No matter what is happening in the world, Wanderland’s are self-contained and Covid-safe.
How is Wanderland Covid-safe?
From Rainbows to Teddy Bear Hunts people have been putting art in their windows throughout Lockdown for their local communities to enjoy. As long as your workshops are on Zoom, and you encourage people to socially distance as they walk around, we believe there are no safety concerns to running a Window Wanderland.
In the current situation we recommend you check the government website and your local authority about restrictions outdoor festivals and gatherings. This will affect how your workshops/meetings are run. If you want no publicity for your festival, due to Covid, simply let us know when you sign up and we will only publicise you on social media after it is over, when we share the images.
Why do a Window Wanderland in your neighbourhood?
- It helps build a stronger community
- It’s a great excuse to get outdoors and explore your local area
- It’s a lot of fun and brightens up the darker days of winter
- It’s inclusive and celebrates everyone’s ability to be creative
- You can raise funds for your favourite charity
Why join Window Wanderland to create my festival?
Because you will be part of a positive international community that shares, brings together, and celebrates all of the local festivals!
We know putting on a Window Wanderland is definitely, definitely worth it. Our toolkits take the pain out of the tricky bits: planning, dates, funding, making flyers, maps, signing up Windowmakers and promotion— with our extensive, all encompassing, GDPR friendly, customisable toolkits and easy-to-personalise webpages. We have different options for different communities, so you only get what you need from us.
Feedback from our organisers:
- 100% found our toolkits useful
- 100% feel more connected to their communities
- 85% plan to put on a festival the following year.
Why not just make our own festival using your idea?
Of course you can – but we would love to share your images to inspire other communities, as you have been inspired by us. Our ethos is to celebrate all festivals by bringing them together – which we do here and on social media. This keeps the Wanderland Karma glowing and the inspiration flowing.
Our aim has been to give all our support and resources for free, paid for by sponsorship/funding. As yet we have not been able to do this, which means we have to charge a small fee to keep the Wanderland community going. We have many options of joining us at a low cost, which give you visibility here and on social media where we celebrate and share you across the global Wanderland community. By joining us you are also helping to support our tiny social enterprise, making a difference to communities around the world. The fees cover mapping licence fees, administration and promotional costs.
We are genuinely a volunteer-led social enterprise, so we hope to see you join our positive community to be part of.
Please do remember that we are trademarked, so you cannot use our images/films, our name or resources on your media without our permission.
Can Window Wanderland be part of a larger festival?
Yes, if you are an existing festival talk to us about how we can work together. Some festivals are not able to run at the present time so they are hosting Wanderlands instead.
I run an existing festival, and I want to create something like Window Wanderland as part of it, but I don’t want to use any of your resources or call it a Window Wanderland. Can I use your images?
We are glad we have encouraged you to create this, but we are a very small team with limited capacity for bespoke requests. Our listing package means you get a link from here to your festival website and you can fill your boots with our images and films. This way, when your displays have been created we can share them and inspire others in the way that you have been inspired.
Getting started
Timings: can we do a festival anytime of the year?
Of course you can, but we encourage you to make it a time where it could repeat annually.
Your main decision is how the windows are lit, whether to go for posters during daytime or if you want to use the windows as a lightbox, do it after dark. If you want them back-lit then you will want to make sure the kids can see them before bedtime.
We have seen during Covid19 that daytime Wanderlands can work really well, showing off gardens and daytime displays.
Whenever you do it we recommend three-four months of slow marketing before the Wanderland. We find that most occur between the end of January and early March, UK time, as they do not compete with other festivals. We provide tips on timings in our starter toolkit which you get on registration.
How long does the Wanderland last?
This is up to you, we suggest a few days over a weekend.
We will be the first to make a Wanderland in our country, can we have a reduced rate?
Yes, the first Wanderland to happen in a country gets a free toolkit 🙂 Just register your area as part of stage 1, and we will contact you.
Planning
How much work is it to organise?
It depends on the type of community you live in and how you want to create the festival. We recommend a team effort spread over three- four months.
Can you provide us with an outline of how long it takes and who we need to find to make it happen?
It is really hard to prescribe this, each area is different, some have schools involved, some do workshops, some make flyers, some make maps, some have information meetings, you get the gist. You need one person to oversee it over a period of around 3 months, read the 37 page toolkit and decide what your community needs. That person can decide to do or hand out the different roles- detailed in the toolkit, schools, marketing, sponsors, workshops. The toolkit outlines all of the possibilities you could do, it’s up to you if you decide to do them. Your most important job is to let everyone in your community know the date and that they can join in. How you do that is up to you.
