/ SHOWGUIDE
Skiddle is one of Europe’s most innovative primary ticket outlets and the UK’s largest events guide, with 3 million visitors each month. —
skiddle.com
/ CONTENTS 04 Welcome
29 Promoter of the Year
07 UK Festival Conference 2015 - Overview
31 The Greener Festival Award
08 UK Festival Conference 2015 - The Cashless Future Of
33 Headline Performance of the Year
Uk Festivals
10 UK Festival Conference 2015 - An Update On Festival
Vision 20:25 / Increasing Ticket Sales
35 Line-Up of the Year 37 Best New Festival 39 Best Festival for Emerging Talent
12 UK Festival Conference 2015 - Virtual Reality &
41 The Grass Roots Festival Award
Multimedia
43 Best Overseas Festival
14 UK Festival Conference 2015 -The Decline Of Local
45 Best Metropolitan Festival
Venues
47 Best Dance Event
16 UK Festival Conference 2015 – Disaster Aversion
48 Best Family Festival
19 The Best Use of New Technology Award
49 Best Non-Music Festival
20 The Extra-Festival Activity Award
51 Best Small Festival
21 Concession of the Year
53 Best Medium-Sized Festival
23 Best Hospitality
55 Best Major Festival
24 Best Toilets
56 The Outstanding Contribution to Festivals Award
25 The Brand Activation Award
59 Thanks
27 Agency of the Year
/ WELCOME... ...to the UK Festival Awards & Conference 2016 We’ve almost made it through what has proven to be the most tumultuous and just plain mean year in recent memory – from Brexit to Trump, Bowie to Prince, and Marmite to Toblerone. The live events industry hasn’t fared a great deal better, with a multitude of international festivals cancelled due to severe weather; Fabric’s closure [and highly conditional reopening] setting a dangerous precedent for venues and promoters; and our aforementioned, looming departure from the EU creating uncertainty across the board. Also worth mentioning is the increase in consolidation we’ve seen at the mid to major level over the past 12 months. Global’s increased stake in Broadwick Live, for instance, resulted in the promoter’s acquisition of SouthWestFour, Truck Festival, Field Day, Rewind Festival, Boardmasters, and Y Not Festival – with increased stakes in Lost Village, Standon Calling, and Glass Butter Beach. On the flip side, we’ve also seen a steady proliferation of promising new, small and grass roots festivals, exemplified across our respective shortlists. All in all, these are exciting times. So, although we can’t quite breathe a sigh of relief yet, it’s a better time than any to celebrate our collective successes in spite of 2016’s penchant for inflicting hardship and abject misery. Regardless of all of the above, UK festivals have continued to thrive and persevere, and so we’ll be recognising this year’s many success stories throughout the Awards, while using the Conference to dissect some of the most pertinent issues in our immediate pasts and futures. Once again we receive an unprecedented amounts of entries and votes this year, so thank you to all of those who nominated themselves and rallied their supporters. To all of the festivals who made it to the shortlists: congratulations and good luck, it’s well deserved. Commiserations to those who didn’t make it to the final stage this year; we hope that it doesn’t deter you from entering next year. We’ve invited an eclectic and innovative bunch of festival industry insiders to speak across our Conference panel sessions, and it’s important to us that you find the subject matter compelling and informative. Please don’t hesitate to relay feedback on that or any other aspect of the event, ideally in a way that doesn’t make us cry. Finally, we would like to extend a massive thanks to all who have been involved with the Awards and Conference, not just this year, but also for the 12 preceding it. We are honoured to be able to host these events for you all and are truly grateful for the opportunity. Thank you, The UK Festival Awards Team
/ CONFERENCE SCHEDULE 10:00 – REGISTRATION 10.30 - THE CASHLESS FUTURE OF UK FESTIVALS 2016 was predicted by RFID exponents to be the tipping point for cashless payments in the UK live events market – the point at which the industry’s confidence would finally surpass its fears, allowing it to embrace this shift and reap the benefits. On point with this forecast, there were no reports of failures in the tabloid press (or anywhere else) this summer and only positive feedback from the events that ventured into this new frontier. So has the cloud of Download lifted? Is the UK now ready to play catch-up with its overseas peers?
Moderated by: Jo Leljevahl Rob Star Mark Laurie David de Wever
Jimmy Coultas, Skiddle Snowbombing Eastern Electrics NCASS PlayPass
11.20 - AN UPDATE ON FESTIVAL VISION 20:25 Powerful Thinking will attend the UK Festival Conference to deliver an update on Festival Vision: 2025 and the results of the Industry Green Survey. Last year, at the 2015 UK Festival Awards, Powerful Thinking launched The Show Must Go On, a seminal environmental report on the UK festival industry. As Powerful Thinking celebrates 50 UK Festivals signing the Festival Vision: 2025 pledge to act on climate change, Chris Johnson, Chair of Powerful Thinking will discuss the progress so far and invite festival organisers to join the biggest environmental movement in the history of the UK festival industry.
11:30 - INCREASING TICKET SALES The UK festival market has been referred to as ‘oversaturated’ for a good few years now, and so we’re inviting a number of ticketing outlets to discuss how festivals can quite simply shift more tickets. Following on from the release of the Waterson report, we’ll also look at how the exploitative elements of the secondary ticketing market can be successfully regulated and undermined.
