Association Of Independent Festivals Launched

The Association of Independent Music today announced the launch of the Association of Independent Festivals - a non-profit trade organisation created to represent UK music festivals. The association launched with twelve festival organisers on the Board, with a second wave of festivals to be invited as members over the summer.The brainchild of Bestival promoter Rob da Bank, he said at the launch, at AIM’s AGM: "AIF has been a seed in my brain ever since we started Bestival five years ago, where we came up against so many issues, from where to source good toilets to stopping campsite theft, to being greener, saving money, and making our event as good as can be."AIF will operate as an autonomous division of AIM with it’s own board and structure, as outlined below. It will be chaired by AIM Chairman Alison Wenham, joining some of the UK's strongest and most creative music festivals as founder members, ranging from the 40,000 capacity Creamfields in Liverpool, to the 6,000 capacity Summer Sundae in Leicester.Commented AIM Chairman and Chief Executive Alison Wenham: “AIM has come a very long way since it opened its doors nine years ago, and no greater compliment could be paid to us than to work with the newly formed AIF. AIM is a broad church of interests. AIM’s and AIF’s members are all independent entrepreneurs working in music. AIF will represent independent British Festivals, another great example of indie culture at work, requiring imagination and hard work. The synergies are undoubtedly there and we hope to provide AIF with a supportive and experienced environment in which they can develop the collective platform for the UK independent festival industry”.Speaking about the association with AIM, Rob’s manager and co-founder Ben Turner said: "It was clear that working with somebody as strong and visionary as Alison and the AIM board was a clear route to market, a powerful message of our intention and an indication of where this concept can be taken for the benefit of festival owners, and subsequently the festival-going public. The AIM Board has been open, constructive and nothing but encouraging. At the same time, having our own identity is important. We have our own issues and agendas."All festival promoters included in the AIF Board were approached by the founders, and the association will operate on an invite-only basis going forward, meaning all new association members will be selected by the Board. The organisation will also operate a Friends of AIF, in similar style to Friends of AIM, opening the door to companies ranging from merchandisers to toilet providers who wish to communicate directly with owners.Services provided by AIF from launch will include use of AIM's lawyer Michael Fuller, discounted entry to AIF and AIM networking events, exclusive exposure to companies operating in the festival market, including shared knowledge of service providers around the UK and Ireland to help reduce overheads for all festival owners. AIF will immediately open up dialogue across music business and government, making itself available for consultation on key issues facing the festival market. There are also plans for collective marketing initiatives for AIF members.The move comes at an opportune time for the festival industry as a whole. There are reportedly over 450 music festivals in the UK alone, with the recent explosion of the last few years appearing to have slowed-down. Believing this is the right time for such a positive show of strength from the independent sector, Rob da Bank stated: "In the current very competitive, very intense climate, it’s more crucial than ever to be able to bond together as like-minded independently spirited festivals to ride out the problems and make them all better for the paying customer."Creamfields owner James Barton adds: “There is a real opportunity to combine our spending power to deliver exciting business ideas. The smaller festivals are also often overlooked, and it’s important we now have a voice to influence decisions being made that impact on our business.”Download a PDF of this press release from here.