Small is beautiful

Jim Davey, managing director of Redwood Event Solutions, explains why we need to support smaller events in 2023 we are returning to some kind of postpandemic normal – and it feels great!

But we must not forget or underestimate the impact those unplanned fallow years have had on the smaller and emerging festivals. A combination of national and international issues has been extremely challenging, then Brexit, COVID and now, the cost-of-living crisis, all affecting everyone within the industry, leading to a saturated and potentially soft market.

Association of Independent Festival’s data states that in 2022 nine per cent of festivals were cancelled, and in 2021 a massive 53 per cent were cancelled or postponed. While many of these may have postponed and returned, it is inevitable that some may not be able to financially weather the economic storm we have and are still experiencing.

With talent shortages across the industry, escalating costs and shortages of materials, every event organiser is still facing challenges to make their event happen –and this is compounded for those with less buying power and tighter margins.

From a health and safety point of view, there is some hangover from COVID and more pressure on working SAG groups which is then transferred and particularly felt by smaller events. I’m working with events that are launching year one and are being asked for all paperwork six months plus in advance of the show. Local councils are under pressure and pressing for even more controls and arrangements, meaning organisers need to engage specialists much further out. ow do you demonstrate the value of sponsorship at a festival? Every aspect of marketing is under increasing scrutiny to prove its worth, and to justify its position in the marketing budget. With sponsorship opportunities at festivals commanding considerable sums, there has never been a more critical time to demonstrate that they deliver a strong return on the investment made by brands. Festivals present a perfect opportunity to deploy sponsorship. Having an audience located in one place, over a period of time, that may pass or engage with sponsorship or activation maximises the opportunity for the investment to deliver a return on the investment.

So, what can we do as event professionals to make sure we keep the event landscape as rich and varied as it can be and fill the UK with options for every taste, budget, and interest? Understanding the pressures within the industry and working out tangible ways – both as individuals and as businesses – that we can help and make a difference is key. I work with events of all sizes and am trying to ensure that small to medium-sized events can take place, by working with local events that I love, and even offering subsidised rates where I can.

I was struck by the similarities between the Music Venues Trust’s recent campaign to “Own our Venues” and what our event industry is facing. We should be looking to an industry-wide campaign or initiative that raises awareness and support, calling on everyone to do their bit to protect this wonderful industry so everyone has the choice of festivals to attend in years to come.

Understanding the metrics at a tactical level is relatively straightforward. There will be hard metrics, e.g., the number of people who participated in an activation, or collected a sample; it’s relatively easy to work out the percentage participation of those in attendance, or within a specific section of the event.

However, what those metrics don’t show is the bigger picture or the long view.