Sheffield DocFest gets public funding boost

A meeting of the council’s economic development and skills committee yesterday (December 20) agreed £100k funding of the event for each of the next three years heard that the festival contributes almost £2m to the Sheffield economy. It is the UK’s leading documentary festival.

DocFest, which has been running for 30 years, this year attracted 2,272 industry delegates from 69 countries to Sheffield for a 10-day period. As well as screenings of 114 films and talks that are open to the public, the Meet Market industry networking event usually does £7m of business a year.

A report to the committee said: “DocFest has a clear benefit to the visitor economy and the growth of this sector. More than 45 per cent of public audiences are from outside Sheffield (40 per cent outside South Yorkshire) and more than 90 per cent of professional delegates (2,272 in 2023) from outside Sheffield. 24 per cent of delegates in 2023 were international.”

Council director of economy, skills and culture Diana Buckley told the committee that first-class events like DocFest need public funding in order to pull in other investment. The point of agreeing a three-year deal, using money from the major events fund, gives stability to DocFest to make future plans, she said.

The major events budget stands at £285k. Ms Buckley said: “The more that we have in the events budget, the more we can bring in.”

Impact

In previous years the grant has been higher but this was cut back because of the budget pressures faced by the council.

New DocFest managing director Annabel Grundy said there has been a significant peak in numbers this year as the industry recovers from the pandemic.

She said: “One thing that is really important to us is community impact. We want to make sure the people of Sheffield and South Yorkshire feel welcome at DocFest and come and participate in a significant cultural event.”

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Ms Grundy said that the event is linking up with Rotherham, which will be the first Children’s Capital of Culture in 2025, and Bradford, which is the 2025 UK City of Culture.

DocFest will also run community events in different areas of Sheffield, she said: “People need to be shown that they’re welcome and one of the best ways is to go where they’re at.”

Sheffielders are among those who take part in a 450-strong volunteers programme which supports the event. A local advisory group of six South Yorkshire residents also engage with the festival and associated year-round events.

Impact

A year-round DocFest programme of films and talks runs in the Showroom Cinema on Paternoster Row.

Coun Barbara Masters asked about the environmental impact. Ms Grundy said the festival, which is based at the Showroom Cinema and around the city centre, is mainly walkable. The major impact comes from delegates arriving from outside the city.

Coun Masters said: “It is excellent, I’m really pleased to see it.” Several councillors expressed enthusiasm for the event and the importance of the council continuing its support.

Committee chair Coun Martin Smith said: “I am particularly impressed by the section of the report on community benefits, there’s some really good, positive stuff in there.”

Sheffield DocFest 2024 runs from June 12-17.