Posted by UK festival body AIF has issued a “red alert” following fears over this summer’s calendar.
Music fans had hoped for something approaching normality in 2021, with a number of high profile events attempting to stage summer shows.
However the issue of insurance remains – and many fear UK government advisors are simply not doing enough to help organisations on the ground.
With talks hitting “a brick wall” the AIF – Association Of Independent Festivals – has issued a “red alert” believing that up to 75% of events in July and August could cancel.
In recent weeks, the likes of Boomtown Fair and Deer Shed have been forced to pull the plug on their 2021 events, after months of work.
The full statement can be found HERE, with AIF CEO Paul Reed said: “For months now, we have been warning Government that the UK’s 2021 festival season would be quickly eroded if they failed to back their own roadmap out of lockdown and act on Covid related cancellation insurance. That danger is now coming to pass, with over a quarter of festivals having cancelled already this year.”
“It’s now red alert for the UK’s festival season. By the end of this month, 76% of the remaining festivals planned for 2021 could very quickly disappear from the calendar.”
He continues: “It is hugely positive that there was a festival pilot as part of the Events Research Programme last weekend, and this could be an important milestone in the safe return of festivals. But, without a safety net, independent promoters cannot begin to confidently invest in their events. They currently have no protection should a Covid related issue result in the cancellation of their festival.”
“If Government-backed insurance is off the table, festival organisers deserve to know what Government proposes as an alternative to prevent the widespread collapse of the festival season.”
Find the full statement HERE.
Today we are issuing a Red Alert warning on the 2021 festival season. Over a quarter of UK festivals over 5,000 capacity have already been cancelled due to Government inaction on insurance. https://t.co/Yp1ZKdFQSa
— AIF (@AIF_UK) May 4, 2021
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