Victorious festival brings £24m to Portsmouth, supports artists and small businesses

The study looked at both direct and indirect effects, including visitor spending, local business contracts, crew accommodation, and other financial benefits. The total impact was calculated at £24,321,000.

The research also found that 30 per cent of festivalgoers were from Portsmouth, and the event attracted an older audience compared to other festivals. Victorious was also recognised for being more accessible, with a higher number of attendees needing support for physical or mental health needs.

Councillors praised the festival for supporting local businesses and young artists. Cllr Russell called it "really unique" for helping local businesses. He noted that most attendees were aged 45–54 and said many festivals often ignore people in the "30 to 50 age range."

Council leader Steve Pitt spoke about Road to Victorious, a competition giving young musicians in the PO postcode a chance to perform at the festival. "The first band to win that was Crystal Tides—since they played, their gigs around the country are selling out, which is brilliant because it’s about artist development," he said.

"It’s much more than just a festival on the Common in the summer, it’s become an integrated part of our cultural ecosystem," he said, noting its work supporting literacy and other local projects.

Victorious also helps small businesses through Neighbourhood Eats, an area where independent Portsmouth food vendors can trade without the usual high costs of a festival pitch.

The festival ran from August 23 to 25 last year, attracting a total of 168,019 attendances and 79,294 unique visitors.

While interest in live music remained strong, there was a shift in festival attendance trends, with three in five attendees stating that Victorious would be the only festival they attended in 2024.