The collective of independent venue and festival operators behind the launch of the 8,000-capacity Where It All Began festival have created a crowdfunder campaign.

First announced at the AIF Congress, the Where It All Began festival is set to take place on 18-21 June next year at the Cambridgeshire site previously used by the Secret Garden Party. The aim is to provide a platform for independent operators who have faced stark challenges in recent years, with 78 events having announced a postponement, cancellation or complete closure last year.

The festival team, led by Chai Wallahs and Diplomats of Sound creative director Si Chai, has won the backing of a wide range of organisations, venues and events; including the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), Save Our Scene, Music Venue Trust, The Beat Goes On, Leeds Conservatoire, BIMM, Festival Lab, The 100 Club and Arts Council England, with the latter having awarded the project a £39,000 grant.

Organisers of the seven-stage festival said it is being created in an attempt to secure the future of grassroots music, venues and festivals, while offering attendees “comfortable intimate venue spaces, exceptional street food and an array of independent brews”.

The project is run by the Grassroots Rising community interest company and is therefore VAT exempt. The aim is to enable independent event and venue operators to work collectively to dramatically reduce the cost of the festival’s production and marketing.

The team behind Where It All Began issued the following manifesto:

  • A not-for-profit initiative with no shareholders — every penny goes straight back into seeding and sustaining the grassroots community.
  • Fair pay and opportunity for grassroots artists, by providing quality performance platforms, removing inflated high-profile artist fees and upholding MU (Musicians’ Union) pay standards.
  • Shared benefits model for all participating partners. Allowing struggling venues, festivals and promoters to generate income without stress and financial risk.
  • Collaborative approach to programming, resulting in a line-up of the finest independent and emerging artists from across the nation and beyond.
  • A higher artistic budget for grassroots programmers. Utilising the VAT cultural exemption to boost artist budgets, funding richer creative content and higher production values.
  • Affordable pricing for audiences, driven by savings generated through collaboration, resource sharing and supportive partnerships with industry suppliers.
  • Pathways to Industry initiatives, including the creation of a youth led venue, in partnership with Leeds Conservatoire, BIMM Music Institute, Festival Lab and Diplomats of Sound CIC.
  • Inspiring and supporting the next generation of creatives, through incentive based and meaningful opportunities to engage with live music and the grassroots industry.

Secret Garden Party founder Freddie Fellowes said Where It All Began is a much-needed initiative aligned with the ethos of independent festivals: “I firmly believe that Where it All Began has the potential to redefine how independent festivals operate, creating a scalable and collaborative model that ensures festivals, grassroots venues, and artists can continue to thrive despite industry challenges.”

AIF CEO John Rostron described it as an ambitious and essential initiative that will play a crucial role in sustaining independent festivals and venues for years to come: “Where it all Began offers a collaborative solution by providing struggling independent festivals with a platform to programme stages, retain their brand identity, and engage new audiences. It will initially be funded through a scalable, crowdfunded model — expanding its capacity, partnerships, and programme in direct proportion to the funds raised.”

 

 

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