Access All AreasAssociation of Independent Festivals CEO John Rostron says we need a government that can reset the rules and safeguard a future for independent festivals.
As I write this, 74 festivals have now cancelled, postponed or called time in 2024. That’s over double the number from 2023 when 36 fell. Many of these are (or were) successful, established events. They were popular with audiences, artists and their communities. Most have fallen because the challenges of running an independent festival have become immense since the pandemic – rising supply chain costs; tougher terms from suppliers; and the need for festival promoters to almost entirely pay for their event before the gates open. A small independent festival of, say, 10,000 people, might require £1.2-£2M to put on their event. Trying to find that kind of money upfront for an independent is incredibly tough, hence why so many are disappearing.
Meanwhile the major transnational corporations are not only able to ride out these bumps with their vastly deep pockets, but also contribute additional pressure to independents by locking out artists and distorting fees. For them, the demise of independents is a positive. Scarcity is good for their business. If you think I’m being unfair, then ask why are grassroots music venues on fire? Why aren’t these major corporation rushing to help them? Why haven’t they enacted a voluntary levy on major shows?
“The transnationals are dousing kerosene on the independent music sector.”
If we believe that all of them are playing by the rules then this is not a good game for any of us to be playing. Festivals folding; artist opportunities disappearing; audiences losing local offers and a reduction in choice. So we turn to the Government who can reset the rules and try and balance things a little better for everyone to enjoy a more fair competition.
Yet so far the response from the new Labour Government has been incredibly disappointing. When it comes to festivals there’s been nothing other than a nod that they’ll extend the Arts Council England ‘Supporting Grassroots Music Fund’ for one more year. A crumb to some events in England if they’re lucky with an application in an incredibly competitive space for a pot whose amount is yet to be confirmed.
Before being appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Lisa Nandy had published ‘All In’ a book which I’d read full of promise of ‘grassroots’ ‘people power’ and ‘devolution’ to local communities. I was delighted when Lisa used the same rhetoric when arriving in post, talking of culture bringing people together and improving living standards in more villages, towns and cities. Yet despite AIF asking for support for independent festivals; suggesting temporary lowering of VAT; even just ‘exploring’ different models of VAT as recommended by the CMS Inquiry into grassroots music venues – the Government has said ‘no’.
Paradoxically to Lisa’s talk of people, communities and towns, Chancellor Rachel Reeves talks of ‘growth’ in a way that seemingly favours major companies, institutions and transnationals. Odd too that such talk of growth in these terms counter the challenges tasked to departments and colleagues such as Ed Miliband in Energy and Climate Change. Investment in independent festivals would lead to the kind of sustainable growth that would be of benefit to all.
There’s one thing Lisa Nandy has been vocal about and that’s a ticket levy on arenas which would then trickle down to the grassroots ecosystem. Trickle down? Aren’t those the two words of a Government of old? Grassroots music venues are on fire and the torch is now blazing under independent festivals. The pandemic and then Brexit lit the match, and it feels to those in the frontline that the likes of the transnationals are dousing kerosene on the independent music sector.
An arena and stadia levy would be welcome, but there’s no point pouring water into a bucket full of holes without taking the kerosene away first. It’s up to the Government to level the field, support us all to fix the bucket, and together we can all turn on the tap.
This article is included in the Winter edition of Access All Areas magazine, available here.