Can you give us a budget of what it will cost before we register?
In the past we have prescribed budgets, but as each area does it differently, with varying skill sets and local daily rates, we felt this caused more confusion than support. We know that all of our organisers are happy to talk about their experiences, so we suggest you find an area that feels like yours in terms of scale, and contact them via the website. In the standard toolkit there is a budget outline that allows you to input your local costs to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything.
What do I get from Window Wanderland?
That depends on what you need. Some people have never organised anything like this before, others are professionals. Our toolkit options range from giving you everything from; help with planning, timings, sponsorship, making route maps, signing up Windowmakers and promotion to simply listing your festival with us here and on facebook. You can choose which toolkit is best for your local event and by joining us your event is spread internationally.
Can we get extra support?
Absolutely, if you would like to get your festival off to a flying start, Lucy Reeves Khan, our founder, is regularly commissioned to deliver a range of additional activities for organisations, festivals and LAs. For example; Writing fundraising applications, over the phone advice, inspirational talks/workshops for residents, large window displays and workshops with a community group. To find out more about the services available please contact us.
Can we choose our own theme?
The festival is for your community and it’s up to you — although some people find a theme too restrictive, it might be right for your neighbourhood but it could be a ‘suggestion’ rather than compulsory. We encourage creativity though so our branding guidelines are loose, giving you free reign to make it your own.
How can we test this to see if our area is interested?
On registration (stage 1) we will give you tips on how to gauge interest through social media, local groups and community centres, before you make the commitment to go ahead.
This allows potential Display makers then can register their interest in making a display when a date is set, this gives you confidence to go ahead with the next stage!
How big an area can one festival be?
This is designed to be a walking trail, keeping it local to encourage the community to do something together. If the area can’t be printed on an A4 map on a home computer, with each display clearly marked, then it’s probably too big an area. Remember our aim is to get neighbours talking to neighbours, be proud of their own area and get to know each other better. In our experience you don’t want any barriers to participation, so if you can’t get around the whole area walking over the duration of the festival this could put people off creating displays. Remember they only have a few nights to get out and see the other displays, so you don’t want to put them off if there is another area doing one the same weekend.
Can we just do one road or one building as a Window Wanderland?
Yes, but if you are having a ‘central building/street display’ we encourage you to create a map that includes residents around that focus. After all you will be marketing the festival to that community, so including them will cost you the same as doing one street/building. Once they sign up to the map they get an automated welcome pack, and all you do is approve their place on the map, simple! There is more info about how to think about your map/area in the toolkit.
Can I organise a Wanderland in a commercial area?
Many people in our neighbourhood do not have access online, how do they get engaged?
No problem, the toolkits were written in an ‘old fashioned’ way with this in mind; letters, flyers, printed maps, noticeboards, meetings, engaging people on foot and in person etc.
Only one person has to be online- the lead organiser – in order to access the toolkit. You can manually add residents to the map and print out information for them. Essentially you could do a Wanderland in a village with just one noticeboard, you just need to make sure they read it!
Can we have lots of areas on the same weekend in one festival?
The beauty of WW is that it was designed to be a walking trail, created for local organisers who know their immediate community, or want to get to know their community better.
It was created to enable display makers to be able to create something in their own window, and for their own community to come and see it.
We find that if one festival happens, then another happens not far away, but these are distinct areas, usually on different weekends so that the local flavour is not lost. An exception to this is The City of London worked with us to create a Wanderland over one weekend in several housing estates. This involved an IT fee, if you have questions contact admin@windowwanderland.com. We are always open to new ideas though, for example if you live in a rural area and want to join up a series of small groups we would suggest contacting us to do what City of London did.
Money
Is there a charge to host a Window Wanderland?
Our aim has been to give all our support and resources for free, paid for by sponsorship/funding. But as yet we have not been able to do this, which means we have to charge a small fee to keep the Wanderland community going. Although Window Wanderland CIC, is a non-profit organisation, we need to charge to cover our costs. This is so we can continue to exist and keep the Wanderland inspiration flowing.
Why do we charge?
We are often asked to reduce our price or provide our resources for free. In an ideal world that’s exactly what we’d do – any sponsors out there please get in touch! At the moment though, we can’t.
