EPOS specialist Mark Evans will share expert insights on transitioning to a cashless system and integrating a singular payment system across your event. Learn how to ensure a smooth process from planning to post-event, improving efficiency and creating a positive experience for all stakeholders. Unmissable for those seeking a streamlined approach to event payments.

This will include:

• Benefits of Cashless

• Picking the EPOS solution that is right for your event

• Pre-Show planning

• Successful deployment and training

• Creating a positive trader experience

• Post show Reconciliation

RSVP here.

Our monthly meeting is open to all AIF Festival members to attend. We will catch you up on all AIF work, get feedback on key issues and there is an opportunity for open discussion. Access information and agenda will be sent to all members in advance of the meeting.

Join us for our annual Festival and Supplier networking dinner, at a central London location. This will be first come, first served when registration opens, with a balanced mix of festival operators and Supplier Friends of AIF. This event is always a sellout, with a waiting list for spots. More info coming soon.

TeamKinetic, the volunteer management software pros with over 15 years of experience, are here to spill the beans! They've helped over half a million volunteers contribute a whopping two million hours to awesome causes. 

Their secret? Putting volunteers first! They make it super easy for volunteers and organisers to connect, manage events, and make a real impact.

Join their session on the 19th (2:00-3:00) for a chilled but insightful chat with Chris Martin, the company founder. He's got a treasure trove of data and insights to share, gathered from epic events like Longitude Festival Dublin, Eurovision Liverpool, and more! 

Learn how to:

• Effortlessly recruit and manage volunteers with the latest digital tools.

• Slash admin time and stress.

• Create an amazing experience for your volunteers.

Let's spark a conversation about the festival world's unique needs and how we can connect with the wider volunteer community.

Don't miss out – it's time to unleash the power of volunteering! 

RSVP here.

Join Craig, CEO of Different Breed ® as we take a look at your existing booking journeys through the eyes of disabled individuals. We will explore how our focus on the need for large change is making us miss the small changes that make a huge difference. 

Email info@aiforg.com for RSVP.

David Suslik, CEO of OnSinch and one of the newest AIF friends will showcase their workforce management and community-building software for festivals. OnSinch helps festivals register staff and volunteers, plan shifts, promote self-registration for open shifts, and manage payments, reports, and communication, among other features. OnSinch leverages geo-location check-ins, push notifications, and e-signatures to simplify coordination and save time.With 15 years of experience in the event industry, OnSinch is trusted by clients across 13 countries, with half of its portfolio based in the UK.

RSVP Here.

With the many moving parts in running a Festival, it's good to have an overview on how you run each part from contractors, artists, vendors, crew and volunteers. We discuss the various ways to streamline your operations in advance of your event so that you're more organised and less stressed. Rather than planning as you go, it's good to have a birds eye view from the start to the end without feeling that you're running to keep up. With our experience in advising 100s of festivals around the world, we can discuss the various issues people have and ways you can circumvent these from a people and software perspective.

RSVP here.

A look at the definition of Zone Ex, its requirements and how to practically apply to your event delivered by Becky Stevens, Hybred Events Ltd and Ise Murphy-Morris authors of the Zone Ex chapter in the Purple Guide.

Click here to RSVP.

Our monthly meeting is open to all AIF Festival members to attend. We will catch you up on all AIF work, get feedback on key issues and there is an opportunity for open discussion. Access information and agenda will be sent to all members in advance of the meeting.

Join us for an insightful webinar hosted by Eventwise, the leading financial software for the events industry, where we'll dive into cash flow management in the events industry, before and after COVID-19. We'll explore how the pandemic has transformed financial practices, from managing deposits and vendor payments to handling increased cancellations and flexible terms.

Our experts will compare pre- and post-COVID cash flow patterns, offering strategies to adapt to new financial realities. Learn how to maintain liquidity, forecast accurately, and stay on top of bills in uncertain times. Discover techniques for negotiating favourable terms, diversifying revenue, and leveraging technology for real-time financial tracking. Don't miss this chance to enhance your financial acumen and keep your event planning business thriving in a changed landscape.

Open to AIF Members only, email info@aiforg.com for RSVP info.

A new in-person event for 2024. Facilitated sessions for festival teams to debrief on their events and discuss issues and solutions. The purpose is to give AIF Festival Members an opportunity to meet with other festival members and engage in one or all of three facilitated sessions to help you pick through issues, opportunities, trends and thoughts about the main summer season gone, and work on improvements for 2025 and beyond.

Event Schedule
9.30am Showman's Show opens

10.00am-10.30am arrive / tea / coffee

10.30-10.45 intros

10.45am-11.45 Key Themes Breakout / Debrief - picking out the overarching topics, trends and issues  from the season

Midday-1.00pm - Lunch provided by Hodge & Huggett. Food available will be vegan, dairy and gluten free.

1.00pm-2.00pm Ops Breakout - focussed on operational issues

2.15pm-3.15pm Marketing Breakout - focussed on marketing and sales issues

3.15pm-3.30pm - wrap up

4.30pm Showman's Show ends

You may want to attend all sessions, or you may want to send particular people to particular sessions. You can use other time within our space to network, or, of course, take in the wider Showman’s Show.

There will also be a selection of soft drinks, non-alcoholic drinks and a alcoholic drinks available, thanks to Brand New Music agency and Yew. 

Tickets for Debrief Day are available to purchase to join us HERE. This event is for AIF Festival Members only. There will be no access for anyone else - any tickets by non-Members will be refunded.