Moderated by: Stuart Cain Ben Sebborn Sarah Slater Jen Long
Jonathan Brown, STAR Ticket Factory Skiddle Ticketmaster DICE
12:30 – COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH 13.30 - VIRTUAL REALITY & MULTIMEDIA Although still in its infancy, the potential applications for virtual reality across the festival scene are as diverse as they are exciting. With an assortment of content creators and technology enthusiasts, we’ll be examining how the rapidly evolving phenomenon can be utilised across events.
Moderated by: University Eleanor Whitley Steven Hancock Sammy Andrews
Stephen Partridge, Bucks New Marshmallow Laser Feast MelodyVR Entertainment Intelligence
14.30 - THE DECLINE OF LOCAL VENUES According to figures obtained from the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, approximately half of the UK’s nightclubs have shut down in the last decade. The struggles of local independent venues are multifaceted and well documented, so this panel will elucidate how the destruction of this vital ecosystem will affect the festival scene – both in the lack of viable metropolitan spaces and removal of a platform for tomorrow’s headliners to break through.
Moderated by: Beverley Whitrick Sybil Bell Kate Hewett Jeff Thompson
Paul Bonham, Arts Council England Music Venues Trust I Like The Sound Of That Tramlines Festival Un-Convention and Off Axis
15.30 - DISASTER AVERSION With a number of high profile events forced to cancel due to lightning strikes and unusually severe weather, an increasing dependence on potentially vulnerable technology for access control, and a shift in focus from military targets to ‘Western lifestyle’ events by terrorist organisations, it is apparent that festivals are still soft targets for disaster. We’ll be examining the ways in which these threats can be mitigated and avoided.
Moderated by: Mel Harrowsmith Dick Tee Darren Gallop Beverley Griffiths
Dr Chris Cocking, University of Brighton Met Office EnTEEtainmentt Marcato Emergency Planning College
16:30 – CONFERENCE ENDS. UK FESTIVAL AWARDS STARTS WITH DRINKS RECEPTION AT 19.00 DINNER – 19.55 AWARDS BEGIN – 21.20 AWARDS END – 23.00 AFTER PARTY (AT THE CAMDEN ASSEMBLY) – 00.30 - 03.00
/ CONFERENCE SESSION 10.30: THE CASHLESS FUTURE OF UK FESTIVALS 2016 was predicted by RFID exponents to be the tipping point for cashless payments in the UK live events market – the point at which the industry’s confidence would finally surpass its fears, allowing it to embrace this shift and reap the benefits. On point with this forecast, there were no reports of failures in the tabloid press (or anywhere else) this summer and only positive feedback from the events that ventured into this new frontier. So has the cloud of Download lifted? Is the UK now ready to play catchup with its overseas peers?
MODERATED BY: JIMMY COULTAS, SKIDDLE Jimmy Coultas has worked in the music industry as a journalist and DJ for a decade, helming Skiddle’s content department for three and a half years. The company has been specifically delivering technological solutions for events of any size since it started selling tickets in 2006, ensuring promoters are one step ahead of industry trends.
JO LELJEVAHL, SNOWBOMBING Jo Leljevahl is the Event Manager for Snowbombing, Broadwick Live’s Austrian based snowsports and music festival. For the second consecutive year, Snowbombing 2016 utilised RFID technology to enable cashless payments and provide smoother access control.
ROB STAR, EASTERN ELECTRICS Rob Star has been working in nightlife since the mid 90s, cutting his teeth working on festivals such as Tribal Gathering, Homelands and Gatecrasher Summer Sound System. Having promoted parties since the age of 16, Star graduated to festival promotion in 2012 with the first Eastern Electrics – and has been running the successful dance music festival ever since. This year’s event went fully cashless, and saw 17,000 people make the trip to Hatfield House in Hertfordshire.
MARK LAURIE, NCASS Mark Laurie is the Director of NCASS and has been with the business for seven years. On a day-to-day basis he advises caterers, event organisers and street food traders on all areas of running businesses and events legally and safely. He also sits on a number of government panels, including the Business Advisory Group for the Food Standards Agency.
DAVID DE WEVER, PLAYPASS David de Wever is the CEO and co-founder of PlayPass, one of Europe’s leading providers of RFID solutions at festivals and other live events. Having set a new industry standard for robust, reliable and cost effective delivery at some of Europe’s best known festivals including Lollapalooza Berlin, Rock Werchter and Melt!, PlayPass opened its UK office last October and this summer serviced the country’s two largest cashless festivals: Standon Calling and Eastern Electrics. Worldwide, PlayPass has serviced over 88 major events this year, 72 of them being fully cashless. David is traveling from PlayPass’ HQ in Antwerp, Belgium with an unrivalled wealth of insights to share on this game changing new technology which is already revolutionising the way his clients are running – and monetising – their events.
/ CONFERENCE SESSION 11.20: AN UPDATE ON FESTIVAL VISION 20:25 Powerful Thinking will attend the UK Festival Conference to deliver an update on Festival Vision: 2025 and the results of the Industry Green Survey. Last year, at the 2015 UK Festival Awards, Powerful Thinking launched The Show Must Go On, a seminal environmental report on the UK festival industry. As Powerful Thinking celebrates 50 UK Festivals signing the Festival Vision: 2025 pledge to act on climate change, Chris Johnson, Chair of Powerful Thinking will discuss the progress so far and invite festival organisers to join the biggest environmental movement in the history of the UK festival industry.
