When the annual music festival, Standon Calling, which draws in 17,000 attendees to the Hertfordshire countryside to see popular acts like Bloc Party and Wolf Alice, declared that this year’s event would be delayed, it marked the ninth festival for 2024 to either cancel or permanently end.
John Rostron, the CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), is urging the government to take immediate action to support events that are facing challenges due to increased supply chain expenses, pandemic-related debts, and sluggish ticket sales. These issues are compounded by the current cost of living crisis.
Rostron states that they have been experiencing financial losses and debt for the past three to four years. Some events have already failed last year, and even in February of this year, festivals are already collapsing. They are unable to make it through to the summer.
This scenario has the potential to mark the downfall of traditional live music events, often considered a rite of passage, that have come to define the cultural landscape of British summers. This would leave only the largest festivals, like Glastonbury, as the remaining options.
According to the AIF, 36 festivals were either cancelled entirely or rescheduled last year, contributing to the total of 100 events that have vanished since the height of 2019, when the UK hosted 600 live music festivals.
Several events that have passed were relatively small and still in the process of growing, but this year, even more established festivals like Standon Calling, Bluedot (which is taking a break this year), and Nozstock have been affected by increasing expenses.
Ella Nosworthy, the organizer of Nozstock in Herefordshire, experienced a 40% increase in the cost of hosting her 5,000-person event due to the pandemic. Rostron explains that the cost of setting up the event, including stages and bars, rose from £400,000 in 2019 to £900,000 in 2023.
Nosworthy stated that a combination of factors including higher artist fees, limited availability of marquees due to their use as Covid testing centers, expensive shower rentals, skilled staff departing the outdoor events industry, and Brexit causing staff to leave and raising logistical costs have created a challenging situation.
“We reached a point where we were facing a potential five-year period without making any profit. This was not sustainable for our business. We considered continuing, but ultimately had to make the difficult decision to cut costs due to the increasing risk.”
Simon Taffe, one of the co-founders of the End of the Road festival, has experienced a significant 30% to 40% rise in expenses since 2019. To offset this, he made the choice to raise ticket prices by 30%. Despite the increase, the festival’s target audience of older, middle-class individuals have not been deterred, as 75% of tickets were sold before the lineup was even announced.
It is believed by Taffe that there may be a shift occurring, in which not only the largest festivals will remain, but also smaller or medium-sized events that are unique and thoughtfully organized.
According to him, if you simply follow the same path as everyone else, you will not be successful. Starting a business is already a risky endeavor, and without a distinct vision or selling point, it is unlikely that you will succeed.
End of the Road provides a selection of films hand-picked by renowned directors Martin McDonagh and Ben Wheatley. Meanwhile, Taffe focuses on booking bands that are not typically seen on the festival circuit.
There are other successful festivals as well. Afro Nation, which is organized by British promoters and primarily attended by people from the UK, is based in Portugal and caters to the growing Afrobeats music scene. It has attracted a previously overlooked demographic: Black Brits. Live At Leeds is hosting its third Live At Leeds In The Park outdoor event, in addition to its annual city showcase. We Out Here proved to be a popular event, highlighting the popularity of jazz music. Houghton stands out by offering a smaller, more exclusive dance music festival in rural Norfolk. And as always, Glastonbury sold out within an hour of tickets going on sale.
According to Nosworthy, the decline of festivals like hers has significant consequences for British culture, particularly in the realm of music. She expresses concern that the UK’s reputation as a top destination for live music is in jeopardy if these smaller festivals and events are not safeguarded.
Rostron proposed a solution to the issue which involved reducing the VAT rate to 5% for festival tickets. This measure was initially put into effect during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it was eventually discontinued and the rate reverted back to 20%.
According to the speaker, if there is a period of two to three years with consistent conditions, the supply chain will be able to recover and experienced workers will return to the industry. However, this stability is crucial for their return. The speaker stated, “We just need a couple of favorable summers.”
Source: theguardian.com
