivals
Ichthus 07: Uprising – A grassroots movement dedicated to radical change

June 13 – 16, 2007/ June 11 – 14, 2008 – Wilmore, Kentucky
http://www.ichthus.org/festival/
Mission:
Providing students with life changing experiences of truth through life changing encounters with
Jesus Christ.
The vision (motto) of Ichthus is to:

• Present worship, performance, and teaching events to propel students’ spiritual quest.
• Partner with other ministries to reach and mentor students.
• Promote communities of faith to grow and invest in youth ministry.
Staffing and Support

• 3 full-time staff members –

• interns and a festival committee (volunteers who work full time 3 – 6 month prior to the
festival – must live in the vicinity of festival)
• Have 1500 volunteers – work 9-hour shifts
• Collect donations on the website – one-time, monthly, yearly, appreciated securities,
insurance, memorial giving
• No significant sponsorships although there appears to be a strong relationship with
Asbury College
Additional Information
• The festival owns their own 111-acre farm which has been the site of the festival since
1999.
• Special Program for youth leaders
• Online community after the festival although not much activity there – used for chatting
• Provides opportunities for service projects during the festival
Exhibitors and Vendors –

• Ministry Tabling - $150 to table for the weekend with additional costs for more wristbands
and electricity
• Food Vendors – entrance fee of $300 plus a percentage of revenues (from 11 – 15%
depending on gross sales)
• Merchandise Vendors - $250 entrance fee plus 25% of gross sales
Prices (includes camping)–

Weekend - $115, EB $80
Day - $59; EB $49
Mainstage (Musicians) – Reliant K, Switchfoot, Newsboys, Third Day, tobyMac, Dave Crowder,
Chris Tomlin, Ascenxion Band (with Phil Keaggy), BarlowGirl, Hawk Nelson, Skillet, Thousand
Foot Krutch, The Afters, Grits, Jars of Clay, Family Force 5, Jackson Waters, This Beautiful
Republic, Alabaster Box, Merchant Band, Foolish Things, Jeremy Riddle
Speakers – Acts of Renewal, Charlie Alcock, Caleb Bislow, Devin Brown, Shane Claiborne, Louie
Giglio, Hule Goddard, Chris Laurent, Dan Lewis, Justin Lookadoo, Martin Mallory, Steve Stratton,
Efrem Smith, Johnny Vermilya, XXX Church, Narrah Seagrott, Helen Musick
Emphasis on: high school students – youth group focus; Christian music promotion;
Cornerstone – Bushnell, Ill. – in operation for 25 years as of 2008

June 30 – July 5, 2008; Monday – Saturday
Wide range of pricing – all including camping but different options depending on number of nights
(4 – 6); for groups, for families (2 different prices depending on number of people), for
individuals/children. From $90 for an adult with 4 nights of camping to $375 for family with 2
adults and up to 3 children up to the age of 17. No early bird registration
Sponsors – Compassion, Science Records, Tooth and Nail Records, Hurley (music promoter),
Phantom Tollbooth, Greenville College, Brave New World (music promoter), Gyroscope Arts Inc,

iTickets.com, HM Music, The Sherrill Agency, Decapolis, Stickers and More, Sian clothing,
discRevolt, Credential Recordings, Relevant, Raging Storm Records,
Speakers: Wide range of topics with some compassion and emergent elements. Many more on
lifestyle choices, direct service and missions.
Promotion – ask people to volunteer to promote the festival called the Street Team. For their
efforts, they get a free ticket for themselves to the festival.
Exhibit Booths - $525 plus additional cost for electricity and additional tables.
Camping is covered with costs but additional housing on campus 20 miles away. Lists of hotels
but they are farther away.
Emphasis is on the music – main sponsors are music promoters. Almost a frenetic feel to the
website with lots going on – although their blogs and forums were not active.

REFERENCES
After Burn: Reflections on Burning Man. Lee Gilmore and Mark Van Proyen, Editors
(University of New Mexico Press, 2005).
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the
Competition Irrelevant. W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne (Harvard Business School
Press, 2005).
Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. James C. Collins, Jerry I.

