AFO Conference 2012 Agenda

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Contents Welcome

4

Friday AFO Conference

5

Saturday AFO Conference

5

Sunday AFO Conference

10

Friday Showcase

12

Saturday Showcases

14

Acoustic Breaks

18

Guest Speakers

19

A couple of puzzles

20

Conference Team: Lioux Heap, Joe Heap, Simon Care, Freya Oliver, ich Mowatt, Tash Daly, Steve Heap.

Conference Agenda design by Wallis Agency www.wallisagency.co.uk

Sponsors Without the wonderful support both professional and financial of our Sponsors and Partners, the AFO Conference would struggle to get off the ground. Their help allows us to keep the delegate weekend price to a minimum and only a third of the price of many Conferences in the Sector, so please take every opportunity to support our Sponsors as they have supported us. They are EFDSS, La Playa Insurance Services, Proper Music Distribution, AVLS (Laurence Suite tech services), OneBigStar (Chatterley Suite tech services), Ticket South, fRoots, Horsey Lightly Fynn, Maverick Magazine and The Complete Works.

Particularly our very welcome guests from Atlantic Canadian Music Industry Associations

Welcome ...to AFO Conference 2012 - Climate - both Economical and Meteorological.

Clearly it has been a tough summer in many areas and so our main theme will be ‘The Economics of Festivals’, Climate Change, The Rain and the Pound, How to structure for a downturn and we will ask the question ‘In this current climate, are there too many festivals?’

For those organisers and associated trades that have got by in 2012, well done!

There have been a few casualties on the way. Were these caused by the Jubilympics, the appalling summer weather or the economic climate? Or as Michael Eavis says, ‘Is there actually a downturn in interest for festivals? Whatever your situation, working in the festival and events industry is exciting, challenging and a privilege. We annually celebrate, join with communities and often provide charitable funds from our labour and I have yet to meet a festival organiser who doesn’t enjoy seeing hundreds and thousands of smiling faces at their event. That’s what festival-ing is about, and at Conference we meet each other, exchange views and ideas and talk about it.

As planning for the 2013 season gathers pace perhaps all we need do is hold our nerve and ride out this economic crisis knowing that it is quite clear the UK weather pattern is changing. We mustn’t try and hide from reality, the future will be different in all areas, but festivals have been with us for centuries and will be for many more to come.

Take a deep breath and get stuck into one of the busiest Conferences for years.

AFO partnership with The Atlantic Canadian Music Industry Associations We are thrilled to be able to work with the four regions of the Atlantic Canadian Music Industry Associations in this partnership. Eight Canadian acts will perform over the weekend across two Showcases, with a special reception for delegates on Saturday night.

We will also welcome Canadian delegates onto panels to share their knowledge and gain a better understanding of the UK festival sector. Please join us in welcoming them to AFO. Steve Heap, General Secretary

4

AFO Conference 2012 Friday 16 November Time

Event

Venue

6pm

Registration

8pm

New Festivals Welcome A chance for new (to AFO) festivals to say hello.

Host - Steve Heap AFO

8.15pm

A Festival Story...

TBC with Dan Raffety, Shambala Festival

Festival Director Dan tells us the story behind one of the most interesting, exciting and unusual festivals on the scene. How do they retain the air of mystery and the sense of total escapism?

Come and find out.

Speaker - Dan Raffety Chair - Peter Chegwyn Wickham Festival

9pm

See page 12

TBC

Friday Showcase Chatterley

Saturday 17 November Time

Event

9am

Registration

10am

An introduction to help you understand your way around Conference.

Chair - Joe Heap

10.05am

Steve Heap

Venue

Agendas, Notes & Systems Lawrence

Welcome from the General Secretary Lawrence

5

AFO Conference 2012 Saturday 17 November continued

Time

Event

Venue

10.15am

An Introduction to ‘The Economics of Festivals’

Lawrence

Leading Independent Business Advisor Richard Carver introduces the ideas that he will tackle in his morning workshop session (Session C). How does commercial business handle downturn and recession? How do you adapt your business model and how can we apply this to festivals?

Speaker - Richard Carver

10.20am - 4.50pm

Sign up at Registration and then meet at the One2One meeting point near the Registration desk.