11.30: INCREASING TICKET SALES The UK festival market has been referred to as ‘oversaturated’ for a good few years now, and so we’re inviting a number of ticketing outlets to discuss how festivals can quite simply shift more tickets. Following on from the release of the Waterson report, we’ll also look at how the exploitative elements of the secondary ticketing market can be successfully regulated and undermined.
MODERATED BY: JONATHAN BROWN, STAR Jonathan Brown is Chief Executive of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers. For many years he has represented STAR and the ticket industry in the press, on radio and television and as a speaker at industry events. He currently chairs STAFF (the Safe Ticketing Anti-Fraud Forum) as well as a cross-industry group working to improve online access to tickets for disabled customers.
STUART CAIN, TICKET FACTORY Stuart Cain is the Managing Director of the Ticket Factory, one of the UK’s leading national ticketing agents, selling around 2.5m tickets a year for a range of comedy events, concerts, sporting events, exhibitions, theatre performances, visitor attractions and much more across the UK.
BEN SEBBORN, SKIDDLE Ben Sebborn is the Technical Director and co-founder of Skiddle, the UK’s largest what’s on guide and leading primary ticket agent. The company and Sebborn are both at the forefront of technological innovations, in particular long term advocates of using cutting edge technologies to make the purchasing process as quick and easy as possible for the customer, and selling tickets easier for event and festival promoters.
SARAH SLATER, TICKETMASTER Sarah Slater is responsible for Ticketmaster and TicketWeb’s new business development. Her remit covers securing new clients to both brands’ rosters, in addition to ensuring all current clients are getting the most out of Ticketmaster’s leading technology solutions. Sarah’s festival clients include the Isle of Wight Festival, Creamfields, Standon Calling, SW4, Lovebox, V Festival, and Parklife.
JEN LONG, DICE Jen Long is Music Editor at start-up DICE. Graduating from Cardiff University in 2006 she went on to work at XFM South Wales and BBC Radio 1 in Wales. Working as a presenter for the BBC’s Introducing show up until 2012, Jen also launched record label Kissability with Transgressive Records, ran Zero Core Magazine, founded Cassette Store Day, presented all of BBC Three’s festival coverage and has contributed to Clash and The Line Of Best Fit, amongst others. In addition to her work at DICE Jen has also DJ’d at Reading, Green Man, Glastonbury, Latitude, Field Day and Visions, to name a few.
/ CONFERENCE SESSION 13.30: VIRTUAL REALITY & MULTIMEDIA Although still in its infancy, the potential applications for virtual reality across the festival scene are as diverse as they are exciting. With an assortment of content creators and technology enthusiasts, we’ll be examining how the rapidly evolving phenomenon can be utilised across events.
MODERATED BY: STEPHEN PARTRIDGE, BUCKS NEW UNIVERSITY Stephen Partridge is Head of Academic Department for Media & Creative Industries at Bucks New University, where approximately 500 students undertake undergraduate and postgraduate courses spanning the creative industries – from music management, performance and production to filmmaking and animation. Stephen is also Director of Spacerocket Media Ltd, a production company that specializes in filming live music performance with particular focus on high resolution capture in 360 mapped to 9.1 surround sound.
ELEANOR WHITLEY, MARSHMALLOW LASER FEAST Eleanor Whitley is the Executive Producer of Marshmallow Laser Feast, a creative studio whose work spans kinetic sculpture, film, live performance and virtual reality.
STEVEN HANCOCK, MELODYVR Steven Hancock is the Chief Operations Officer and cofounder of MelodyVR. Prior to launching the venture, he accrued over 15 years’ experience at senior management level within events management.
SAMMY ANDREWS, ENTERTAINMENT INTELLIGENCE Independent Music Industry advisor and Director of Entertainment Intelligence Sammy Andrews has a long history at the forefront of the digital landscape. Having gained a 360ยบ view of the music industry through her background as a concert promoter, artist manager and independent record label founder, Andrews took on a position as Head of Digital at the record division of 19 Entertainment in 2005.
/ CONFERENCE SESSION 14.30: THE DECLINE OF LOCAL VENUES According to figures obtained from the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, approximately half of the UK’s nightclubs have shut down in the last decade. The struggles of local independent venues are multifaceted and well documented, so this panel will elucidate how the destruction of this vital ecosystem will affect the festival scene – both in the lack of viable metropolitan spaces and removal of a platform for tomorrow’s headliners to break through.
MODERATED BY: PAUL BONHAM, ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND Paul Bonham works in the Music Team at Arts Council England the national development agency for the arts in England, distributing public money from the Government and the National Lottery. Arts Council England supports musicians and venues through programs such as Grants for the Arts and Momentum that is delivered by PRS Foundation.
BEVERLEY WHITRICK, MUSIC VENUES TRUST Beverley Whitrick is the Strategic Director of the Music Venues Trust, a registered charity created in January 2014 to protect the UK’s live music network by securing the longterm future of grassroots music venues.
SYBIL BELL, I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT Sybil Bell is Founder & CEO at music consultancy I Like The Sound Of That, which creates and runs events and campaigns for the music industry. This includes Independent Venue Week, a weeklong celebration of gigs supporting and celebrating the vital work that small venues do, for artists, the music industry and local communities.
