ABOUT BOOK

Traditional arts practices and festivals have attracted increasing and diverse ~attention in the European context since policymakers discovered ‘culture’ as a ~resource in the 1980s (see, e.g., Kilday 1998 ). Their impact on their respective ~communities of practice, modes of production and exchange value in contemporary ~European society is under the spotlight from various angles within the ~newly emerged fi eld of ‘festival studies’, which is deeply connected to policy ~issues (Frost 2016 ). However, much of this interest is instrumentally concerned ~with revenue potential, leaving key concepts, such as heritage, identity and ~indeed Europe, defi ned in rather vague and often contradictory terms (Kockel, ~Nic Craith and Frykman 2012 ; Logan, Kockel and Nic Craith 2015 ; K ø lvraa ~2016 ; L ä hdesm ä ki 2016 ; Whitehead and Bozo ğ lu 2017 ). Moreover, the number ~and range of events labelled as ‘festival’ is growing (Frost 2016 : 569), requiring ~a broader perspective on performances of heritage and identity.