AIF Fests Raise £1 Billion

Audience research conducted by AIF has also revealed that more than 635,000 music fans attended AIF member events in 2014, which ranged from 1,500-capacity Barn on the Farm to 75,000-capacity Isle of Wight Festival.

Last year £296 million was generated by independent festival goers. From 2010-2014, over £80 million of this came from audience spend along the supply chain including local businesses.

Just less than half (49 percent) of those interviewed said that last year they chose attending an independent festival over taking a summer holiday. Over the same period, 58.2 percent cited “general atmosphere, overall vibe and character of event” as the single most important factor in attending.

Only 8.3 cited “headline acts” and 21.5 percent said “the music” generally.

To celebrate these findings, the AIF has launched a new initiative called “Festival Fever” with the aim of highlighting the cultural and economic impact of independent festivals. AIF members participating in the campaign will wear a digital badge across social media stating “Proudly independent,” with another key component being the launch of AIF TV, a dedicated YouTube channel that will host a competition for the best festival fan footage shot at an AIF member festival in 2014.

The winner will receive an Ultimate Festival Ticket giving access to all 50 AIF member festival events throughout the year. A highlight reel of AIF festival footage can be seen on the YouTube channel. “Our extensive research clearly shows that the independent music festival sector is thriving and enjoying an extended period of fantastic growth,” said AIF general manager Paul Reed.