UK Festival Trade Bodies Announce Strategic Alliance

The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) has forged an alliance with the British Arts Festivals Association (BAFA), with the trade bodies working together across events, data analysis, representation, training, resources and more.

The agreement:

• AIF and BAFA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will benefit both memberships, with AIF serving the independent music festival sector, and BAFA representing multi-arts cultural events.

The commitments:

• AIF and BAFA will host twice-yearly online member meetings that bring festival members of both organizations together to learn, share and connect.

• The bodies will work together to deliver in-person events in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

• They will publish joint reports on the state of the festival sector.

• Support each other in increasing representation at sector meetings and increasing information flow between industry and public sector bodies.

• Establish shared data points for surveying and reporting to members on trends that will help improve decision making and event sustainability.

• Produce shared resources and deliver shared training for members.

• Offer cross-party access to BAFA Conference and AIF Congress.

• Work together to grow and support the music and arts festival sector in the UK.

What they said:

• John Rostron, AIF CEO: “AIF’s membership is based on collaboration and cooperation between those working in the independent festival market, and this alliance with the wider multi-arts festival sector is an extension of that philosophy. There is already some significant crossover between our memberships. By working more intentionally together, we will all benefit from a greater diversity of insight, experience and expertise.”

• Fiona Goh, BAFA Director: “BAFA exists to provide insight, inspiration and connection for the arts festivals community through the networking, training, advocacy and support that we offer. Our members create extraordinary work across the UK, and partnership supercharges that work, transforming what’s possible. We’re looking forward to BAFA and AIF working together more strategically in the future to the benefit of the whole festival sector.”