FAC supports AIF anti-profiteering Ticket Charter
- Entire FAC board sign anti-secondary ticketing Charter
- Signatories include Dave Rowntree (Blur), Annie Lennox, Nick Mason (Pink Floyd)
- Call for secondary ticket sellers to ‘cease and desist selling tickets’ for supporters’ events
13th December, London:- In a major stand against secondary ticketing, the entire Board of the UK’s Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), have pledged their support of the Fair Ticketing Charter.The Charter, created by the UK’s Association of Independent Festivals in a move to keep festival tickets at affordable prices, is increasingly being adopted by those across the live industry who wish to take a stand against damaging profiteering rife across the secondary ticketing market.The following FAC board members have signed the Charter, and are in the process of inviting other FAC members to sign up. Sandie ShawNick Mason (Pink Floyd)Mark Kelly (Marillion)Hal Ritson (The Young Punx)Crispin HuntAnnie LennoxRumerLucy Pullin (The Fire Escapes)Chris Difford (Squeeze)Howard JonesFran Healy (Travis)Dave Rowntree (Blur)Kate NashMaster Shortie They join previous artists, promoters and festivals signatories including Radiohead, Bestival, Orbital and Secret Garden Party, bringing the total number to nearly 90. The Charter, found below, sets out a position against secondary ticketing and demands secondary ticket sellers cease selling tickets for signatory’s events,It is part of a wider strategy to address secondary ticketing, a growing problem for both the live industry and gig goers across the UK. Eloquently exposed to the public by Channel 4’s Dispatches programme, the secondary ticketing market has been attempting to cloak and legitimise touting, whilst undermining much of the live sector’s attempts to offer quality entertainment at reasonable prices. Said AIF co-founder and vice chair Ben Turner “AIF is delighted to see large parts of the live industry and now the artist community backing our Charter. It is time the music business stands united on this issue and this huge statement from FAC is a massive boost to the millions of music fans out there who are being misled by many promoters from around the world.”This subject is being taken seriously by all parts of the live music industry, and was recently highlighted by industry think tank MusicTank. It will be given a further boost in the New Year taken by the impending launch of the The Fan Fair Alliance, which is fully supported by the AIF.To sign up to the industry charter email Emmy at emmy@aiforg.com or call +44(0)208 994 5599.
The Fair Ticketing Charter
We the undersigned believe that the growth of ticket-touting online - so-called 'secondary ticketing’ - is bad for fans and bad for live entertainment.Ticket touting means real fans are deprived of the opportunity to attend events and see artists they love while speculators cash in.We believe there are strong arguments for legislation to curb the activities of unofficial ticket-sellers.Until such legislation is enacted we believe the entire Live Entertainment Industry should further increase its efforts to protect fans.We affirm that we will be transparent with the pricing and distribution of tickets for events that we control.We restate our commitment to adopting ticketing processes and technologies which ensure tickets reach the hands of real fans rather than touts.We call on secondary ticket sellers to cease and desist selling tickets for events we control.We call on consumers to boycott ticket touts.General Industry Signatories:13 ArtistsA Greener FestivalAssociation of Independent FestivalsAssociation of Festival OrganisersBristol Ticket ShopChambers Management (promoter of comedy talent and mgr. of Jimmy Carr, Frankie Boyle and Jack Whitehall) Coda AgencyCrowd SurgeDawson Breed MusiceFestivalsFestaxisFestival UKFree Trade AgencyGotyeGraphite MediaHospital RecordsID&CJohn FairsJCF ManagementName PRNinja TuneOrbitalPortisheadRadioheadRob da BankSandbagSkiddle Sunday Best RecordingsValue Added TalentWikifestivalsWildlife Entertainment (rep. Arctic Monkeys, Miles Kane)We Got TicketsXRay Touring FAC Board member signatories: Sandie ShawNick Mason (Pink Floyd)Mark Kelly (Marillion)Hal Ritson (The Young Punx)Crispin HuntAnnie LennoxRumerLucy Pullin (The Fire Escapes)Chris Difford (Squeeze)Howard JonesFran Healy (Travis)Dave Rowntree (Blur)Kate NashMaster Shortie AIF Member signatories:
| Bearded Theory Festival |
| Beat-Herder Festival |
| Belladrum Tartan Heart |
| Bestival |
| Bingley Music Live |
| Cornbury Festival |
| Camp Bestival |
| Deer Shed Festival |
| Eden Sessions |
| End of the Road Festival |
| Evolution Festival |
| Field Day |
| Folk on the Water |
| Glade |
| Glasgowbury Festival |
| Glastonbudget Festival |
| Greenbelt Festival |
| Green Man |
| In the Woods Festival |
| Kendal Calling |
| LeefestLondon Summer Jam |
| The Magic Loungeabout |
| Meltdown Festival |
| Nozstock: The Hidden Valley Festival |
| No Direction Home |
| Outside:Inside Festival |
| Secret Garden Party |
| Shambala Festival |
| Summer Sundae Weekender |
| Stockton Weekender |
| SWN Festival |
| The London Green Fair |
| The Applecart |
| Tramlines |
| Truck |
| Underage |
| WOMAD |
| Y-Not Festival |
The charter can also be viewed at www.aiforg.com
The 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’s Ben Turner, the association’s founder members included Bestival, Cornbury Festival, Evolution Festival, Field Day/Underage, Secret Garden Party, Summer Sundae Weekender and WOMAD.With 40 members ranging from Bromley’s Leefest to the 55,000 capacity Bestival in the Isle of Wight, 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