KATE HEWETT, TRAMLINES FESTIVAL Having worked on Sheffield’s Tramlines Festival since it started in 2009, Kate Hewett is now the festival’s Marketing and Programming Director, and takes care of its overall lineup as well as its marketing.
JEFF THOMPSON, UN-CONVENTION AND OFF AXIS Jeff Thompson is the co-founder of Un-Convention and Off Axis. Established in 2008, Un-Convention is a UK based global music network and development agency. His current work includes a revolutionary new UK based touring model called Off Axis, which recently partnered with Kendal Calling on an innovative new concept for the live music sector – one which enables festivals to stimulate significant activity in grassroots music venues across the country.
/ CONFERENCE SESSION 15.30: DISASTER AVERSION With a number of high profile events forced to cancel due to lightning strikes and unusually severe weather, an increasing dependence on potentially vulnerable technology for access control, and a shift in focus from military targets to ‘Western lifestyle’ events by terrorist organisations, it is apparent that festivals are still soft targets for disaster. We’ll be examining the ways in which these threats can be mitigated and avoided.
MODERATED BY: DR CHRIS COCKING, UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON Dr Chris Cocking is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Health Sciences, University of Brighton, with a research interest in the psychology of crowd behaviour (particularly during mass emergencies), collective resilience and post disaster psychosocial support.
MEL HARROWSMITH, MET OFFICE As Head of Civil Contingencies at the Met Office, Mel Harrowsmith leads the Met Office Advisor team, which provides support to emergency responders across the UK during periods of severe weather. Harrowsmith provides direct support to the Civil Contingencies Secretariat during severe weather events and any weather related emergencies.
DICK TEE, ENTEETAINMENTT Dick Tee is a highly respected production manager with over 35 years’ experience working within live events. Founder of EnTEEtainment, Tee has provided site coordination, event management and production services to a wide variety of shows ranging from Glastonbury Festival to BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend.
DARREN GALLOP, MARCATO With over 20 years of experience in the music & live event industry, serving as a musician, audio engineer, artist manager, and entrepreneur, Darren Gallop now serves as the CEO & Chief Security Officer (CISSP) of live event management software firm, Marcato.
BEVERLEY GRIFFITHS, EMERGENCY PLANNING COLLEGE Beverley Griffiths is responsible for the management and development of the faculty and services of the Emergency Planning College, the UK’s leading centre for organisational resilience, delivering emergency and crisis management, business continuity, cyber resilience, event and public safety training, exercising and consultancy services.
The Sherlocks UK Tour 2016, LD: Craig Greenhalgh, Photo: Ben Krebs
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/ THE AWARDS BEST USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Technological advancement is one of the strongest forces propelling the festival marketplace forward. Whether these innovations are applied to help organisers forge closer relationships with their audiences online, or to enhance visitor experiences and operational efficiencies on-site, it’s evident that festivals are evolving at a faster rate than ever. This award recognises the individual application of new technology at a specific event that offers the greatest promise for the future of the market as a whole.
/ FINALISTS ALOOMPA AT BRITISH SUMMERTIME HYDE PARK CROWD CONNECTED AT LATITUDE HUBBUB WIRELESS AT 2000TREES MARCATO DIGITAL AT PANGAEA FESTIVAL MARSHMALLOW LASER FEAST AT AND FESTIVAL MELODY VR AT FESTIVAL NO. 6 PLAYPASS AT STANDON CALLING
/ THE AWARDS THE EXTRA-FESTIVAL ACTIVITY AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH rich
energy
The advent of the ‘boutique festival’ has created a huge paradigm shift in the festival market, incurring an increased demand for pop-up performances, mass participation games, eclectic cuisine, quirky installations and overall aesthetics. This award celebrates the most creative auxiliary initiative undertaken on this year’s festival circuit.
/ FINALISTS BEARDED THEORY FOR THE BEARDED FESTIVAL SCHOOL BESTIVAL FOR THE WORLDS BIGGEST BOUNCY CASTLE BLISSFIELDS FOR SNOW WHITE AND THE 700 DWARVES PANTOMIME BLUEDOT FOR BRIAN ENO’S LOVELL TELESCOPE ART INSTALLATION DEER SHED FOR THE ONSITE MOVIE MONSTERS VS. MACHINES EROICA BRITANNIA FOR THE RIDE KENDAL CALLING FOR TIM PEAK’S DINER NOZSTOCK FOR THE CLEAN CAMPSITE COMPETITION THE BIG FEASTIVAL FOR THE HERB GARDEN WONDER FIELDS FOR ITS WORKSHOPS AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
/ THE AWARDS CONCESSION OF THE YEAR Food, drink, cash machines, and merchandise: the essentials that keep festivalgoers on their feet. These amenities not only provide an essential source of income for festivals, but can also make a huge difference to the overall vibe of an event. Staff are there day and night, rain or shine, with a smile and good humour, and this award acknowledges the hard work they do and the importance of concessions at festivals.
