AIF issues Red Alert warning over 2021 season
04 May 2021Over a quarter of UK festivals over 5,000 capacity have been cancelled due to Government inaction on insurance. The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) is issuing a Red Alert warning to Government, projecting that up to 76% of the remaining festivals (i.e. those that are scheduled to take place in July and August) could quickly cancel if immediate action is…
Statement from AIF CEO Paul Reed on the second round of the Culture Recovery Fund
06 Apr 2021“I can confirm that 70% of AIF members who applied for a grant in the second round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund have been offered funding. This amounts to over £5.5m in this round with an average grant of almost £126,000. 62% of the total amount applied for has been offered, with 78% of successful applicants offered 100% of…
Job: Administrative Assistant
30 Mar 2021AIF are seeking a new Administrative Assistant (part time) to assist the Chief Executive Officer with the day-to-day organisation and administration of the association. This is an administrative role and requires a quick learner with solid all-round administrative, organisational and communication skills. You will be IT literate and a confident communicator. You will have excellent time management skills and a proven…
AIF statement on article in The Observer.
07 Mar 2021A statement from AIF on an article in The Observer this weekend: “A report from The Observer this weekend suggested that Britain’s festival directors want the Government to tell artists and fans that they must be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to attend music festivals. This does NOT reflect the position of AIF or ongoing dialogue with our membership. Many…
AIF issues ‘final countdown’ warning for Government insurance and VAT support to kickstart festival planning
01 Mar 2021Independent festivals could be forced to cancel their 2021 events if they don’t get Government-backed insurance and VAT intervention by the end of March. Two days before the 2021 budget, the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) warns the Chancellor: this is the final countdown for many festival organisers, who will need to decide whether to commit significant costs by the…
AIF statement on roadmap announcement
22 Feb 2021A statement from AIF CEO Paul Reed following the Prime Minister’s address in The House Of Commons today: “We welcome the Prime Minister’s roadmap out of lockdown, presented to the House Of Commons this afternoon, and are optimistic that many of our member festivals may be able to go ahead in some capacity later on this year. There are still,…
Response from AIF CEO Paul Reed to the Chancellor’s Winter Economy Plan announced today:
24 Sep 2020Response from AIF CEO Paul Reed to the Chancellor’s Winter Economy Plan, announced today: “While the extension to the VAT cut is welcome, these measures are not even a band aid for a sector that remains severely wounded. “Festivals support 85,000 jobs in the UK and our most recent member surveys suggest redundancies of at least 50.5% across the sector, some of which…
AIF welcomes emergency fund eligibility for festivals
29 Jul 2020Government and Arts Council England confirm festival inclusion after AIF intervention The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) welcomes the Government’s confirmation that UK festivals will share in the recently announced £1.57 billion cultural emergency fund. A £500m fund will be distributed to cultural organisations across England during the COVID-19 crisis, with grants ranging between £50,000 and £3 million. The…
AIF warns of Independent festival wasteland in 2021 without Government action
13 May 2020The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) has warned that the UK could face an independent festival wasteland in 2021 and beyond if decisive Government action is not taken to support the sector. The festival sector at large could be facing potential refunds of up to £800m in total this summer. It is predicted that at least 90% of all UK…
COVID-19 Resources for Festival & Event Organisers
17 Mar 2020The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) has uploaded it’s bank of COVID-19 resources for all festival and event organisers to access. You can do so here. This will be continually updated as the situation unfolds and will include copies of all communications from Paul Reed, our Chief Exec. We have attached dates to all emails and resources so you can…
A statement from Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) CEO Paul Reed following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s social distancing clampdown relating to the COVID-19 outbreak
17 Mar 2020“For AIF and its member festivals, the health and safety of the public is a top priority. It is therefore important that the latest medical advice around social gatherings is heeded. “However, AIF echoes wider industry calls for urgent clarity from Government on whether there will be a formal ban on events, when that might come into effect and which…
BLOG – CEO Paul Reed on his Trip to Indonesia with the British Council
10 Dec 2019Chief exec Paul Reed visited Indonesia with the British Council in October 2019. Here’s a reflection on his trip. I represented the UK’s Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) on a recent trip to Bali and Jakarta, supported by the British Council, with the aim of scoping out potential collaborative opportunities and networks between Indonesia and the UK. In addition, I…