Festivals and groups must communicate promptly and professionally.
Exchanging of all necessary information is the base for a professional organization.

If possible, an application form should be used by the groups.
Festival organizers offer such form after a request by groups or have it on the website of the festival.
The application form has to be clear and must provide all the necessary information about the festival to interested groups.
Festival organizers must be given a good view of the complete genre of performances by the use of video-information (YouTube-links), pictures, and a list of festivals where they recently have performed.

* The kind of accommodations (e.g. hostel, hotel, school or host-family), meals, number of performances, duration of the performances, venues, technical abilities of venues.
* The exact date of arrival for groups and the exact date of departure of the groups.
* Exact information about the traveling situation during the festival dates. (pick-up from the airport and the return to the airport). The use of transport during the festival days.
* The possibility of using recorded music during performances. (Yes or No).
* The offer of pocket-money or other cost-compensations. (Yes or No)
* The general program of the festival, including the spending of free time and sight-seeing.

In IOV-festivals normally it’s not usual to ask for money to invited groups.
In case the groups have to pay for participation, this has to be clarified by the festival organizers from the beginning of communications.

* The composition of the group. (e.g. average ages of the participants, number of dancers (male/female), musicians, leaders, choreographer(s), translators, drivers).
* The musical instruments that are used and the need for amplification.
* The need to ask for VISA for traveling to the country of the festival. (Visa expenses are always in charge of the group).
* Medical insurance for all group members must be taken out by the group.
* Information about eventually other festivals where they are going to participate during the same tour.

* The festival organizer has to communicate clearly about invitations to groups.
* Selected groups will receive an official invitation for the announced festival. The invitation to groups will be sent at least 120 days before the start of the festival.
* In unforeseen situations and necessary postponing of a festival it’s necessary to communicate clearly between organizers and groups.
* The festival organizer will send to the invited groups a clear overview of the preliminary program of the complete festival.
* The festival organizer has to explain the exact location and expected time of arrival.
* After the first arrival of groups at the festival location, the organizer will explain to the members of the group about the rules during the festival.
* The staff of the festival and representatives will be introduced to the group (e.g. guides, translators).
* A schedule of the performances, locations, and duration will be given to the group leader.
* The definitive program of the festival will be explained to the members of the group.
* Information about the availability of first aid will be given to all members.
* Information about time and locations for rehearsals will be given to the group leader.
* Information about the use of dressing-rooms, maintenance of costumes, make-up for artists will be given to the group leader.
* dimensions and surface of stages and technical equipment as amplification, lightning, stage monitors, dress-changes, stage attributes (chairs for musicians, etc.).

In general, these must be clean, comfortable, quiet, safe, and secure.
* Accommodations may be hotel, dormitory, school, hostel, or private home.
* Pictures to be sent by the festival to the group if requested.
* Bathroom with shower should be provided commensurate with the number of persons to be served.
* locked sleeping rooms, and cleaned daily.
* Hot and cold running water.
* Drinking water provided.
* Mirror for make-up/shaving.
* Sufficient electrical outlets.
* Comfortable beds with sufficient bedding and pillow.
* Sufficient space for suitcases, hanging clothing, and costumes.
* Seasonal heat/air-conditioning/ventilation.
* On-site assistant or guide.
* Area for socializing outside sleeping quarters

* The guests should not have to purchase their food.
* Meals must be provided (3 per day).
* Food must be sufficient, nourishing, and tasty.
* Enough drinking water at all accommodations. (including venues of performances)