Porras (Harper Collins, 1994).
Consumer Behavior and Culture: Consequences for Global Marketing and Advertising.
Marieke K. de Mooij (Sage Publications, 2004).
The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People are Changing the World. Paul H. Ray
and Sherry Ruth Anderson (Harmony Books, 2000).
Global Movements: Action and Culture – Chapter 10: Rethinking Movements. Kevin
McDonald (Blackwell Publishing, 2006).
Handbook of the Sociology of Religion. Mark Chavez and Laura Stevens (Dillon,
Cambridge University Press, 2003).
The Liminal Effects of Social Movements. Guobin Yang, Sociological Forum, Volume 3,
Number 30, 2000.
The Rise of the Creative Class: And How it’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community
and Everyday Life. Richard Florida (Basic Books, 2002).
The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure. Victor Turner (Aldine Publishing,
1969).
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2007. (United States Government Publications,
2007).
This is Burning Man: Changing the World. Brian Doherty (Ben Bella Books, 2004).
Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches. Lindler (Abingdon Press, 2007).

US GB Feasibility Study RLF 12-12

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NORTH AMERICAN CHRISTIAN ARTS,

MUSIC AND JUSTICE FESTIVAL

ROBIN FILLMORE, PhD

PATRICK MCNAMARA, CONSULTANT

Executive Summary.............................................................................. .......................3

Strategic Overview................................................................................................. ......5

Our Approach: Open Source Design, Prayer and Research.........................................................................5

Festival Design................................................................................................ ...........14

Market Segmentation .................................................................................................................................23

Financial Management...................................................................... .........................31

Next Steps................................................................................................................. .34

Notes, Appendices, References................................................................ ..................35

Feasibility Study | Page 2

• From conversations that started at Greenbelt, a momentum began to build – calling

Feasibility Study | Page 3

• We also crunched numbers in the expected due diligence of formulating budgets,

• This feasibility study considers what must be accomplished to create a successful

• Engage in social justice issues

• Uphold the unique identity of the festival

Feasibility Study | Page 4

While the majority of U.S. Christian music festivals exclusively target

As a starting point, the specific parameters we began with were to

OUR APPROACH: OPEN SOURCE DESIGN, PRAYER AND RESEARCH

Feasibility Study | Page 5

MISSION & ETHOS: AUTHENTIC, DIVERSE & ENGAGING

Feasibility Study | Page 6

DESIGN OVERVIEW: TRANSFORMATIONAL

Feasibility Study | Page 7

UNIQUENESS: A NEW SPACE IN THE CHRISTIAN LANDSCAPE

• These elements describe an ethos that is already present in this generation – a

Feasibility Study | Page 8

• In addition to facilitating personal transformation, these two festivals are typical of

Feasibility Study | Page 9

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS

o Team effort, shared leadership. Because people from diverse ethnic

Feasibility Study | Page 10

o Organizational partners must be sought to support the event financially

 $100,000 by March 1, 2008 (combination of cash and in-kind

 $150,000 by June 1, 2008 ($75,000 is for salaries)

 $150,000 by January 1, 2009 ($75,000 is for salaries)

o Denominational partners will provide similar financial support and

 Funding for young adult and minority participation – especially

Feasibility Study | Page 11

• Ensure Diversity and Inclusion

o While diversity and inclusion is part of the ethos, it is worth mentioning

o Diversity needs to continue at all levels of the project and be integrated

• Facilitate Authentic Transformation

o A key objective of the festival is to foster spiritual growth among young

o For example, the planning retreat was a transformational experience that

• Engage in Social Justice Issues

Feasibility Study | Page 12

• Uphold the Unique Identity of the Festival

PARTNERS: WHO WILL SHAPE THIS

• Our audience wants a diverse festival, so the partners need to be diverse in

• We need a wide range of support at many levels. Ideally we need

 250 volunteers to help put on the festival

Feasibility Study | Page 13

Feasibility Study | Page 14

Feasibility Study | Page 15

Feasibility Study | Page 16

• In interviews, we learned that being Christian can be countercultural for folks in

• The online survey showed demographics of our likely audience as:

Ethnic and Cultural Background