TUESDAY 4th FEBRUARY
In the evening we will be at Bristol Hotel for drinks if delegates would like to join in the evening for networking.
WEDNESDAY 5th FEBRUARY
VENUE : BRISTOL BEACON
DOORS OPEN 9.45am
Exhibitors available to meet all day
Citizen Ticket
Crescat
Eventwise
Music Support
Out Of Hand
T3W
Ticket Hype
Tixel
Pre-bookable 1-2-1s with Azorra Legal Team (use form HERE)
Pre-bookable 1-2-1s with PRS for Music (use form HERE)
LOWER GROUND FLOOR
9.45am-11.00am Coffee, tea, pastries available
12.00pm-1.30pm Lunch available
GROUND FLOOR - LANTERN HALL
11.00am Opening Remarks - Matthew Phillip, CEO Notting Hill Carnival & AIF Chair
11.10am AIF 2025 : If You Want To Go Fast, Go Alone. If You Want To Go Far, Go Together - John Rostron, CEO, AIF
11.25am Announcement to be revealed on the day - Phil Hayes - COO Citizen Ticket.
11.40am Ben Tinkler - Bridge Creativeative
11.50am The power of the fan - George Fleming (Founder, Save Our Scene)
12.00pm Small steps, big impact : 10 cost-effective sustainable ideas that work - Hannah Cox, Better Not Stop
12.10pm NOQ - Empowering Events Through Innovation
12.15pm Powering the political pathway to Festival season. AIF & NOQ - an announcement
3.00pm-3.45pm Storm Lilian – How the right management, insurance and advice can help you navigate and mitigate a sh!t storm
Event insurance specialists Tim Rudland and Tim Thornhill from Tysers Live host a panel discussing a real-life case study of an independent outdoor event being hit by Storm Lilian and how the insurance policy responded. Guests Jake Warriner from SC Productions Ltd and Karina Gaertner, a Solicitor from Azorra, discuss how planning and operations can help an independent festival prepare and navigate through this scenario and how contracts can help you stay in control and mitigate your losses.
4.00pm-4.30pm Terrorism - Protection of Premises (aka) Martyn’s Law
The Protection of Premises Bill (aka Martyn’s Law) is working its way through Parliament, but on the ground and in the field questions are being asked, mixed messages are meeting event organisers, and preparatory work can be done. You’re in safe hands with Lloyd Major (Halo Solutions) who’ll walk you through updates from the Bill’s progress, give you tips on things you can be doing right now, and answer questions you might have around Martyn’s Law and helping keep your events safe.
4.45pm-5.30pm New times need new ideas. Keep up the good work.
Nick Morgan (We Group), Em Weirdigan (Green Gathering). Si (Chai Wallahs), Kate Osler (Consultant / AIF Special Projects). Moderated by Sam Taylor (Complete Music Update). New festival start-ups, festivals returning from fallow years, and some festivals that were going to end in 2024 but didn’t. 2025 begins with new festival partnerships and over a dozen promising shoots of festival recovery, optimism and innovation. What’s the new opportunities, inspirations and ideas driving these events?
5.30pm Closing Words John Rostron (AIF)
GROUND FLOOR - BREAKOUT SPACE
10.00am-10.45am Speed Networking (apply HERE)
1.30pm-3.00pm Greenfield Festivals Operations Breakout - Clare Goodchild &, Judy Bec
Join Judy Bec and Clare Goodchild for their breakout workshop where they will be looking at operational challenges the industry is facing in the coming year, alongside an open discussion for practical solutions.
3.30pm–4.30pm Marketing Breakout
A workshop for all those involved in marketing festivals to discuss what’s working and what’s not. Together you will find solutions, new collaborations and throw some of the poor returning practices into the bin. Lead by Zeina Raad.
LEVEL TWO - BREAKOUT SPACE
10.00am-10.45am Multi-Venue Festivals Network
A chance for all organisers and teams working in multi-venue festivals to meet up and forge new connections. A new AIF group for those in multi-venue festivals will be formed from Festival Congress onwards with additional bespoke training in 2025.
2.00pm-2.45pm Welsh Festivals Network
An opportunity for all organisers and teams in festivals in Wales to meet up and make new introductions. A new AIF group has already been made just for festivals in Wales, and new collaborative ideas and bespoke training will continue through 2025.
3.30pm-4.30pm Event Production Network
A community of leading event production companies exchanging best practices, insights, and advice. This exclusive gathering brings together some of the most experienced professionals behind iconic events, both in the UK and worldwide. This 60-minute, invite-only session is reserved for event production companies, fostering collaboration over competition.
6.00pm Bristol Beacon Closes
VENUE : LOST HORIZONS
6.30pm Lost Horizons Opens
6.30pm-8.30pm Street food courtesy of Togather is available.
9.00pm onwards - DJs (in the yard) and live actions in the venue
In The Venue :
7.30pm Thrill Collins (Acoustic Garage)
8.45pm Oojami (Turkish Remix)
10.00pm The Bhangra All Stars (Bhangra & Bass Live)
11.15pm Jamu (Bristol Dub Brass Hip Hop Spectacular)
In The Yard :
DJ Sets from Deaf Rave & Filthy Dirty Disco
1.00am close
THURSDAY 6th FEBRUARY
VENUE : BIMM, BRISTOL
11.00am-1.00pm Connection Sessions - opportunity for festivals and suppliers to meet with each other and with a handpicked cohort of 20 young emerging talent over a free networking brunch provided by AIF. Festivals and suppliers wanting to attend can register their interest HERE.
1.30pm connection session ends.
1.30pm-3.00pm Future Festival Sessions - lead by BIMM and BIG TEAM, a free to access panel for the emerging talent of tomorrow to learn from current independent festival professionals. Four independent festival organisers will be in a conversation lead by Cat Kevern (NOWIE). Students, young professionals and those wanting to break into festivals who wish to express an interest in attending this free panel can register HERE.
[Subject to Change - Schedule last updated Thursday 30th Jan]