A third party has kindly offered to cover a small number of bursaries for organisations or individuals who might not be able to afford a ticket. If you’d like to apply for one then please complete this short form HERE.( This would cover the cost of the ticket only)

If you’re coming, you’ll also need to register (for free) for the Showman’s Show, which you can do HERE.

With thanks to Evolution Dome and Production AV for providing the venue and AV/PA equipment, and The Showman’s Show for their support.

Stay ahead of negative stories and own the narrative when things go wrong.

Your festival’s reputation is hard won but fragile and it can be damaged in minutes. Festival Crisis Comms specialist Gordon Duncan looks at this summer’s events for lessons in controlling the narrative and re-establishing trust on and off-site when things don’t go to plan.

This session is open to AIF Members only, email info@aiforg.com for access info.

Looking to turn your festival or event into a must-attend tradition? Join us for a dynamic webinar where we’ll reveal "5 Ways to Build a Community Around Your Event" and create a loyal event family that comes back year after year. Learn how to cultivate a sense of belonging among your attendees, engage them beyond the event, and foster long-term loyalty that translates into repeat ticket sales.

AIF Members only - please email info@aiforg.com for RSVP info.

Eager to demonstrate marketing ROI and scale your event? Join us for a crucial webinar on "Campaign Conversion Tracking," where we'll show you how to accurately measure your marketing efforts, prove ROI, and increase conversions. Learn the techniques to track campaign performance, optimise strategies, and make data-driven decisions that fuel event growth.

AIF Members only - please email info@aiforg.com for RSVP info.

PRS Foundation’s Grants & Programmes Manager Ben Price talks about the Early Career Promoter Fund and how it can support independent festivals through grants and network & skills development.

Event open to AIF Members only - email info@aiforg.com for more.

Volunteers are crucial to successful festivals, so it’s super important to recruit the right people and manage them effectively. Join AIF and Crescat as we demonstrate ways to make the entire process better for festivals and for volunteers!

This event is for AIF Members only, please email info@aiforg.com for RSVP info.

We’re hosting an AIF Members social. Join us for an informal catch-up at a central London venue.

Email info@aiforg.com for venue details.

Join us for an insightful webinar where we’ll dive into "5 High-Converting Meta Ad Campaigns" designed to help you sell more tickets. Discover the ad strategies that have consistently driven results, turning casual browsers into eager attendees. We’ll walk you through the creation of these powerful campaigns, offering a step-by-step handbook you can apply directly to your events. Learn how to maximize your ad spend, target the right audience, and generate buzz that translates into sold-out shows.

AIF Members only - please email info@aiforg.com for RSVP info.

Join us for a webinar hosted by Eventwise, the leading financial software for the events industry, focused on unlocking the power of real-time data in event budgeting.

This session will explore how real-time data can revolutionise your approach to event budgeting, enabling you to make proactive decisions, identify potential overspending, and ensure your events stay on track financially. 

Chris Carter, CEO & Founder, will demonstrate how Eventwise powerful tools can streamline your budgeting process, providing the insights you need to plan successful events with confidence. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to harness the full potential of real-time data in your event planning efforts.

Open to AIF Members only, email info@aiforg.com for RSVP info.

Advancing festivals is often difficult and time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be! Join AIF and Crescat as we uncover how to take control of the advancing process and simplify distributing and collecting information with your bookings.

This webinar is for AIF Members only, please email info@aiforg.com for RSVP info.

Our monthly meeting is open to all AIF Festival members to attend. We will catch you up on all AIF work, get feedback on key issues and there is an opportunity for open discussion. Access information and agenda will be sent to all members in advance of the meeting.

Are you looking to increase ticket sales and drive attendance? Join us for a powerful webinar where we’ll guide you through "The Ticket Sales Playbook"—a collection of 10 proven event marketing strategies that have successfully filled venues and maximised revenue. From leveraging digital marketing tactics to creating compelling promotions, you’ll gain actionable insights that can be immediately applied to your own events.

AIF Members only - please email info@aiforg.com for RSVP info.

Ready to supercharge your festival or event ticket sales? Join us for an exclusive webinar where we’ll unveil the exact formula that has helped us double ticket sales, led to sold out events, and increased footfall of 168%. Discover the tried and tested strategies that have consistently delivered results, and learn how you can apply them to your own event.

AIF Members only - please email info@aiforg.com for RSVP info.

If you’ve got some burning questions, a problem you can’t quite solve, or some expert knowledge to impart - the AIF Festival Round Tables are open to our entire membership to get together and discuss in a welcoming environment. Facilitated by AIF, we hope these will become key online meeting points for you; whilst feeding into our work, and helping to improve the industry through knowledge sharing and best practice. This roundtable will be an open forum to discuss merchandising, in particular how to achieve ‘planet friendly merch’ whilst meeting your aims to buid community or your bottom line.

RSVP HERE

Join AIF and Crescat as we explore smarter, more efficient, more cost effective ways to plan festival production and deliver successful festivals for years to come.

An opportunity for UK festival organisers to meet & network with a delegation of music industry professionals from ASEAN (Association of SouthEast Asian Nations) with the British Council.

Discussions on placemaking, funding, creative identity & more.

If you’ve got some burning questions, a problem you can’t quite solve, or some expert knowledge to impart - the AIF Festival Round Tables are open to our entire membership to get together and discuss in a welcoming environment. Facilitated by AIF, we hope these will become key online meeting points for you; whilst feeding into our work, and helping to improve the industry through knowledge sharing and best practice. This roundtables will be a space to discuss volunteering - what to do, what not to do, best practice, recruitment and anything else you want to put in the mix.

RSVP HERE