Féile
Féile an Phobail, also known simply as Féile, is celebrated as Ireland’s Biggest Community Arts Festival. The flagship event of Féile is the August Féile, which stands as the centrepiece of the festival calendar in Ireland. They also provide an annual programme of year-round events in arts, cultural, and community-based activities.
The flagship festival features an eclectic mix of events, including, headline concerts, lively debates and discussions, art exhibitions, and massive community and sporting events. It is known for showcasing the very best of Belfast and welcoming visitors from all over the world to join in on the fun.
The Challenge
Féile needed a website that could pace with their activities and events. The previous website lacked smooth user functionality – it felt slightly dated and failed to represent the energy and excitement of the Féile festival.
There were a lot of things on our checklist that we needed to do, including;
- Organising events and activities on the website in a user-friendly way.
- Embedding a brand identity to the website.
- Designing a clear website layout that was easily navigated.
- Showcasing previous events and building excitement for future projects.
In order to ensure that we could deliver on these goals, we decided to go for a complete website custom build. This would allow greater flexibility and control for what’s included on the website and allow us to create an entirely unique space that would showcase Féile to both local and global audiences.
Our Approach
Our team developed a custom-built WordPress website, complete with a new layout designed by our creative experts. The results paled in comparison compared to the previous website and the Féile team was very happy with the outcome.
Our approach included the following website design and development elements:
Vibrant Colour Scheme
We incorporated the festival’s key colours into the website design – purple, green, and blue. This strengthened their brand identity and created a vibrant and inviting visual experience for online visitors.
Strategic Call to Actions
We strategically placed call-to-action buttons throughout the site. The “Buy Tickets” button was especially important, given the year-round events that Féile hosts, including the Fela and Maza Festival in summer and various autumn festivals. This would prompt audiences to take action and get involved in many aspects of the local community festival.
Event Showcase
A dedicated section of the website highlights current events that are happening, ensuring that visitors can easily find and attend Féile festivals throughout the year. This would help encourage participation and uptake in local events.
Video Integration
At the client’s request, we also made video content a focal point of the website, which is a strategic move in engaging visitors and sharing the energy that the Féile brings every year. We embedded a dedicated video for each year of the Féile, as well as additional videos about the history, culture and significance of the community-based festival.
FéileTV
To further emphasize the importance of video content, we also included a link to Féile TV, which redirects visitors to the client’s YouTube channel where they can view videos of past festivals and activities. This promotes the legacy of the Féile, cementing it as a valued community event that attendees look forward to each year.
Easy Navigation
The website is designed for ease of use, with clear content about when the Féile festival is happening and easy links to learn more about the festival and upcoming events, this feature was particularly important, especially during festival season. Easy and simple navigation was a major focus throughout the build and something we ensured was evident within every page of the site.
Additional Features
We also added a gallery section for visitors to explore images from previous festivals and a “Visit West Belfast” section as it is the home of the annual event. We ensured that the website would become a hub of information, encouraging visitors to stick around for longer and ultimately enhancing the SEO performance of the site.
Social Media Integration
Recognising the client’s active social media presence, we also integrated a live social media feed into the website, in addition to the standard social media icons. Again this was included to generate excitement, encourage discussion and promote the range of activities on offer.
The Results
The revamped Féile Festival website is more than just a fresh coat of paint – it’s a comprehensive digital platform that meets the client’s needs and offers visitors an engaging, user-friendly experience.
From the vibrant colour scheme to the strategic placement of call-to-action buttons and the integration of video content, every element of the site was designed with enhanced user experience in mind.
Féile now has a dedicated website that can encompass the level of activity that they do. We have successfully created an online hub that generates interest and engagement in addition to putting Belfast on the global stage.
With a sleek website, enhanced user functionality and simple, easy navigation we have delivered on all of our objectives and most importantly, ensured that our clients at Féile were happy with the results!
More projects
If you enjoyed this case study, check out the story behind some of our other projects: Community Charity Marketing Project | Website Design for Membership Platform | Website Build for LGBT Ireland | Tourism Marketing for Crumlin Road Gaol.
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