Skiddle & Association of Independent Festivals Announce Grant For Small UK Festivals

Ticket and event discovery platform Skiddle and the UK’s Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) have announced a grant to support small independent festivals in the country.

Now in its second year, the joint initiative will provide up to 20 micro and very small independent UK festivals with a fully-funded year-long AIF membership, and promotional support from Skiddle worth up to £5,000 ($6,750).

The AIF festival membership is tiered by capacity and charged annually, with fees starting from £588 ($793) excluding sales tax. The membership provides these festivals with access to the organization’s expert network, industry guidance, legal and professional support, webinars, and a range of other resources created to help independent festivals thrive.

The promotional package from Skiddle is tailored to the needs of each festival, and support may include editorial coverage, paid media, and a dedicated spotlight in Skiddle’s Festival Guide to connect growing festivals to an international audience of music fans.

Independent festivals with a capacity of 2,500 or less, that are in a crucial stage of growth and would benefit greatly from the professional and hands-on guidance provided by AIF and Skiddle, can apply for the grant.

Applications remain open here until Sept. 17. Successful applicants will be chosen independently by Skiddle and the Association of Independent Festivals.

One of last year’s recipients, Sam Southan, Founder & Creative Director at GemFest, spoke about the tangible impact that the scheme has had on their event: “We were lucky enough to have Skiddle provide us with a free membership to the AIF, which has been a huge help to us in our early years at GemFest. John Rostron and the rest of the AIF team have consistently supported us with advice and connections over the past 12 months, supporting the growth of our show from 5,000 to an anticipated 10,000 this coming year. Thanks to Skiddle and the AIF for having us on this scheme.”

‘I’d Welcome Research Into Young Audiences’: Q’s With AIF CEO John Rostron

Comments:

John Rostron, CEO, Association of Independent Festivals: “There is no manual to running a festival, but there is a network of nearly 200 festival organizers at AIF who come together to share, borrow, ask and help each other build and create their own individual events. Taking a punt on a membership of something unknown is often a big ask for an operator, but we’ve seen what that’s done for the festivals who were successful last year, and are delighted that this new bursary scheme from Skiddle will support the very smallest of festivals so they can get help when they need it, all year long.”

Duncan King, Head of Partnerships at Skiddle: “Small and micro festivals play an essential role in the UK’s live music landscape. They create opportunities for emerging artists and bring communities together, providing audiences with experiences they often can’t find anywhere else.

“However, we know that running an independent festival comes with considerable challenges, especially at this scale. Through this bursary, we want to give organisers access to the expertise, resources and promotional support that can make a meaningful difference. We’re delighted to be working with AIF again to support the next generation of brilliant independent festivals.”

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