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20+ suppliers back AIF’s UK Fallow Festival Fund for 2026
February2
More than 20 suppliers have pledged support for the 2026 edition of the Fallow Festival Fund, an initiative relaunched by the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) to support UK independent festivals taking a planned hiatus before returning in 2027.
Originally launched in 2025, the Fallow Festival Fund brings together a collective package of expertise, services and product support from across AIF’s UK-based network of suppliers and partners.
The support spans key operational areas including production, legal, finance, event management, sustainability and ticketing, and is designed to ease pressure on festivals navigating a fallow year while strengthening their long-term resilience.
UK independent festivals continue to face challenging conditions, with rising supply-chain costs, stricter supplier terms, staffing pressures, and the ongoing effects of the pandemic and Brexit placing sustained strain on the sector.
Since 2020, more than 200 UK festivals have ceased operating. In 2024 alone, a record 78 UK festivals announced cancellations, postponements or permanent closures, more than double the figure recorded the previous year.
As 2026 begins, AIF says pressures on the UK independent festival landscape remain acute, with further events expected to take fallow years to stabilise and plan future editions. Among them is Electric Bay, which recently confirmed it will not take place in 2026 as it focuses on returning for its fifth anniversary in 2027.
Companies confirmed as supporters of the Fallow Festival Fund for 2026 include We Group & EventMasters, LS Events, Gigantic, Skiddle, Kaboodle by Weezevent, Eventree, Azorra, Lewis Silkin, A Greener Future, Attitude is Everything, TLT, Howden Music, Eventwise, Vintents, FestivalPro, Addi London, Discotech, Ticket Hype, Crescat, Amplead, Gigseekr and Silent Disco King. AIF notes that the list of UK-based and international supporting partners continues to grow.
AIF CEO John Rostron said: “We are incredibly proud to be relaunching the Fallow Festival Fund for 2026. This initiative is central to the AIF’s core mission: to represent, support and help unique independent festivals to survive and thrive.
“We are deeply heartened by the generous support already pledged by industry suppliers and contributors. These pledges form a robust package for festivals entering a fallow year in 2026, providing the expertise, stability, and tools necessary to ensure a successful, long-term return for as many participants as possible.
“As an industry, we are at our best when we collaborate to protect the resilience, breadth, and vibrancy of the UK’s enviable festival culture. This fund stands as a testament to that collective spirit.”
Promoters of UK independent festivals interested in applying for the fund, as well as companies looking to support the initiative, can find further information via the AIF website.
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