/ FINALISTS ANNA MAE’S MAC N CHEESE BEETLE JUICE DARK SKIES JEWELLERY FLAVORS OF AFRICA KELIS X LE BUN LE BAO NOTSO KATSU STARCHIP ENTERPRISE THE ITALIAN KITCHEN THE VILLAGE DELI
/ THE AWARDS BEST HOSPITALITY IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Concurrent with growing expectations for more novel, creative non-musical offerings, audiences are increasingly spoiled by the comforts and perks that festivals offer in VIP packages. ‘Hospitality’ – a concept entirely alien to the original festival scene – is now widespread, manifested in cordoned-off VIP areas, a myriad of luxury sleeping arrangements, and higher-end bathroom facilities, all at a price of course. The remit of this award is not to simply celebrate the event with the most extensive or exuberant extras, but the one that implements them in a way that doesn’t devalue the experience of its regular ticketholders.
/ FINALISTS BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR CAMP BESTIVAL DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL HENLEY FESTIVAL LYTHAM FESTIVAL ONROUNDHAY SHAMBALA SHIIINE ON WEEKENDER WILDERNESS
/ THE AWARDS BEST TOILETS Although it may not be the most glamorous aspect of an event, the quality and quantity of the toilet facilities are incredibly important to attendees. Whether they take the form of pristine portaloos or potentially kraken-infested longdrops, a festival’s toilet situation is indicative of the respect (or lack thereof) that organisers have for their audience.
/ FINALISTS BEARDED THEORY FESTIVAL BESTIVAL BLACKTHORNE FESTIVAL BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR CREAMFIELDS DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL KENDAL CALLING LATITUDE FESTIVAL V FESTIVAL WE ARE FSTVL
/ THE AWARDS THE BRAND ACTIVATION AWARD Sponsorship is a revenue stream that many festivals now depend on for their very existence. Yet creating an effective brand strategy around festivals that adds, rather than detracts, from the experience is an art form in itself. This award celebrates the most creative and well-executed sponsor activity this year.
/ FINALISTS BRANCOTT ESTATE VINES AT THE BIG FEASTIVAL & CAMP BESTIVAL BRITISH AIRWAYS AT ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL BULMERS COLOURENA AT BESTIVAL & ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL CAPTAIN MORGAN AT LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY EMMI CAFFÉ LATTE AT FIELD DAY & KENDAL CALLING FIRST CHOICE HOLIDAY ISLAND AT CAMP BESTIVAL JACK DANIEL’S AT ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL & LEEDS FESTIVAL JÄGERMEISTER AT FIELD DAY & KENDAL CALLING LAVAZZA AT WILDERNESS FESTIVAL & FESTIVAL NO. 6 RELENTLESS AT LEEDS FESTIVAL VIRGIN TRAINS AT FESTIVAL NO. 6 VOLVO AT FESTIVAL NO. 6
COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE GLOBAL FESTIVAL INDUSTRY www.festivalinsights.com
/ THE AWARDS AGENCY OF THE YEAR This award recognises the booking agency responsible for making the greatest positive contribution to this summer’s festival content.
/ FINALISTS 13 ARTISTS CODA CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY ECHO LOCATION ITB PRIMARY TALENT SOLO UNITED TALENT AGENCY WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEAVOR X-RAY TOURING
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/ THE AWARDS PROMOTER OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Recognising the festival organiser who has produced an outstanding event, overcome adversity, or truly gone above and beyond the call of duty and pulled something phenomenal out of the bag. There’s always at least one each year – often several – so this one is a very tough call for judges.
/ FINALISTS AEG LIVE / GOLDENVOICE FROM THE FIELDS LEEFEST NOZSTOCK: THE HIDDEN VALLEY ONE INCH BADGE S&C PRODUCTIONS SEQUENCES SJM CONCERTS SLAM DUNK THE REAL FESTIVAL COMPANY
/ THE AWARDS THE GREENER FESTIVAL AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH
The Greener Festival Award celebrates festivals in the UK who are striving to minimise their environmental impact and leave a positive legacy within their local communities. All nominees are UK based applicants to the Greener Festival Award scheme, assessed and judged by A Greener Festival. The events are visited by an independent auditor and a comprehensive assessment of their event is made.
/ FINALISTS CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL NOZSTOCK: THE HIDDEN VALLEY KEW THE MUSIC GREENBELT WOOD FESTIVAL
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/ THE AWARDS HEADLINE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH
A killer headline performance can be talked about for years to come, etched into musical history as one of those ‘I was there’ moments. To succeed requires energy, musicianship, dedication, creativity and a fortuitous coming together of time and space. Some acts may be regulars on the festival circuit, but which one really nailed it this year?
/ FINALISTS AMERICAN FOOTBALL AT ARCTANGENT ANDY C AT NASS CALVIN HARRIS AT CREAMFIELDS ELTON JOHN AT HENLEY FESTIVAL JEAN-MICHEL JARRE AT BLUEDOT LCD SOUNDSYSTEM AT LOVEBOX MASSIVE ATTACK AT BRITISH SUMMERTIME HYDE PARK REFUSED AT 2000TREES RIHANNA AT V FESTIVAL THE FLAMING LIPS AT WILDERNESS
/ THE AWARDS LINE-UP OF THE YEAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Despite how many quirky art installations and pun-based concession stands your festival has, it will always be the line-up that shifts the most tickets. Booking a few curveball acts, legendary reunions, and under-the-radar innovators can set an event apart from the multitude of less inspired rosters around.
