Identitetsskapande genom meningsfulla upplevelser : Betydelsen av meningsfullhet i musikfestivalsammanhang

In this paper, I have investigated how meaningful experiences in the context of music festivals might contribute to an individual’s identity.The purpose of the study is to explore the concepts of meaningfulness and identity applied to the context of music festivals. Another purpose is to examine if meaningful experiences can contribute to an individual’s identity. The study is of qualitative nature and has been conducted with a hermeneutic and inductive approach. It consists of two parts where three festival organizers with the Swedish music festivals Hultsfred festival, Arvika festival and Peace & Love festival and eight festival visitors have been interviewed regarding the perception of the festival experience and its relationship to the concept of meaningfulness. Meaningful experiences enrich people's lives by creating meaning and coherence. Thus, the demand for experience products and services that change and provide people with something more permanent than a memory is increasing (Pine & Gilmore, 1999). Meaning creates security and is based on the human need to establish a socially functional identity (Svedberg, 2003). In turn, we shape our identities through stories we tell about ourselves, based on important memories of experiences that has had an impact on us (Ruud, 1997).The result of the empirical and theoretical material show that a music festival experience to the highest degree can be considered meaningful, and that some aspects of it can contribute to establishing and strengthening ones individual identity. An experience of meaningful character is, according to the analysis of the study, described as a contributor to personal development and individuals who identify with music festivals enjoy discussing and talking about their experiences. The empirical data in the study, supported by theory led to the concept of experience stories. These stories become part of a person's so-called life story, which clearly relate to a desire to acknowledge, maintain and express their identity.Validerat; 20120627 (anonymous