Rick Bond The Complete Works Constitutions and Governance Beth Noble Arts Council England Current Funding Opportunities Jon Payne Horsey Lightly Fynn - Legal & Licensing Issues Paula Hawthorne La Playa Insurance Services Your insurance questions answered

One2Ones

10.30 - Session A - Digital Promotion Lawrence 11.30am Blogs, Apps, Social Media and more. Find out how much you

should and could be doing to promote online. The latest trends

and possibilities.

Speakers - Paul Mayze Howwwl

Jeremy Anderson Obergine Marketing

Alex Gallacher Folk Radio UK

Chair - Tom Povey BunkFest 10.30 - Session B - BIG DEBATE No 1.

11.30am Artist demands or Festival Hospitality Following some informal AFO research we discuss how to strike

a balance. What do you accept on a rider and how do you

provide great hospitality without bankrupting the event? What is

fair and reasonable on both sides?

Speakers - Chris Tarren End of The Road Festival

Scott Long Nova Scotia Music

Terry O’Brien Playpen Agency

Jim Moray Artist

Simon Care Artist & Agent

Chair - Alan Surtees Shrewsbury Folk Festival 6

Chatterley 1

Time 10.30 - 11.50am

Event

Venue

Session C - WORKSHOP SESSION

Chatterley 2

The Economics of Festivals Come and join this workshop style hands-on session aimed to help you help your festival or business through the economic hard times.

Speaker - Richard Carver

11.30am

Tea / Coffee Break

11.55am - 12.30pm

“In the Conference Keynote speech, Kevin Brennan MP will outline the importance of festivals large and small in their communities, both economically and socially and in the wider GB tourist industry. Kevin Brennan is the MP for Cardiff West and Labour Shadow Minister for Schools and the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary group supporting Folk Arts.

(Kevin is also a guitarist and current member of the cross party 4 piece band ‘MP4’) Speaker - Kevin Brennan MP Introduced by Steve Heap

12.30pm

Lunch

(inc. coffee)

Key Note Speech inc Q&A

Lawrence

1.35 - Session D - Media Buying 2.25pm How to get the best for your money when buying advertising in

print, online, radio and even TV! Should you seek outside

expertise or do it yourself and what does your pound really get you?

Speakers - Ian Compton CMS Music

Andy Farquarson Iconic Media

Chair - Derek Schofield EDS Magazine

Lawrence

1.35 - Session E - Cancellation Insurance 2.25pm After the wettest summer on record and many events called off,

is this the time to look at cancellation insurance and how much

is it going to cost now?

Speakers - Paula Hawthorne La Playa Insurance Services

Les Johnson DANCO PLC

Chair - TBC

Chatterley 1

7

AFO Conference 2012 Saturday 17 November continued

Time

Event

1.35 - Session F - Managing & Budgeting Your Trade & Catering 2.25pm

How many, what kind, what price? Just three of the questions

asked when you begin to plan for your trade and try to get it right

for all parties.

Speakers - John Eveleigh Festival Catering Manager

Martin Orbach Abergavenny Food Festival

Jan Tempest Energize Massage

Claire Billsborough Ruby Moon

Chair - Sue Torres Wicked Events

Chatterley 2

Session G - Wet Weather Planning 2.30 - 3.25pm They say we will get more of it in the summers to come so let’s

get ready. Put in the right infrastructure and know what you’re

going to do with people, traffic, artists and servicing around the site.

Speakers - Beckie Parsons Cornbury Festival

Production Manager

Paul Hill Eve Trackway

TBC Met Office

Chair - Scott Butler Folk on the Pier

Lawrence

Session H - WOMEX come to Cardiff 2.30 - 3.25pm What use is Womex to you? How can we make best use of it

being in the UK? Get on board and make it work for you.

Speakers - TBC Womex

Lisa Matthews Music Wales/Cerdd Cymru

Chair - Alan James Chair of Music Wales/Cerdd Cymru

Chatterley 1

Session I - An A-Z of Festival Management

2.30 - 3.25pm

A beginners guide to all things Festival. This seminar is regularly delivered at University courses for Event Management Students and provides essential lists to work from as well as loads of great tips.

