This diploma thesis lays the foundation for the strategic marketing communication of a new festival in Trenčín – the Light Art Festival Trenčín (LAF). The event is part of the Trenčín 2026 programme, an initiative through which the city was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture for 2026.
The theoretical section provides a comprehensive basis for approaching the organization and development of the event as a brand, including the necessary marketing communication. When combined with relevant dramaturgy and strategic planning, this can contribute to the festival’s long-term presence in the city. The strategic framework is presented through widely used marketing communication models, frameworks, matrices, and timelines – all of which are later applied in a practical guidebook for planning the festival’s communication in its second edition.
In addition, the thesis analyses the attitudes of visitors to the first edition of LAF, along with their feedback on the programme, communication, and production. These findings are supplemented by data on the level of cultural participation in the city. The thesis also includes interviews with organizers of similar festivals in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, mapping key challenges and proven approaches to audience development for contemporary and light art.
The final output is the aforementioned guidebook, which enables LAF to reflect on and evaluate its inaugural edition and to define, in a structured way, the branding, communication, and programming strategies for the upcoming 2026 edition. It focuses on the festival’s sustainability in the context of ECOC 2026 and its long-term integration into the city’s cultural life.
