Around 1,000 festivals take place across the UK each year but the vast majority , around 80 %, are communitybased greenfield events with capacities below 5,000 that often are run on a voluntary basis . The remaining 20 %, regarded as the commercial market , is where the money is made .
That 20 % consists of around 200 events that range in size from 5,000-capacity shows to giant operations such as the 66,000-capacity Boomtown , 147,000-capacity Glastonbury , Parklife ( 80,000 ), Reading ( 105,000 ) and Download ( 85,000 ).
Despite the UK already boasting so many major festivals and their operators facing no shortage of postpandemic problems including soaring production costs and crew shortages , it hasn ’ t stopped a flurry of new festivals being launched this summer ( see map on p18 ).
Among the many newcomers are independents including the 8,000-capacity “ music and ideas ” festival Kite , while AEG Presents is working with Bristol ’ s Team Love
End of the Road festival
on the launch of the 60,000-capacity Forwards , and Live Nation is extending its reach by expanding festival brands such as Wireless and Camp Bestival to additional sites this year .
It ’ s a hugely competitive sector and one that continues to support well-established and much-loved independent events , not least Glastonbury , End of The Road ( 15,000 ), Green Man ( 25,000 ) and Boomtown – which all sold out way in advance this year . However , some festival operators have struggled . Among those to have failed to get off the ground in 2022 are the 30,000-capacity Breakout festival in Fife and This is Tomorrow in Newcastle . Promoter Kilimanjaro Live blamed the latter ’ s demise on rising costs and an oversaturated market .
Associated benefits The Association of Independent Festivals ( AIF ) membership grew significantly during the pandemic
“ I am aware the supply chain was profoundly impacted by the pandemic , as were festival organisers , but there ’ s a creeping sense of opportunism .”
– AIF CEO Paul Reed to 94 festivals , meaning it currently represents around 45 % of all UK festivals with capacities of 5,000 and over .
“ I think the pandemic helped a lot of festival organisers realise why associations exist , the support and representation , and how important a collective voice is ,” says AIF CEO Paul Reed .
Throughout the pandemic , Reed was among the key executives lobbying the Government hard for support and initiatives such as reduced VAT on tickets , the inclusion of festivals in the Cultural Recovery Fund distributions , and Government-backed cancellation insurance .
“ In terms of Government , media and wider industry , there has never been greater awareness of the festival industry and the independent festival sector ,” says Reed . “ Our dialogue with Government has continued beyond Covid , they are very interested in what we are working on . It feels like we have a stronger dialogue than ever and if there are specific asks of Government , I think we are in a better position to make them than we were before .”
Counting the cost Awareness of the importance of the independent festival sector may be at unprecedented heights , but so are running costs . Across the sector ,
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