Christopher BarrettThe Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) has teamed with a group of promoters, ticketing platforms, booking agencies, venues and trade bodies to launch the Promoter Good Practice Guide.
AFEM said the aim of the guide is to provide a resource outlining professional standards that strive to foster trust, sustainability, and fairness for all. It has been created in partnership with promoters including Future is Sound and Monkey Project; ticketing outlets including Skiddle and Ticketmaster; booking agencies including WME, CAA, Primary Talent, and Bullitt Agency; the Association for Independent Promoters; and Resident Advisor.
AFEM CEO Finlay Johnson explained the reason for launching the guide: “As a former agent, I took it for granted that new promoters would always emerge to create opportunities for talent. Since joining AFEM, I’ve watched the cost-of-living crisis, growing market consolidation and shrinking funding combine to make it harder than ever to succeed as an independent club promoter. It’s rare to see competitors collaborate, so when agents, artists, managers, promoters, ticketing companies, marketers and insurers all sit down together for the greater good, you know the issue is serious. The Promoter Good Practice Guide is the result: a resource to help people start promoting, avoid costly mistakes and keep going. More successful promoters mean more successful artists, music and labels, and when that happens the whole ecosystem rises.”
AVA Festival founder and creative director Sarah McBriar said, “Promoters are the lifeblood of nighttime culture. They take the risks that fill venues and shape lineups, yet support for them is lacking. We want to change that, focusing on diversifying this section of the music ecosystem and supporting DIY promoters at the grassroots level.”
CAA agent Jen Hammel said the launch of the guide is a milestone: “Created by and for grassroots promoters, it provides practical tools and shared wisdom to help independent events thrive. Supporting the next generation of promoters is essential for the future of electronic music, and this guide is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together.”