Speaker - Steve Heap AFO

3.25pm

Tea / Coffee Break

3.55 - Session J - BIG DEBATE No2 4.50pm Are there now too many Festivals?

Come and join the debate of the moment. Has the market

reached saturation point? How much is the economic climate

playing its part and what does the future hold? Perhaps we

should combine festivals, take a year off or ?????

Speakers - John Atkin Off The Tracks Festival

Dick Dixon Warwick Folk Festival

Alistair Anderson Artist

Ian Anderson fRoots Magazine

Chair - Richard Carver 8

Venue

Chatterley 2

Lawrence

Time

Event

3.55 - Session K - Ticket Fraud 4.50pm Some AFO members got hit by this for the first time this year.

It’s now affecting smaller events and we should be vigilant.

Find out what happened and how we can avoid it in the future.

Speakers - Sarah Lomas Ticket South

Lucy Babb Larmer Tree Festival

Joe Vesayaporn Music Glue

Chair - Bev Langton Towersey Festival

Session L - Fundraising for Beginners

3.55 - 4.50pm

Come and discover some essential truths to get you on the road to fundraising for your event.

Speaker - Rick Bond The Complete Works

5pm - 5.15pm

Jon Payne, our resident legal expert and leading light on all things licensing gives us the latest on the changes and what they mean to festivals and events.

Speaker - Jon Payne Horsey Lightly Fynn Chair - TBC

5pm- 6pm

A chance for all the Agents and Artist Managers to get together and discuss their particular issues. Led by one of our guest Agents.

5.20 - 5.50pm

Respected Music Journalist Colin Irwin talks to Eliza Carthy about all things Festival. How have they played their part in her career?

What are the stand-out gigs? What does Eliza see as the future of festivals and where they are going?

Eliza Carthy interviewd by Colin Irwin

Licensing Act Update

Agents Breakout

My Festival Experience - The AFO Interview

Atlantic Canadian Music Industry Associations Reception

7.30 - 8.30pm

Our guests and partners host a reception introducing delegates to the culture and hospitality of the region.

Host - ACMIA Introduced by Rob Oakie Music PEI

8.30pm start

See page 14

SHOWCASES

Venue Chatterley 1

Chatterley 2

Lawrence

TBC

Lawrence

Chatterley

Chatterley & Lawrence

Skills Pairing & Knowledge Sharing Board - Put your skills or knowledge gap up on one side of the board and someone will match their skill or experience and together you solve the problem.

9

Sunday 18 November

10

Time

Event

Venue

10.30am

Welcome Back

Lawrence

A catch up on what not to miss today!

Chair - Joe Heap

10.40am - 12.30pm

Rick Bond The Complete Works Constitutions and Governance

10.40am - 12.55pm

Come and ask that burning question, listen in to the advice being given and pick up some tips from the experts. Tables are -

The Safety Passport Andy Lenthall PSA What does it mean for your site crew and contractors? Find out what it’s all about.

How to approach Agents & Managers Mark Anstey Unique Gravity Vaughan Pearce Show of Hands They are not all monsters and most just want to do business.

Come and get some tips and advice on how best to make an approach and forge a relationship.

Finance & Budgeting Robin Simpson Voluntary Arts Network Working through budgeting questions. Why do it, how to use a budget to your advantage and how to budget in these difficult times.

Recruiting & Managing Volunteers Sue Torres Wicked Events Jo Tuffs Broadstairs Folk Week How to get the best out of your volunteers and keep them with you.

All your Stewarding questions answered.

Booking Canadian Artists With Delegates from The ACMIA The Logistics, the Support from Canada and the real possibilities of making it work.

One2Ones

Round Table Drop-ins

Chatterley 1

Time

Event

Venue

10.40am - Session N - BIG DEBATE No 3.

11.35am They Want How Much?

Can Festivals afford the Artists they need? Can Artists afford to

play Festivals? An open and frank discussion where Artists,

Agents, Managers and Festival Organisers chew it all over. We all

need each other!

