AIF Membership Grows, Holds Festival Industry Meet And Greet

After just over a year in existence the Association of Independent Festivals’ ranks have swelled by over a third with 6 more festivals, SW4, Get Loaded in the Park, Nozstock, Endorse It in Dorset, Standon Calling and Glastonbudget, signing up.Set up to establish best practice for festivals in a variety of areas such as security, the environment and beyond, the organisation has already scored a major result this summer with its security task force, created to tackle festival related crime. It also negotiated a groundbreaking deal with Visit Britain to market its events to the international community.Alongside existing members such as Bestival, Creamfields, Secret Garden Party and WOMAD, they will now benefit from the AIF’s collective power that allows some of the UK & Ireland’s most innovative and successful festivals to present a united front when addressing the wider music business and government.On the 18th of November, AIF will be hosting a networking drink at new rock n roll club Miss Q's on Earls Court Rd. This event presents a unique opportunity for all those involved in the festival industry including suppliers, festival promoters, and agents to meet the AIF team, board and festival members, learn more about AIF and find out what the organisation has planned for the future.Said Ben Turner, AIF co-founder, “It's been a whirlwind first year together, but I can't envisage a world where the independent sector no longer communicates the way they do now thanks to AIF. In addition, AIF has taken on leading roles in key issues facing the sector, and we have a very exciting initiative to announce before xmas. The networking event is the first time we've opened our doors for people to come and meet the faces and promoters behind our great festivals. It's a chance for us to display to people what we do, and to encourage others to join us as the festival sector gets smaller in terms of ownership." *Event Details:18th November, 7.30pm - 11pmAIF Networking DrinkMissQ’s, 180 -184 Earls Court Rd, London, SW5 9QGwww.missqs.comThe event is guest listed and requests should be sent to sharon@aiforg.com or call 0208 994 5599.About AIFThe Association of Independent Festivals is a not for profit body set up in 2008 to represent independent music festivals in the UK and Ireland.Conceived by Bestival promoter Rob da Bank and Graphite Media’s Ben Turner, the association’s founder members included Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Bestival, Cornbury Festival, Creamfields, Evolution Festival, Field Day/Underage, Glade, Loud Sound, Secret Garden Party, Shambala Festival, Summer Sundae Weekender and WOMAD.With a current membership that ranges from Northern Ireland’s 1,000 capacity Glasgowbury to the 40,000 capacity Creamfields in Liverpool, AIF enables the promoters of some of the UK & Ireland’s most innovative and successful festivals to speak with one voice when addressing the wider music business and government.AIF aims to establish best practice for festivals in a variety of areas such as security, the environment and beyond, providing a knowledge base for festival promoters, as well as creating collective purchasing and marketing opportunities for its members.AIF operates as an autonomous division of the Association of Independent Music.www.aiforg.com