How can we help?
The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) is the UK's leading non-profit festival trade association. Created to represent and empower independent festivals, there are various strands to our work:
Being part of a unique network of promoters
Enabling festival organisers to connect with each other and take the temperature of the industry.
Campaigns and Advocacy
Providing a collective voice for the independent festival sector to Government, media, and wider industry.
Business Support
Supporting members in growing and developing their businesses- access to training and experts, in addition to a free legal helpline and accountancy advice.
Events and Training
Free and discounted access to AIF’s annual flagship Festival Congress conference and party alongside various training and social events throughout the year.
Becoming an AIF member was invaluable for our business, especially as we expanded to multiple festivals. The AIF team work tirelessly to offer a support network to events organisers, facilitating the crucial share of information and allowing the independent festival sector to have a stronger voice in the industry.
Andy Smith - Kendal Calling
Being a member of AIF is invaluable to Sound City, as an independent festival it's great to be part of a membership organisations that has our ideals and value at heart. Paul and his team have been so supportive... We're proud to be members.
Becky Ayers - Sound City
We find the opportunity to attend AIF organised events helps us to get to know the organisers and their festivals. This helps our understanding which enables us to provide a much better service and ultimately more competitive premiums.
Music Insurance Brokers
AIF membership has given me plenty of knowledge and insight into the festival industry... AIF members provide a support network amongst organisers and an open platform in which to talk to each other... As an organisation the AIF collectively and successfully fights bigger campaigns that individually, small independent festivals would be not able to achieve alone.
Goc O'Callaghan - ArcTanGent
Meet the team
Paul Reed
Chief Executive
As Chief Executive of AIF, Paul is responsible for managing the UK’s leading festival representative body.
Paul manages day-to-day operations of the association, alongside implementing strategic development and growth. Paul also oversees all campaigns, communications, partnerships, events and membership development in addition to curating the conference programme at Festival Congress, AIF’s annual flagship conference and awards event.
With 15 years of experience in the field, Paul has an extensive background in the live music industry having started as an independent promoter alongside working at festivals such as Secret Garden Party. Paul then worked at music development agency Generator in a wide-ranging role that included managing their live programmes.
Paul was also previously Head of Operations at classical music centre The Conservatoire and Operations Manager at The Event Umbrella, managing the office and events team for a specialist event company contracted to produce all festivals and events across the London Borough of Ealing, the third largest Borough in London.
Favourite festival moment: Doing artist liaison for Iggy and the Stooges at Evolution Festival. Have you seen their rider?!
Phoebe Rodwell-Carson
Membership & Operations Coordinator
Phoebe is the Membership & Operations Coordinator at AIF. First point of contact for all Members & Friends, as well as general enquiries. She also keeps on top of all the admin, the AIF newsletter and social media.
Phoebe was previously Membership & Projects Coordinator at AIF as well as the Festival Congress Event Manager between 2018-2020, returning to the organisation in 2022. Prior to this she'd worked in Membership at the Music Managers Forum, on the Artist & Manager Awards, and had also done a few tours.
Favourite festival moment: going to a DJ set, up a mountain, in an igloo. Mad.
AIF Board Members
Alex Trenchard (Standon Calling)
Chris Rutherford (Boomtown Fair)
Jon Walsh (Shambala)
Katherine Goodenough (Greenbelt)
Kate Osler (AEI)
Lauren Down (End of the Road)
Rebecca Ayers (Liverpool Sound City)
Zac Fox (Kilimanjaro)
Chairpersons
CHAIR
Matthew Phillip (Notting Hill Carnival)
VICE CHAIR
Nick Morgan (The Fair)