We are a tiny social enterprise set up in 2015. We have created a wide range of accessible resources and have learnt a lot in this time and give you access to that.
We are mostly volunteer run but we still have costs – IT, administration, promotion, website development, bookkeeping and so on, so the small charges we make help to cover some of these costs.
We like to spend our time promoting your wonderful displays, brightening peoples’ lives and encouraging more people to take part so please think before asking for a discount and dig deep in your pockets to become part of the Window Wanderland community.
Can we register once, then have different/nearby festivals from that one registration?
Each registration relates to one locality and is connected to only one email address. It is not possible for you to register one area IE ‘London’ and then have multiple festivals across London from that area page. The site was set up for one person to be in charge of one local festival, and pass it on to another organiser in the future. Each time someone signs up to make a display you get an email, so having multiple areas from one email would simply get too complicated. Plus each area page has a gallery of up to 80 images, so it needs to reflect one area only.
What do I get when I register?
You get comprehensive advice that will help you fundraise, including template flyers and letters. Also an overview of the timings and team roles needed to prepare.
You also get an ‘Area page’ on the website, this allows you to share the page via your network so that volunteers can offer to help you make it happen.
I need to get an invoice/pro forma to complete the payment, how do I do that?
We can provide this for a small additional cost, contact us to enquire about these.
How can I fund my Wanderland?
Our toolkit explains how to raise money through sponsorship from local businesses to applying for community grants. Alternatively we are expert at fundraising now, if you are a voluntary or community constituted organisation we can help write your application, contact us if you are interested.
How do I raise money for charity?
This is up to you, but we offer support and advice in the toolkit.
First festival Services
Management; We can manage your first Wanderland, tailored to your needs, alongside someone within your community- this ensures there is a legacy for the following year.
Inspiration talks; We have had success with Lucy’s presentation about the Wanderland story to residents ahead of the festival. It’s a great way to get them fired up about the idea!
Advice; Skype Advice to your own organising team throughout your festival, just an hour here and there can make a big difference. We also offer personal PR services, we can share your event via our channels in a more tailored way and support your local media releases with our fabulous PR guru Pam.
Workshops; We have had great success with creating workshops! We made one for the Barbican in London.
Central Window display; Lucy made a large window display for Sage building in Gateshead alongside their workshops.
If you are interested contact us – admin@windowwanderland.com
Branding and Social Media
Can I use the name ‘Window Wanderland’ as part of my marketing?
Please do, you can use the format [your area name] Window Wanderland for your invoices, promotional campaigns, and the press. For example, Bishopston Window Wanderland. This gives each area its own identity while also showing that it belongs to the wider Window Wanderland community.
Can I use my own social media hashtag?
Yes, but we encourage you to use our umbrella hashtags #windowwander #windowwanderland and @windowwander whenever you post on social media, as this enables us, and you, to spread the word to a wider audience.
Managing your Account
I’ve tried to reset my password, but not had an email from WordPress, what do I do?
Try these steps:
- Check your spam folders
- Clear cached images and files from your browser and try again
- Try a different browser (Firefox, Safari, Internet explorer)
- Secure networks sometimes block WordPress, so check if this is the case.
I am having technical issues!
Contact us on support@windowwanderland.com and we can help.
Safety
What if the Windowmakers ask about safety?
They receive information about this in their welcome packs that they get when they sign up. This is covered in the Windowmakers FAQs, but these are the common questions:
Will anyone come into my house?
No, this is an outdoor trail.
Will people be able to see inside my house?
This is up to you and the type of display you put on, but make sure you cover anything you don’t want people to see. And that your display is clearly visible!
Will Window Wanderland bring people from outside my area to my street?
Our surveys show that 10% of people come to see the festival from outside of the area as residents invite their family and friends to share in a happy festival, show off their display and feel proud of their community.
Will it be noisy and crowded?
The aim is to achieve a sense of community and togetherness, so your street may be noisier and more crowded than usual for a couple of hours. Some people feel the streets are much safer when there are families and groups wandering about.
What if someone trips in my garden?
Window Wanderland is not liable for safety on the night. You are responsible for your own garden, so use precautions such as lights if there are steps or dangers. Any external lights must be suitable for use outdoors. If you use temporary structures, please ensure they are secure.
Photos
Contact
If you still have a question about Organising your own festival following reading these you can email admin@windowwanderland.com