TFEA places a premium on the exchange of ideas and offers several exciting programs to help events, and the professionals who manage them, continue their professional training and growth.
- TFEA Annual Conference and Trade Show
- Behind the Scenes Tours at Member Events
- Certified Festival & Event Associate (CFEA)
The Certified Festival & Event Associate (CFEA) program is built upon a required course / training curriculum, presented by many of the top global professionals in our field today. It is ideal for anyone looking for a well-rounded understanding of the festival and event management field, with a desire to elevate their game and strengthen their resumes (paid professionals and volunteers; new professionals and students; sponsors, suppliers, government / municipality representatives, and other industry stakeholders). The CFEA course of studies is also a required and important component for reaching the Certified Festivals & Events Executive (CFEE) level of professional recognition.
Program Requirements
- Educational Curriculum (Required for both CFEA and CFEE recognition)
- Membership
Applicants must successfully complete one of the following. A combining of the programs is not acceptable and applicants should pick the program that best suits their professional goals.
- IFEA Certification Training - Six (6) one day, in-depth, educational / training seminars (a total of 40+ hours of training) centered on the following topics:
- IFEA Event Management School – An intensive two-year (one week per year) program, presented at the Oglebay National Training Center in West Virginia (United States) each January. The Event Management School provides 64+ hours of education and applied project experience covering a thorough overview of festival and event management from feasibility studies to final evaluations and everything in-between. The IFEA Event Management School is presented in partnership with the National Recreation & Parks Association (NRPA) and offers a unique opportunity for those attending to build a powerful, professional network as their ‘class’ lives, learns and works together on-site at the Oglebay Resort.
Attendance at all courses is required to obtain CFEA / CFEE recognition, but courses may be taken independently as desired.
Courses are offered in groups of three rotating topics annually leading into the IFEA Annual Convention & Expo (usually in September in North America), and may also be presented (singularly, as a whole, or in other determined groupings) in our seven global regions by our IFEA Global Affiliates, approved state / regional chapters, government organizations, festival umbrella organizations, tourism agencies or other industry stakeholders. An official IFEA designated representative must be present at all educational / training programs. All Event Management School courses are developed and presented within a set course curriculum created by The IFEA Academy of Event Education and are delivered by IFEA approved industry professionals with direct, first-hand experience in each topical area. All Texas Festivals & Events Executive Program courses are developed and presented within a defined course curriculum created and approved by The IFEA Academy of Event Education and are delivered by IFEA / TFEA approved industry professionals with direct, first-hand experience in each topical area. All participating candidates are required to be a current IFEA member in good standing before receiving their CFEA certification designation. Those members fully completing any of the educational/training curriculums above will receive designation / recognition as a ‘Certified Festival & Event Associate (CFEA)’ and be eligible to continue working to complete the next level of certification as desired.