/ FINALISTS The Line-Up of the Year category was judged by the independent culture publication The Skinny. ARCTANGENT BLOC BRITISH SUMMERTIME HYDE PARK END OF THE ROAD FESTIVAL GREEN MAN FESTIVAL LIVERPOOL MUSIC WEEK SIMPLE THINGS FESTIVAL SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL THE SOCIAL FESTIVAL WOMAD
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Bloodstock Open Air
Love Supreme
British Summer Time
Reading Festival
Download Festival
Tramlines Festival
Glastonbury
V Festival
Kendal Calling
Wireless
www.imaginators.co.uk tony.hills@imaginators.co.uk 01992 890800
/ THE AWARDS BEST NEW FESTIVAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH
In what many would argue is an already over-saturated market, these debutantes managed to navigate the battle royale of the festival circuit and hold their own against established titans. Bringing a fresh take, new music and alternative audiences to the festival scene, which one have you already put in your diary for next time?
/ FINALISTS 2Q FESTIVAL A NEW DAY FESTIVAL AFROPUNK LONDON BIG FAMILY FESTIVAL BLUEDOT JOY FESTIVAL KILLIN MUSIC FESTIVAL NEIGHBOURHOOD FESTIVAL ONROUNDHAY POSITIVE VIBRATION – FESTIVAL OF REGGAE SAMPHIRE FESTIVAL THE BOLTON WEEKENDER
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/ THE AWARDS BEST FESTIVAL FOR EMERGING TALENT ‘Supporting emerging talent’ is a virtue that many festivals lay claim to, but there are only a select few that take an active role in making sure their platform is an effective one. Stacking unknowns on a tucked away, standalone stage ensures that they’ll most likely play to four of their mates, especially considering the multitude of well-established acts they’ll be competing with for the audience’s attention. This accolade, new for 2015, aims to recognise the efforts of the organisers that effectively help their fledgling acts connect with and grow their audience.
/ FINALISTS The Best Festival for Emerging Talent award was judged by the pioneering touring network Off Axis, in conjunction with the industry publication Festival Insights BREAKING BANDS FESTIVAL CHELTENHAM JAZZ FESTIVAL DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL ELECTRO LONDON LIVE AT LEEDS LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY THRESHOLD FESTIVAL TRAMLINES FESTIVAL WOMEN IN COMEDY FESTIVAL
ETEP 2016 A RECORD YEAR! The European Talent Exchange Program
More Festivals, More Festival Shows!
TOP10 - ETEP-ARTIST-CHART AURORA, NO Blossoms, UK Liima, DK/FI Amber Arcades, NL Have You Ever Seen The Jane Fonda Aerobic VHS?, FI Fews, SE Leyva, AT The Academic, IE Lost Frequencies, BE Jain, FR
13 shows 11 shows 8 shows 7 shows 6 shows 6 shows 6 shows 6 shows 5 shows 5 shows
TOP 11 - ETEP-FESTIVAL-CHART 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
The Great Escape, UK Reeperbahn Festival, DE Europavox, FR Pukkelpop, BE Lowlands, NL MaMa Event, FR Les Nuits Botanique, BE Way Out West, SE Øyafestivalen, NO Glastonbury, UK Frequency Festival, AT
35 acts 30 acts 16 acts 15 acts 13 acts 9 acts 9 acts 8 acts 8 acts 8 acts 8 acts
Thank You Europe ETEP supports new artists at Eurosonic Noorderslag 2017 www.eurosonic-noorderslag.nl More on the European Talent Exchange Program on www.etep.nl
/ THE AWARDS THE GRASS ROOTS FESTIVAL AWARD Often the best small festivals spring from an organic labour of love and a visionary idealism that resonates with thousands. These festivals should be celebrated, not just for the courage, commitment and often personal sacrifice invested by their organisers, but also because they never forget where they’ve come from, supporting both local communities and new music along the way while maintaining an independent spirit and resisting commercial saturation. All hail the grass roots festivals and their creators!
/ FINALISTS 2000TREES BALTER FESTIVAL BARN ON THE FARM BEERMAGEDDON BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR GREEN MAN FESTIVAL LEEFEST PRESENTS THE NEVERLAND LINDISFARNE FESTIVAL NEW FOREST FOLK FESTIVAL SAMPHIRE FESTIVAL THE SECRET FESTIVAL WILDFIRE ADVENTURE CAMP
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/ THE AWARDS BEST OVERSEAS FESTIVAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Depending on the year, the term ‘British Summer’ can seem like an oxymoron, and so increasing numbers of Brits are flocking abroad with the incentives of cheap flights, exotic cultures and warmer climates.
/ FINALISTS ALTITUDE COMEDY FESTIVAL BESTIVAL TORONTO BLUES IN HELL CASTLEPALOOZA DIMENSIONS FESTIVAL DOWNLOAD PARIS ELECTRIC ELEPHANT EXIT FESTIVAL GIBRALTAR WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL HIDEOUT FESTIVAL SNOWBOMBING SXM FESTIVAL
/ THE AWARDS BEST METROPOLITAN FESTIVAL Those averse to camping out in the sticks can enjoy these urban events a little more, safe in the knowledge that they’ll be [hopefully] returning to a bed at the end of the night. Sold either on a show-by-show basis, or via an all encompassing wristband, they give people chance to see multiple acts in the comfort of the indoors. Which one had you ditching green fields for the concrete jungle?
