Who ’ s to blame ?
We Are The Fair director Yasmin Galletti provides her views on whether the burden of societal issues are unfairly placed on festival organisers .
Opening Gala Festival in late July 2021 , for the first time in 796 days , felt hugely rewarding . I was surprised at the ease with which it all came back to me , because I was nervous about running a festival after so long . It also felt that managing to open the gates in the face of the clear-as-mud Covid rules and the very-realmud gifted to us by July ’ s heavy rainfall , meant we had made it through the hardest part . It wasn ’ t until a mid- September show that I was sat with a colleague in the ops office , dealing with queries from the local safety advisory group ( SAG ) about our policy on illegal taxi ranks and drug dealers sitting outside the festival , that I fully remembered the burden placed upon festival organisers to solve the societal issues occurring in the community surrounding our events .
As we look ahead to this year ’ s season and embark on the licensing process , these pressures are even stronger . Obtaining premises licences for our festivals in London is becoming an increasingly costly and challenging process due to mounting objections from local residents . These objections often stem from deep-rooted
Yasmin Galletti
fears about music festivals and ingrained negative views about the type of people and behaviours these events will bring . Aside from noise , the issues that are raised most frequently include crime , vandalism , violence , litter and drug use – all of which are existing societal problems . For residents , raising an objection against a festival premises
“ Can we truly be held accountable for illegal activity and societal failings that take place every day across the country ?”
licence seems to have become a useful platform through which to attribute blame and voice grievances about existing problems . We find ourselves spending time and money fighting the claims due to local political pressures .
As festival organisers , our objective is to build a safe and inclusive space for our attendees , make sure people have a good time and ensure they get back home safely . To satisfy the requirements of local authorities and residents living nearby , we are also tasked with solving societal problems . They include reducing local
crime , preventing vandalism , stopping unlicensed cabbies , preventing drugs from breaching our 3.3m-high steel shield fencing , and stopping people purchasing nitrous oxide outside when police don ’ t have the powers to do so . It is true that we have a responsibility for the safety of our audiences and to minimise the impact of our events on the local neighbourhood , but can we truly be held accountable for illegal activity and societal failings that take place every day across the country ?
Depending on where you are located , your SAG and the responsible authorities may understand this , or they may not . The updated guidance in the Purple Guide on working with an SAG provides some clarity on the powers they have . However , what we require is a consistent approach to drug policy , nitrous oxide policy and other more deeply rooted issues that sit across every local authority . To achieve this , we propose the creation of a framework of policy agreed with the LGA ( Local Government Association ) in conjunction with the industry that is properly disseminated industry-wide .
What can we do in the meantime ? Understand and manage stakeholders ’ expectations . Through effective stakeholder engagement , we have the opportunity to discuss our plans , to be open and transparent , and to explain how our events will operate . By ensuring the community knows certain measures are in place , we can ease concerns and gain support for events . Breaking down the barriers between festival organisers and stakeholders is crucial .
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