On 21st January, midpoint, (a network of funded organisations and independent theatre companies in the West Midlands) organised a discussion on festivals at MAC. Invited speakers included Andy Field from Forest Fringe, Mathew Austin from Mayfest, Mike Tweddle from BE Festival Simone Kenyon from BAC and Harun Morrison and Laura McDermott from Fierce. There were around 40 attendees, including recent graduates, emerging theatre companies, senior Arts Council officers and Birmingham City Council arts staff. We explored how festivals could support artists, ways of engaging with festivals as an artist and the do’s and don’ts of approaching programmers!