Christopher BarrettThe Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) is offering operators of festivals of any size the opportunity to have a Festival MOT.
It said the newly launched initative has been designed to offer strategic guidance, creative problem-solving and fresh momentum to independent music festivals in crisis across the UK.
The scheme, run with funds from the LIVE Trust, will see successful applicants offered the opportunity to have a face-to-face consultation with a selected panel of experienced industry professionals spanning disciplines including ops, production, finance, marketing, ticketing and partnerships.
AIF said that funding could be made available for additional expertise to support the festival’s next steps, with event operators provided with tailored action plans and recommendations.
Applications for AIF’s Festival MOT are open now and interested festival operators can apply here. The association plans to run consultation sessions throughout October, November, and December with the application window remaining open as AIF seeks to secure further funding to support as many festivals as possible.
It is the latest AIF imitative funded by the LIVE Trust, following the Micro & Very Small Festival Development programme that involved more than 90 festivals. That initiative was created to support grassroots festival organisers across the UK by providing training, resources, skills development, and ongoing marketing, ticketing, and peer support.
Launched in January last year, the LIVE Trust announced its ‘phase one’ distribution of £500,000 a year later, and followed that with a ‘phase two’ distribution of £1m. The funds are generated from a voluntary ticket levy of £1 per ticket sold for shows at venues with a capacity of more than 5,000.
“The independent festival sector continues to face unprecedented challenges, with 36 festivals having fallen or postponed this year,” said AIF CEO John Rostron. “Our Festival MOT is designed to give organisers who are still operating but in crisis, or fearing they are nearing crisis, a dedicated, expert and resource backed pit stop. Whether they need a fresh perspective on production, marketing, or financial sustainability, this initiative will provide tangible, hands-on support to help independent events navigate the road ahead and build long-term resilience. We are hugely grateful to the LIVE Trust and its supporters for the opportunity to offer this bespoke service.”