number of closures , helped relieve the stress that ’ s put on people both financially and emotionally – it helps people make a success of the things they set out to do .”
Added value At the helm of the AIF , Rostron says he will continue to work to grow its membership , enhance the networking and knowledge sharing opportunities , provide training and resources to relieve the administrative burden of running festivals , while also lobbying hard on behalf of the sector .
He says , “ Among the areas
AIF member Standon Calling
of concern for festivals are EDI , environmental sustainability , and audience welfare . For me , one of the biggest things to do is make clear how important festivals are . When it comes to developing talent , finding
“ Festivals are the most important part of the music ecosystem .”
artists , growing fanbases and driving revenue for artists and the sector ; festivals are the most important part of the music ecosystem .”
Lobbying Government and keeping the profile and importance of the festival sector near the top of the agenda is also at the top of Rostron ’ s ‘ to do ’ list . He says he will continue to fight the battle to get VAT back down to the 5 % rate that AIF helped achieve during the pandemic .
“ We have the worst VAT levy on culture in Europe ,” says Rostron . “ It ’ s not equitable in any way . You also have to take into account the huge rise in event production costs and the need to be extremely careful about raising ticket prices during a cost-of-living crisis . If we reduce VAT , that money gets put back into the sector and enables festivals to meet those rising production costs , enables them to limit the amount of increase they pass on to audiences , and it enables them to book and help develop more artists , and in so doing grow the UK music export to the world . Whichever way you look at it , VAT should be a number one priority for the Government when looking at our sector .”
Having promoted a show by Sam Fender at a tiny venue back in 2017 and seen him go on to be announced as a headliner at Reading ( 105,000 ) and Leeds ( 75,000 ) festivals this year , Rostron says it is a great example of how acts usually take around five years to reach their full potential , and the important role independent festivals play in that journey .
“ Live Nation doesn ’ t own small or medium size festivals , so it requires its headliners to be developed elsewhere ,” says Rostron . “ Talent is developed at independent festivals . If Live Nation and other multinationals want acts like Sam Fender to headline their festivals in the future , and the UK Government wants British talent headlining Glastonbury and not international talent because it wants to export them to the world , they need to support the R & D part of that – which is the independent festival sector .”
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