Speakers - George Prince SASA Music

Adam Slough Folk by the Oak

Alan Surtees Shrewsbury Folk Festival

Simon Heginbotham Saltaire Live

Alan Bell Fylde Folk Festival

Chair - Ian Anderson fRoots

Lawrence

Session M - Social Media in Depth 10.40am - 11.35am Taking a look at your presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

and more. What are the benefits and how do you maximise your

impact while keeping your workload in check.

Speakers - John Atkin Social Media Manager,

Off The Tracks Festival

Jim Moray Artist & Social Media Advocate

Chair - Joe Heap Towersey Festival Marketing

Chatterley 2

11.35am

Tea / Coffee Break

12noon - Session O - Making your website work for you 12.55pm Your website can quickly get out of date and be a real pain.

Make yours interactive, link to social media and make it look

clean and fresh.

Speakers - Alex Gallacher Folk Radio UK

Ian Bartlet Me Me Media

Joe Vesayaporn Music Glue

Chair - Alan James Hold Tight Management

Session P - Free Access Festivals 12noon - 12.55pm How do they work financially, socially for Artists, Promoters

and the public? What’s their place in the market?

Speakers - Andy Pickard and Fergus McVey

Riverside Festival

Colin Dolton BunkFest

Chair - Dave Watmore Crawley Folk Festival 1pm

Conference Round Up Host -

Lawrence Chatterley 2

Lawrence

Steve Heap

Skills Pairing & Knowledge Sharing Board - Put your skills or knowledge gap up on one side of the board and someone will match their skill or experience and together you solve the problem.

11

supported by

Friday Showcase 9pm (Chatterley)

Tim Edey Tim Edey is the current BBC Radio Two Folk Musician of the Year and one half of the Best Duo 2012 award with harmonica guru Brendan Power.

Tim is recognised as being one of the finest musicians of his generation anywhere in the world.

‘Tim sits comfortably between Donal Lunny and Steve Cooney.. yes he’s that good’.

Folking.com’s Pete Fyfe

Tyde

12

Tyde’s music is really dynamic with a unity of playing rarely seen on the live music scene. Centred in tradition but with a contemporary edge, Tyde deliver modern, punchy, danceable tunes, carefully arranged songs and intricate, emotional slow sets.

‘Instrumental adventurousness pitches them into Lau territory’ MoJo

Nicky Swann Having already worked with the likes of Phil Beer and winning Best Acoustic Act at South West Music Awards, Nicky is making her mark with her own sound of contemporary folk and roots.

Jessica Rhaye Contemporary folk singer and songwriter from New Brunswick, recently release her third album Good Things.

Terry Penney Award-winning contemporary folk artist, Terry Penney is a master storyteller with a social conscience, insightful perspective and a nostalgic yearning for days gone by.

13

supported by

Saturday Showcase 8.30pm (Lawrence)

UK Showcase Spiro Bands often claim to be unique, but Spiro really do defy easy categorisation. They are an acoustic instrumental quartet, playing violin, mandolin, accordion and guitar. There is no improvisation and no solo work, and none is needed. All the intricate arrangements are meticulously worked out and delivered.

The Young’Uns Sean Cooney, David Eagle and Michael Hughes bring freshness and dynamism to their arrangements of close harmony songs.

Everything from traditional sea and working songs to more recent compositions is present in their repertoire, and is delivered with originality and flair.

14

Jess Morgan Accompanied by acoustic guitar Jess’s style has been likened to that of the classic east then west coast song-crafters of the 1970s but with her own distinguishable voice – and often a distinctly British subject matter.

‘Gorgeous country folk.’– The Guardian

Merry Hell Folk-Rock with a punk attitude, indie ethos and Latino feel - plus we got soul! A band founded on the ever evolving Folk tradition – music made by the people and shared by the people.

The Joseph Topping Band Joe Topping is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the Wirral.

He ‘has a gift to write songs that will last and that others will want to sing’ John Wright. ‘one of the most beautiful voices I have heard’ Chris While.

15

supported by

Saturday Showcase 8.30pm (Chatterley)

Atlantic Canadian Music Industry Associations Showcase Dennis Ellsworth Dennis has grown into one of Atlantic Canada’s most potent songwriters.

