Backed by independent research
Social
Impact
One festival, thousands of connections. This is what the numbers say about the difference Africultures makes, on and off the festival grounds.
The Research
Measuring Our
Impact
In partnership with UTS Business School
We always knew Africultures brought people together. In 2023, we set out to prove it. Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), in partnership with our organising committee, surveyed attendees, stallholders and performers at that year's festival.
The goal was simple: understand how the festival shapes cultural exchange and integration, and how it builds the capacity and social capital of the stallholders and performers who bring it to life. What they found tells a clear story, of scale, of connection, and of opportunity.
The findings below come directly from that research, published in Celebrating Diversity, Fostering Unity: The Social Impact of the Africultures Festival.
The Numbers
Three Findings,
One Story
Scale, connection and opportunity, all in one day
40,000+ Scale & Reach
Australia's Premier African Festival
Africultures Festival draws over 40,000 attendees to Cathy Freeman Park, Sydney Olympic Park each year. The 2023 festival was brought to life by 33 performers, 81 stallholders and 35 volunteers.
75.4% Community & Cohesion
Felt More Positive About Others in Australia
75.4% of attendees said the festival made them feel more positive about other people living in Australia, the highest-scoring measure of social cohesion in the UTS study.
63% Economic Empowerment
A Launchpad for Business
63% of stallholders and performers strongly agreed that taking part in Africultures changed their decision to grow their business, helping African entrepreneurs overcome barriers like limited networks or funding.
Our Why
More Than
a Day Out
The Africultures Festival is a proven catalyst for connection, belonging and economic opportunity, built one performance, one stall and one conversation at a time.
Areas of Impact
What Changes
Because We Show Up
Four ways the festival makes a lasting difference
Belonging
Attendees leave with a stronger sense of community and a deeper connection to Australia's multicultural fabric.
Culture
Every stall, performance and dish shares African culture with a wider audience, and builds pride within it.
Opportunity
Stallholders and performers gain a genuine platform to promote their work and grow their business.
Capacity
Workshops and training sessions build lasting skills for stallholders and performers, year after year.
The Source
Backed By
Independent Research
Conducted by UTS Business School, 2023
These findings come from Celebrating Diversity, Fostering Unity: The Social Impact of the Africultures Festival, an independent study by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Business School, conducted in partnership with our organising committee.
The research surveyed attendees, stallholders and performers at the 2023 festival to understand its effect on cultural exchange, integration, and the capacity and social capital of the people who bring the festival to life.
Attendees Surveyed Stallholders Surveyed Performers Surveyed
Read the Full Report →Be Part of It
Help Us Grow
the Impact
Whether you're coming as a guest, applying for a stall, or just curious to learn more, there's a place for you at Africultures.
Celebrating Diversity,
The Social Impact of the Africultures Festival Report
Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), in collaboration with the Africultures Festival organising committee, conducted an assessment to evaluate the festival’s impact on promoting cultural exchange and integration, as well as enhancing the capacity and social capital of stallholders and performers. The evaluation was based on surveys administered to attendees, stallholders, and performers at the 2023 festival, forming the core of this analysis.
Key findings from the assessment highlight the festival’s significant social impact on attendees. The festival fosters a sense of community among attendees from diverse backgrounds. African attendees reported enhanced connections within their own communities and with the broader Australian community. Non-African attendees experienced a deepened appreciation for African cultures, promoting cross-cultural understanding and integration. A strong sense of community among festival attendees was linked to their improved social well-being. Participants who felt connected to specific communities, even those outside their own cultural background, showed a greater openness to positively changing their views on societal functioning and expressed greater optimism about society as a whole.
In terms of capacity building for stallholders and performers, the festival offers an opportunity for stallholders to directly promote and sell their goods and services, thereby increasing sales and visibility within and beyond the African community. Similarly, performers are given a stage to showcase their talents, contributing to cultural exchange and celebration. The festival’s capacity building initiatives included necessary preparations and training sessions, such as food safety training and marketing and promotion workshops. These initiatives not only help enhance the skills of stallholders and performers but also improve their business operations, enabling them to thrive in their respective fields.