A unique and versatile festival-inspired venue beside the London Eye
Between the Bridges is a unique and versatile event space perfect for drink receptions, product launches, summer and Christmas parties, conferences and much more. The venue has four pr... Read more
A 3,500 square foot private roof terrace with spectacular views over London
A huge square terrace overlooking London in the heart of East London. See the London Eye, The ArcelorMittal Orbit and the city cluster from 3,500 square feet of dry hire space. Whether you're h... Read more
Gorgeous, quirky location, bar & live music venue in Hoxton
Folklore is a superb live music location split into two sparkly sections- Live stage/ 100 cap dancefloor in the secret back space & chill/breakout bar (40 cap) at the front! The vib... Read more
Contemporary retail experience and changeable story space
Located at 62–64 Southampton Row HELLO LOVE is a contemporary retail experience and changeable story space that gives artists and brands a place to co-create and present. The venue is spread bet... Read more
An impressive campus of event spaces included spaces for live music, drinks receptions and festival style parties!
Southwark Quarter offers a medley of spaces and a full takeover includes the below spaces - get in touch today to discuss combinations of spaces and how you can hire Southwark Quarter to deliver an un... Read more
Two contemporary pavilions set in idyllic parkland
The Art and Ecology Pavilions are two stunning contemporary green roofed venues. Set within the natural surroundings of Mile End Park, they are unique and flexible spaces in an unspoiled tranquil sett... Read more
East London's most versatile, creative event space. All bookings support emerging artists and the creative community.
The Art House is East London’s most versatile, creative event space. All hires support emerging artists and the creative community through our grant and residency programmes, as well as providin... Read more
A multi-use canalside venue with several indoor and outdoor events spaces.
Hackney Bridge is a multi-use, canalside venue that is home to creative coworking studios, independent retail stores and a dedicated events spaces. The street food kitchen features an array of cuisine... Read more
13 Indoor Venues and 45 Acres of Space. Private function experts from Conferences, to Weddings, to Festivals.
The Hive stands as London's preeminent destination for hosting celebrations, banquets, and events, nestled in the heart of North London. Our opulent venue, reminiscent of the grandeur found in ... Read more
Shoreditch railway arch venue available for exclusive hire as a 1, 2 or 3 room space.
Kachette is located on busting Old Street in Shoreditch, East London. The versatile dry hire venue is a popular space for corporate parties, fashion events, pop-ups, press la... Read more
London White blank Canvas -Store front , Gallery , Fashion shows, Workshops, Conferences, Popups and Exhibitions
White Space 3 - 1600 SQFT Great venue for the following events- -Art gallery -Exhibitions -Launches -Screenings -Presentations -Cinema -Conferences -Pop up shop -Workshops -Celebrations... Read more
A flexible venue that marries heritage with modern design.
Recent RIBA Architecture Award-winning Woolwich Works is the perfect marriage of heritage and modern design. With stunning views over the river, a bright, airy atmosphere throughout, and the ability t... Read more
A modern cinema with reclining seats and a bar
Located in the heart of the east end, Curzon Hoxton is a relaxing modern cinema designed to celebrate the beauty of natural materials. With three modern screens, each with luxurious seats and side ... Read more
A unique outdoor corporate retreat and wedding venue in the countryside
Passionate about delivering unique experiences, Browning Bros. have built a reputation to deliver unusual corporate events, memorable outdoor weddings, lakeside cabins and the best glamping Essex has ... Read more
?Do you want to be the one that organises the next Glastonbury? Even if you have something a little smaller in mind, organising a music festival is no easy feat. There’s a lot to consider, whether you are having it outside, or at your local bar. It can seem like a great idea, but a lot of work goes into it. That’s why those who are successful really are heroes. It all comes down to good planning however. If you keep organised, then you’ll have everyone partying like it’s 1969.
Why Do You Want to Do It?
Is it to promote a certain genre of music
that you feel doesn’t get enough limelight? Maybe you want to showcase all of
the amazing up and coming local bands in your area, and to promote their talent.
Maybe it’s all for charity. It could even be a combined event like a food and
drink festival, something to get the community together and have them enjoying
the outdoors while your vendors all make a nice profit on the day or weekend.
Whatever the reason, you need to know what it is before you start any planning.
If you don’t have a reason for doing something, then you won’t have a goal to
strive for. Like any large event, a music festival must have an objective. What
is it that you want to achieve?
The Budget
Many major new festivals discover too late
just how much it costs to run a music festival. The key to success is having a
tight budget. Consider your outgoings vs what you think your tickets and other
sales will make. All music acts deserve to be paid for their time, and paid
fairly, so you will need to be able to afford to do this. Remember, one of the
biggest issues that you will face is cashflow problems. A lot of money will
need to be paid out before you will get any in return. This is why it is so
important to look for sponsors early on, as they will provide you with a large
amount of your spending budget.
