Multi-Venue Festival Development Programme

Launched in October 2024, this free, bespoke business support programme was funded by Arts Council England and targeted at the 70+ multi-venue festivals within England.

The often grassroots music events targeted by the programme have unique challenges, including the use of shared spaces with private and public ownership, reduced ancillary revenue opportunities as well as rising costs which are hitting all of the festival sector. 

The project will offer free custom online training and support over the next six months alongside access to a dedicated in-person programme at AIF's Festival Congress in Bristol in February 2025, as well as creating a new network with new resources to deliver resilient multi-venue festivals for artists and audiences. 

It will also provide custom business support and industry skills development for this cohort through online, expert-led webinars, as well as peer-to-peer roundtables and training in key areas of pressure or opportunity based on research carried during the programme’s design stage.