After one of the most turbulent years for the independent festival sector – with some of the fastest sellouts for some shows but also a record number of cancellations – the first wave of sessions for the 2025 Festival Congress programme has now been revealed, including an extension of the event into a second day.
The annual B2B gathering for independent festival organisers in the UK returns to Bristol Beacon on Wednesday 5 February, with over 150 industry professionals already registered on the list of delegates. Due to demand from festival operators, a new addition extends the opportunity for networking along with an open session for emerging young professional talent and students into the following day.
Organised by the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), with Citizen Ticket as headline sponsor in 2025, Festival Congress includes lightning talks, interactive breakout workshops and provocative panels with handpicked experts, inspiring individuals and organisations from across the festival and event world.
Alongside Citizen Ticket, the 2025 edition is also sponsored by Azorra, Tysers, Tixel, PRS For Music and Togather.
The programme will cover a range of important topics that are facing independent promoters right now, unpicking current problems and future challenges, brokering new colllaborations, and exclusively revealing some new solutions for independent festivals. Forward thinking sessions will cover the Value of Independence, Degrowth, Festival Discovery and reveal new schemes devised by AIF or partners that will empower and benefit independent festivals in 2025. A panel on Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill (aka Martyn’s Law) will help all operators get up to speed with practical actions they can undertake now. A real life case study with an independent festival promoter, Tysers Insurance and Azorra Legal will walk through a festival from this season, some incredible challenges they faced, and how the right (or wrong) support can make or break an event. The day programme will conclude with a panel from festival organisers bringing events back from fallow years; returning unexpectedly, and also revealing two brand new independent festivals – one for 2025 and one for 2026. Many other workshops and talks are announced today,
There will be three bespoke networking sessions for multi-venue festival organisers, Welsh festival organisers, and event production agencies, with a view to helping peers from each of these groups tackle challenges, find collective solutions and forge new connections.
Those seeking specialist advice, or wanting to ensure they meet some organisations can attend 1-2-1 sessions which are available for delegates to pre-book with PRS for Music using the form HERE and the Azorra legal team using the form HERE.
A post-conference after party will allow conversations to roll into the night. It returns to Lost Horizons with street food provided courtesy of sponsor Togather and late night entertainment which will be announced in January.
On the following day, Thursday 6 February, AIF and BIMM Bristol will host two new special sessions as Festival Congress expands its footprint in host city Bristol.
The Connection Sessions will provide an opportunity for festivals and suppliers to meet with each other and a handpicked cohort of 20 young emerging talents over a free networking brunch provided by AIF. Festivals and suppliers wanting to attend can register their interest HERE.
Then, the Future Festival Sessions – lead by BIMM and BIG TEAM – will host a free to access panel of four independent festival organisers in conversation, lead by Cat Kevern (NOWIE). It’s a chance for the emerging talent of tomorrow to learn from current independent festival professionals. Students, young professionals and those wanting to break into festivals who wish to express an interest in attending this free panel can register HERE.
AIF CEO John Rostron said: “This has been an incredibly tough year for the UK’s independent festival sector, but this event never fails to make me proud of our community. We have record cancellations this year – 78 so far – but we also have some incredible stories to celebrate. Through this hardship AIF membership has grown to record numbers, and the independent festival community is together to take this fight on. The Festival Congress is the biggest date in our calendar to meet, discuss challenges and exchange ideas, but it’s also an opportunity to witness our strength in numbers and the sheer resilience, creativity and camaraderie that keeps us all going.”
Tickets, delegates and more information can be found at festivalcongress.co.uk.
