Independent ticketing platform Skiddle and the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) have teamed up to launch a £5,000 bursary designed to support small independent festivals across the UK.
The new fund provides professional guidance and a free year of AIF membership to up to 20 festivals with capacities under 2,500. Successful applicants will get access to legal advice, industry webinars, and key operational resources throughout the year.
“There is no manual to running a festival, but there is a network of nearly 200 festival organisers at AIF who come together to share, borrow, ask and help each other build and create their own individual events,” said AIF CEO John Rostron.
“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,” Rostron added.
Organisers running events for at least two years can apply for the bursary directly. Applications close on 17th September.
The move follows a £15 million boost to the UK Government’s Music Growth Package in July, which established a £45 million Music Plan for grassroots artists and music businesses. Earlier this year, the Music Venue Trust (MVT) also rolled out its RAISE THE STANDARD scheme to fund venue equipment upgrades alongside Ticket9, an ethical resale platform.
(Source: Claire Welsh, DJ Mag)
Image: Lukas Blazek (Pexels)