The Challenges of Running a Festival: Insights from the Industry's Top Players

Strategic Insights -

As one of the UK's most charming festivals, Standon Calling, celebrates its 20th anniversary, its founder Alex Trenchard reflects on the highs and lows of running a festival. Starting as a 100-person barbecue in 2001, the event has grown to attract 8,000 attendees and a star-studded line-up. However, Trenchard's journey has not been without its challenges, including a stint in prison after stealing £355,000 from his employer to fund the festival. Despite this, he has learned to prioritize sustainability and trust his team, advising fellow festival owners to do the same.

The festival industry is booming, with independent festivals generating £296m in 2014 alone, but it's a tough gig. Many festivals have closed over the years, and those that remain face significant challenges. Paul Reed, general manager of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), notes that running a festival is "very high-risk" with "incredibly tight margins." Andy Smith, co-founder of Kendal Calling, adds that festival organizers must manage everything from water supplies and power to food and sanitation for 20,000 people over several days.

To stand out, festivals rely on killer line-ups, but this can be fraught with difficulties. Lak Mitchell, co-founder of BoomTown Fair, reveals that negotiations with headlining acts can take years and involve intense phone calls with agents in other parts of the world. Even then, cancellations can happen at the last minute, as Smith experienced when a headline act backed out just before the festival.

Despite the challenges, festival owners are passionate about delivering an amazing experience for their audiences. DJ Robert Gorham, who runs Bestival, Camp Bestival, and Common People, notes that he's not in the festival business for the money. "I book bands that I want to book... if at the end of the day it works out, that's great," he says.

Key Takeaways:

  • Running a festival is a high-risk, high-reward business with incredibly tight margins (AIF).
  • Festival organizers must manage a wide range of logistical challenges, including water supplies, power, and sanitation (Smith).
  • Negotiations with headlining acts can take years and involve intense negotiations with agents (Mitchell).
  • Cancellations can happen at the last minute, affecting income and public expectations (Smith).
  • Festival owners should prioritize sustainability and trust their team to avoid financial problems (Trenchard).
  • Effective financial management, relationships with local authorities and suppliers, and a focus on audience experience are key to success in the festival industry (Reed).

Statistics:

  • £296m: The amount generated by independent festivals in 2014 (AIF).
  • 8,000: The number of attendees at Standon Calling this year.
  • 975: The number of festivals listed on festival guide website Efestivals for 2015, up from 496 in 2007.
  • 20: The number of years since Standon Calling started as a 100-person barbecue.

Sources:

  • Association of Independent Festivals (AIF)
  • Efestivals festival guide website
  • The Guardian article "The challenges of running a festival: insights from the industry's top players"
  • Interview with Alex Trenchard, founder of Standon Calling festival