In recent years the construct of the festival form has shifted considerably, engaging with contemporary debates regarding issues of community and identity. One manifestation of this engagement is the model of the boutique festival, which focuses on a particular audience, and which positions that audience to substantially produce its own festival experience, in a manner far more rigorous than more conventional festival models.

The OUT OF THE BOX Festival of Early Childhood, produced by the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Australia, is a potent example of a boutique festival, in which key elements pertaining to the manner in which this model of festival production, including audience positioning, notions of excellence, consultation, philosophy, programming, and the use of space, are evinced.