/ FINALISTS 2Q FESTIVAL BLACKPOOL MUSIC FESTIVAL CHELTENHAM JAZZ FESTIVAL DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL GRILLSTOCK JUST FOR LAUGHS LONDON LIVE AT LEEDS FESTIVAL LIVERPOOL MUSIC WEEK LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY MAMMOTHFEST STOCKTON CALLING TRAMLINES FESTIVAL
congratulates all the nominees and winners of the UK Festival Awards 2016!
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/ THE AWARDS BEST DANCE EVENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH
As the ubiquity of electronic music continues to increase, dance festivals are becoming increasingly prevalent and prestigious. For those willing to ignore their circadian rhythm in exchange for four-to-the-floor beats and delirium-inducing visuals, these events are synonymous with a good time.
/ FINALISTS BEAT HERDER BLUEDOT CREAMFIELDS FARR FESTIVAL FIELD MANEUVERS FIELD TRIP GOTTWOOD FESTIVAL HOGSOZZLE MUSIC FESTIVAL JUNCTION 2 NOZSTOCK: THE HIDDEN VALLEY THE SOCIAL FESTIVAL WE ARE FSTVL
/ THE AWARDS BEST FAMILY FESTIVAL Growing up doesn’t mean you have to stop going to festivals – it just gives you a great opportunity to bring your kids! Every year, there seems to be more and more children at festivals, with specifically designed spaces and facilities for kids reflecting this growth. Games, workshops, play areas and activities for youngsters all combine to make their weekend a memorable one – and often a much easier one for mums and dads. Which festival was the most enjoyable for families this year?
/ FINALISTS 3 WISHES FAERY FEST BEARDED THEORY BEERMAGEDDON BIG FAMILY FESTIVAL CAMP BESTIVAL GREEN MAN FESTIVAL JUST SO FESTIVAL KENDAL CALLING NOZSTOCK: THE HIDDEN VALLEY SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT THE GOOD LIFE EXPERIENCE THE SECRET FESTIVAL
/ THE AWARDS BEST NON-MUSIC FESTIVAL It’s not just music festivals proliferating worldwide; in recent years there has been a litany of events whose primary focus is on mediums, activities or offerings other than the sonic. From food & drink, gaming, sports and so on, we believe it’s about time these guys got some shine.
/ FINALISTS ART FUTURA BOURNEMOUTH 7S GREAT DORSET CHILLI FESTIVAL JUST FOR LAUGHS LONDON LONDON COCKTAIL WEEK MAGICAL LANTERN FESTIVAL MANCHESTER FILM FESTIVAL TASTE OF LONDON VINTAGE BY THE SEA WILDFIRE ADVENTURE CAMP
Founded 40 years ago, Star Events is the UK’s prime supplier of stages, bespoke temporary structures and high-level rigging services. It also operates the biggest rental fleet of mobile stages outside the United States.
Committed to best practice, safety and quality, Sympathetic to the demands of any location, Star provides innovative solutions across a Star’s unique touch has made it the ‘go to’ supplier for historic locations like Trafalgar Square, wide event portfolio, such as festivals of all sizes, stadium shows, brand activation, sports, Blenheim Palace, Windsor Castle and for the first corporate and community events. event ever at Kensington Palace. Star Events has been appointed official Structures With imagination, cutting edge technology and its own in-house design and engineering and Rigging supplier to Hull UK City of Culture department, Star Events can turn even the most 2017, providing services for the city’s extensive programme of events throughout the year. ‘blue sky’ vision into reality.
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/ THE AWARDS BEST SMALL FESTIVAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH
What these intimate events lack in scope they compensate for with an abundance of idiosyncrasies and grass roots appeal. Despite their minimal capacity, many of these cater to their audiences with such focus and peculiar charm that larger events may seem bland in comparison.
/ FINALISTS 3 WISHES FAERY FEST ACOUSTIC SUNDAYS SUMMER SESSIONS BEARDED THEORY BEATS CANCER MUSIC FESTIVAL BREAKING BANDS FESTIVAL LIVERPOOL MUSIC WEEK MAMMOTHFEST NORTHBRIDGE FESTIVAL THE SECRET FESTIVAL WILDFIRE ADVENTURE CAMP
SO MUCH MORE THAN A GREAT BARS BUSINESS. The ‘new’ Peppermint is your trusted partner - delivering promoters and event owners with a spectrum of services that support great events and deliver the best bottom line results
First-class industry-leading event bar solutions The best looking bars & the latest drinks trends Fixed venue, stadium & contract F&B solutions Brand support & sponsorship services In-house brand activation agency: equalsagency.co.uk Brand new mobile ATM fleet: mobilecashmachines.co.uk New product development including festival campsite ‘Click and Collect’ Retail pop-up events & restaurants VIP / backstage hospitality & green rooms Event trader wholesale & banking services BIIAB approved personal license training centre Technology: Real-time sales data & stock reporting, Touch to Pay, cashless
/ THE AWARDS BEST MEDIUM-SIZED FESTIVAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH
With a tendency to shy away from big names and shift the focus towards specific genres and unique non-musical experiences, the rising popularity of these events demonstrates that unpredictability and character pay off. Some will continue to expand and join the ranks of the majors, whilst others will probably settle happily into their niche and stay there.
