THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT FESTIVALS ANNOUNCES KEY BOARD CHANGES

18 September 2014 - Press release

NEW CHAIR & VICE CHAIR APPOINTED AND NEW STRATEGY BOARD ANNOUNCED

The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), the London based trade association that represents over 50 UK festival organizers has announced two major changes to its senior board structure.

Following a successful six-year tenure, Alison Wenham and Ben Turner will step down as Chair and Vice Chair respectively. Ben Turner will continue to play an active part in the organisation and AIF will remain as a subsidiary of the Association of Independent Music (AIM).  

They will be succeeded by Jim Mawdsley, CEO of leading Music Development Agency Generator, as Chair and John Rostron, Former Chief Executive of the Welsh Music Foundation and Founder of Sŵn

 Festival as Vice Chair. Both are experienced in governing music organisations, understand the needs of festival promoters and are fully committed to AIF’s future development. Both will take up their new posts on 1^st September 2014.

Jim Mawdsley said, "I am extremely proud to accept the challenge of becoming the new Chair of the Association of Independent Festivals. While Alison Wenham will be a hard act to follow I am extremely excited about the role and working hard to ensure that the future landscape for festival promoters becomes more of a level playing field through successful campaigning, provision of vital developmental services and ensuring even further visibility with the addition of new members at all levels of the festival market”.  

Ben Turner, who was one of the original co-founders of AIF with Rob Da Bank said: “We are incredibly proud of how far AIF has come. It was Robby’s vision to unite the independents, and together with Alison Wenham and AIM, we feel we have created a powerful group of likeminded promoters who care passionately and fiercely about the indie sector. We now have a platform which promotes creativity, focuses on breaking new talent, and which cares about the future of our business united as one. This new structure will empower many others to have more of a say, and for AIF to have more firepower than ever before. My stepping down as Vice Chair is related to my recent move to part-living in America and therefore ensuring that this role is taken on by somebody who has more time than I do to be fully effective. Jim Mawdsley and John Rostron are absolute visionaries and I’m excited to see them lead AIF into a new era”.

Paul Reed, General Manager of AIF said, “We would like to thank Ben Turner and Alison Wenham for the work they have done for AIF during the last six years. Their energy, passion and vision has been a major factor in the success of our organization to date and we know that they will remain important voices as we move forward. We welcome Jim Mawdsley and John Rostron as our new Chair and Vice Chair and feel sure that under their stewardship AIF will continue to grow and will remain a powerful advocate for the independent festival sector.”

In addition AIF has also announced the formation of a new strategy board that will meet bi-monthly to provide governance, guidance and accountability on plans to be implemented by the executive team. 

Members of the strategy board will include:

·      Ben Turner (Graphite /Bestival) 

·      Rob Da Bank / (Bestival)

·      Stuart Galbraith (Kilimanjaro Live / Sonisphere)

·      Ali McLean (DHP Family / No Tomorrow) 

·      John Empson- (Eden Sessions).

·      Freddie Fellowes (Secret Garden Party)   

·      Rob Challice- (Larmer Tree)

·      Andy Smith (Kendal Calling)

·      Hugh Philimore- (Cornbury)

·      Sid Sharma (Shambala)

The strategy board will function as a board of directors to AIF and will shape the strategic direction of the organization. It will also determine core service provision to AIF members while governing and guiding the staff team in taking initiatives and projects from inception to completion.

Jim Mawdsley said, “The restructure of the organization and the establishment of a Strategy Board is a direction that has always had my full support and I fully believe that this new vision will not only strengthen the operations of individual members but also promote what is collectively now a vital element in the cultural backdrop of the UK itself”.