BackYard Devils Fancy isn’t a word often heard in Eastern Canada and there is nothing fancy about The BackYard Devils.

They’re simply playing the music they love. A well blended mix of dirty country, rockabilly and bluegrass.

Paper Beat Scissors Tim Crabtree’s haunting voice lies at the centre of his Paper Beat Scissors project with an honesty and rawness that skirts discomfort and has caught the attention of audiences across the world.

16

Andrew James O’Brien A three-time Music Newfoundland and Labrador Award winner (2011) James was named Male Artist of the Year, Rising Star of the Year and his debut album, Songs for Searchers, was named the Pop/ Rock Recording of the Year.

Mary Jane Lamond and Wendy MacIsaac A powerful collaboration borne of a long-time friendship and a shared love of Celtic music.

Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys The award-winning Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys serve up old-time roots music with an energy level that practically yanks you out of your seat by the collar.

17

Acoustic Breaks Acoustic breaks are just that. No staging or PA and short sets in coffee and lunch breaks.

Catch more great music with a snack in hand.

Saturday

11.30am

Bella Gaffney Bella is a folk musician. She writes her own songs and also does some covers too.

Debs Newbold and Laurel Swift - Under Her Skin

1pm

The Willows

12.30pm

Combining dynamic performance storytelling with the effusive energy of traditional dance and music.

3.25pm

Manière des Bohémiens

The Willows are Jade Rhiannon, Prue Ward, Ben Savage, Cliff Ward and Steve Maclachlan.

A Cambridge based contempary folk group making quite a noise on the UK folk circuit.

Sunday

11.35am

James Findlay

Manière des Bohémiens play improvised Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli influenced Gypsy Jazz and Eastern European swing.

18

James Findlay is a Dorset based traditional singer, fiddler and guitarist. He won the 2010 BBC Young Folk Award final.

Guest Speakers Alistair Anderson Artist

Colin Dolton BunkFest

Jim Moray Artist

Ian Anderson fRoots Magazine

John Eveleigh Festival Catering Manager

Terry O’Brien Playpen Agency

Jeremy Anderson Obergine Marketing

Andy Farquarson Iconic Media

Mark Anstey Unique Gravity

Alex Gallacher Folk Radio UK

Martin Orbach Abergavenny Food Festival (Director)

John Atkin Off The Tracks Festival

Paula Hawthorne La Playa Insurance Services

Beckie Parsons Cornbury Festival (Production Manager)

Simon Heginbotham Saltaire Live

Jon Payne Horsey Lightly Fynn

Paul Hill Eve Trackway

Vaughan Pearce Show of Hands

Colin Irwin Journalist

Andy Pickard Riverside Festival

Les Johnson DANCO PLC

George Prince SASA Music

Andy Lenthall PSA

Robin Simpson CEO Voluntary Arts Network

Sarah Lomas Ticket South

Adam Slough Folk by the Oak

Scott Long Nova Scotia Music

Alan Surtees Shrewsbury Folk Festival

TBC Womex

Jan Tempest Energize Massage

Lisa Matthews Music Wales/Cerdd Cymru

Chris Tarren End of The Road Festival

Peter Chegwyn Wickham Festival

Paul Mayze Howwwl

Sue Torres Wicked Events

Ian Compton CMS Music

Fergus McVey Riverside Festival

Jo Tuffs Broadstairs Folk Week

Dick Dixon Warwick Folk Festival

TBC Met Office

Joe Vesayaporn Music Glue

Lucy Babb Larmer Tree Festival Ian Bartlet Me Me Media Alan Bell Fylde Folk Festival Claire Billsborough Ruby Moon Rick Bond The Complete Works Kevin Brennan MP Simon Care Artist & Agent Eliza Carthy Artist Richard Carver Independent Business Consultant

Thanks for supporting AFO, and please note the dates for Conference 2013 are 15-17 November 19

iss !

W ca or T n ’ d he ta S f fo e rd ar to ch m yo u

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climate conference customer digital economic

event fraud fundraising gig hospitality

insurance marquee music networking pensions

riders showcases social media venue website

Where is this?

(Surprisingly summery scene at one of the few 2012 festivals to have sunshine.)

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