Choosing the Right Venue
There’s no festival without a venue. If you’re
looking for something out of doors, you need to be well prepared in case of
adverse weather. But that’s no reason not to go for it! Outside venues
generally give you a lot more room to maneuverer and you can have a variety of
vendors set up. Indoor venues can be just as good however. If they are used to having
bands play, then they will already have all of the right equipment and your
music acts might have even played there before! There are loads of festival venues
for hire in London, so take your time when choosing the right one for the feel
of your festival. Chances are, the owners will have hosted something similar in
the past and can help to walk you through everything that needs to be done.
Hiring a venue needs to go to the top of your budget list, as depending on what
you want, they can get quite pricey. There’s always something for everyone however,
so you’re sure to find the right one for you.
Get Your Acts Together
Once you know when and where your festival
is happening, it’s time to sort out who is performing. It’s always good to have
a bit of variety, even if your festival is centred around one genre, you want
to show how varied this can be. Be upfront about how much and when the acts
will get paid. Transparency will build trust between you. You will need a
couple of headline acts, so try to get them on board as soon as possible so
that you can announce it to your followers. Make sure that you have a DJ
playing between sets to keep the mood upbeat. They can even play as part of an
afterparty to keep everyone at the venue. If you have a band that backs out at
the last minute, then the DJ will be able to cover their set as well, without losing
your audience.
Sponsorship Is Key
Without the right sponsorship, it’s likely
that your festival will never get off the ground. You need to consider carefully
exactly what it is that you can offer potential sponsors. They may want their
logo not just on your website, but on all of the merch, flyers and posters as
well. You need to get comfortable with this, as most sponsors won’t give out
the big bucks unless they know that they are getting good advertisement in
return.
Promoting Your Festival
You need to start promoting your festival early
and get the word out to as many people as you can. Start on social media by
announcing the different acts as they are confirmed, but don’t forget to
promote the different vendors you have as well. Flyers and posters will also be
important, and these should be placed at as many different music venues as you
can in order to advertise your festival. How can people buy tickets? You need
to make sure that they are easy to purchase, and reasonably priced as well. All
rules for the festival should also be printed clearly on your website, so that
people know to follow them. Alcohol is likely to be one of your main sellers,
so you need to stop people from bringing in their own.
There’s no doubt about it, organising your
own music festival is hard work. But if your dedicated to the task, you’re sure
to make a success out of it. The key to it, like many events, is in the
planning. Secure your venue and sponsors early on, and you’ll have people queuing
up to get tickets in no time.
A lot of work goes into planning a festival, from setting your goals to securing a workforce to making it all happen. In particular, this year will require even more planning and preparation to ensure that everyone has an amazing and safe experience at your festival. • Create goals for your festival • Determine and ring-fence your festival’s budget • Secure a suitable festival venue • Secure and book your festival’s line-up and vendors • Create a strategic marketing plan • Start shouting about your festival and selling tickets • Coordinate volunteers and on-site staff for your festival • Plan your festival’s schedule.
London is already home to some of the best annual festivals, including art, film, music and religious festivals which are held at different points throughout the year. And, if you’re planning a festival, full blown carnival or even a festival themed wedding, London has plenty of spaces and venues that will ensure that your event is as memorable as possible. Renowned for attracting some of the biggest acts in the world, London has a unique selection of outdoor spaces, gardens and arenas, which will add a new and exciting dimension to your festival.
Of course, you can organise a festival at any point in the year, no matter what the season. In fact, there are a whole host of winter festival, including festival festivals, festivals on the slopes and winter music festivals that are held throughout the winter months!
Festivals aren’t just about sleeping in a tent for 5 nights and drinking copious amounts of alcohol. Instead, it’s all about celebrating a shared passion with like-minded people, whilst making memories. And, there are lots of factors that contribute towards ensuring that your festival is one to remember, including the following: • Secure a line-up that will inspire your target market to buy tickets • Choose a line-up that will excite • Choose the perfect location that has the capacity to host your festival • Ensure your customers are catered for in terms of bands, bars, production teams, and food stalls. • Ensure the location of your festival is close to transport links and is accessible • Careful planning and logistics • Market your festival to the right audience to build momentum • Always put safety and security first
A festival is a gathering of people that come together to celebrate a unique aspect of a community, religion, culture, music scene or other special occasion. In recent years, festivals have increased in popularity, marking a whole host of different types of celebration taking place in all corners of the world. From music festivals to festivals that celebrate film and art, today’s festivals incorporate a whole host of celebrations and entertainment. Ultimately, a festival is a setting where people who share common ground gather to celebrate their passion.