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The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) has teamed up with Creative Wales to launch a skills and development programme for Welsh music festivals and sector freelancers.
The programme will be free to access for festivals and freelancers operating in Wales. It will mostly be delivered online, including two digital channels for 24/7 networking.
Sessions for festivals will cover topics including volunteering, financial planning and budgeting, improving spend per head, adapting to extreme weather, and festival accessibility best practice.
For festival freelancers, topics will include contracts, pay, mental health support, and increasing job opportunities.
“This is a really exciting programme that will bring together a large cohort of festivals and a similarly large grouping of festival freelancers in Wales,” said AIF chief executive John Rostron.
“The two groups will access a wide array of free training, resources and support, as well as coming together to help us create other bespoke support for their needs.
“I’m particularly excited to be piloting this kind of offer to festival freelancers, who may sometimes be supported by regular employers, agencies or trade unions, but often fall through the gap as they move between different companies or jump between different sectors to secure work.
“Freelancers are essential to the festival world, and so being able to provide new training to support them during their time in the sector will be enthralling.”
Up to 40 of the participating festivals will be given the chance to attend the AIF’s Festival Congress.
“I’m thrilled to be part of AIF’s initiative to identify and support Welsh festival and event freelancers,” said tour manager and founder of The Back Lounge Suzi Green, who is advising on the programme.
“Drawing from my own experience – working onsite, tour managing performers, attending festivals as a passionate fan, and advocating through The Back Lounge peer support group – I’m more than aware how isolating and challenging freelancing in this industry can be.
“Given our economic climate and many festivals facing uncertainty, I’m confident this initiative will provide insight into some of these issues and provide a legacy of support for the future.”
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