Should local festivals prioritize homegrown talent over outside stars?
I've noticed that our city's annual cultural festival keeps shrinking its budget for local artists while spending more on big-name performers from elsewhere. This year, nearly 40% of the program featured outside acts, and ticket prices rose again. Do you think investing in homegrown talent would actually strengthen our community's identity, or is bringing in outside stars the only way to keep audiences engaged? I'm genuinely torn because I love seeing big shows, but I also worry we're losing what makes our local scene unique.