/ FINALISTS BEAUTIFUL DAYS BESTIVAL BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR CAMP BESTIVAL GREEN MAN FESTIVAL KENDAL CALLING LOVE SUPREME JAZZ FESTIVAL THE SOCIAL FESTIVAL WE ARE FSTVL Y NOT FESTIVAL
COLLECTIVE VOICE. MUTUAL SUPPORT. INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS.
THE VOICE BEHIND THE UK’S FINEST FESTIVAL PRODUCTION PEOPLE.
/ THE AWARDS BEST MAJOR FESTIVAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Like temporary cities, the largest festivals are a regular pilgrimage and a rite of passage for many. An affront to the adage that less is more, these behemoths certainly have quantity covered when it comes to capacity, stages, acts and practically every other conceivable aspect. But which one will prove to be of the highest quality?
/ FINALISTS BEAUTIFUL DAYS BESTIVAL BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR CAMP BESTIVAL GREEN MAN FESTIVAL KENDAL CALLING LOVE SUPREME JAZZ FESTIVAL THE SOCIAL FESTIVAL WE ARE FSTVL Y NOT FESTIVAL
/ THE AWARDS THE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO FESTIVALS AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH
DEDICATED TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHOSE PERSONAL VISION AND ENERGY HAS PROPELLED THE ENTIRE FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE FORWARD IN A DYNAMIC, CREATIVE AND POSITIVE WAY.
THIS YEAR’S WINNER
DICK TEE Over the course of the last 35 years, Dick Tee and his company Enteetainment have provided site coordination, event management and production services to many of the UK’s most iconic festivals and concerts, most notably Glastonbury and Reading Festival. Anyone who has worked with Tee will recognise he has never been one to rest on his laurels, always striving for new and better ways to do things. He has been bold – maybe even visionary – in introducing a variety of production innovations that have changed our industry for the better. With a career spanning three and a half decades in the live events sector, ‘Dick: Head of Production’ is now a familiar sight. Events weren’t always the plan for Tee, who started out at agricultural college. He was elected Social Secretary in his first year and re-elected for each year of his studies. When he left college, the National Union of Students gave him a job as the UK Entertainment Officer, travelling and visiting other colleges’ social secretaries, making him one of the first people to teach and advise others on putting on events. After three years he set up on his own, and he has been at the forefront of the production industry ever since. In 1984 he published the first edition of The White Book with business partner Andy Ayres, which went on to become the revered contact source for the music industry for over two decades. His event career began at the tail end of the Ziggy Stardust tour on June 24 1973, when as a teenager, Tee saw David Bowie perform at Fairfield Halls in Croydon. Twenty-seven years and a day later, Bowie was in the passenger seat of a battle-scarred Land Rover on a tour of the Glastonbury site. Tee, now the Production Manager for the festival’s Pyramid
and Other stages, was in the driver’s seat. A few hours later, Tee was stood stage right for Bowie’s triumphant headline slot, a moment he will never forget. Committed to improving health and safety standards, Tee pioneered working practices and procedures, which led to him co-founding The Event Safety Shop, TESS, in 2000. Whilst Tee is no longer a part of The Event Safety Shop, he is still just as passionate about everyone getting home safely from his site. Rather than take risks, Tee proactively closed the Pyramid Stage in 2014 as lightning strikes hit the Glastonbury Festival site. Within three months he was also pulling UB40 off stage at Rochester Castle for the same reason. He’s never been one to shirk his responsibilities, believes the devil is in the details, and after 35 years still carries an excellent reputation for overcoming any challenge and performing at the highest standard. Throughout his 35-year career, Tee has worked at 200 festivals, managing sites and stage builds, ensuring thousands of bands’ production setups deliver on the day, and helping to entertain in excess of 7,000,000 people. Through these years Tee has developed a longstanding relationship with many loyal clients, helping them to continuously raise their game. It is for all of the above reasons and more that the UK Festival Awards is proud to name Dick Tee as the winner of the Outstanding Contribution to Festivals Award.
CLICK HERE TO READ FESTIVAL INSIGHTS’ IN-DEPTH RETROSPECTIVE ON TEE’S ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER
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/ THANK YOU! THE FESTIVAL AWARDS TEAM WOULD LIKE TO SAY A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE, WITHOUT WHOM THIS YEAR’S EVENT COULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED
Our sponsors: Bucks New University Britvic Charge Candy Club Class Flare Audio ID&C PRG XL Video Peppermint Bars Pepsi Max Playpass Rich Energy Skiddle Star Events White Light
Macmillan Cancer Support NCASS Sign-Up To Powerful Thinking PSA Tim Peak’s Diner TPi Magazine Yourope All of those who entered the Awards All of our Conference panellists All of the judges who helped to decide the winners All of those who voted
Our supporters: Audience Live UK Association of Festival Organisers Beetle Juice Blistering Events CGA Strategy Eurosonic Noorderslag Festival Insights Imaginators Jack Daniel’s
Festival Awards team Michael Baker – Event Coordinator Justin Gawne – Mondiale Publishing Steve Jenner – Director Tom Lawson – Event Manager Andy Lenthall – PSA Moses Naaem – Event Coordinator Mel Robinson – Mondiale Design Damian Walsh – Mondiale Publishing