Fundraising scheme launched to help cover costs of young people’s first festival experience

A new fundraising campaign to help cover the costs of young people’s first festival experience has been launched by the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF).

The First Festival scheme aims to support those who have not been able to attend music festivals since turning 18 due to pandemic-enforced lockdowns and the ensuing cost of living crisis, which has caused both a surge in ticket prices and reduction in disposable incomes.

Under the new initiative, young people in the UK who are (or will turn) 18 between September 1st 2019 and 31st August 2023 are able to apply for a festival ticket for just £18, including booking fee. Nass Festival, Kendal Calling, and End of the Road are just some of the 27 popular UK festivals currently enrolled in the scheme. Festivals who are looking to get involved can contact here.

“During Covid in 2020 and 2021 most young people missed out on the chance to attend their first festival. What we had taken for granted in years gone by, they missed entirely.  That made us consider just how important this rite of passage is,” wrote the AIF.

Festival ticket hikes have become the norm in recent years, with Glastonbury tickets costing £340 this year, £75 more than when they last went on sale in 2019.

Speaking to the BBC, John Rostron, CEO of the AIF, said “I think the crunch on young people is perhaps a bit harder... They have less money coming in, and they have all the costs of being a young person. So it is really affecting them, missing out on events and missing out on places to go and things to do.”

The scheme draws inspiration from Italy, Germany, France, and Spain where individuals turning 18 are gifted a voucher by the Government to spend on culture, ranging in value from 200 to 500 Euros (£173-£434). “This is our first step towards trying to establish something similar here in the UK,” First Festival said.

As well as young adults, the non-profit has shared that they are hoping to support people struggling with the cost of living crisis and having to forfeit pricey tickets in favour of essentials, as well as UK-based charities working to eliminate barriers to accessing arts and culture.

“We know, too, that many people face challenges in life that mean they miss out on a festival experience. This year, the Cost of Living crisis is impacting on people too, pushing a first festival out of reach for individuals and families. We want to tackle all of this. So we're here to begin to make that change.”

The First Festival initiative aims to raise £100,000 in order to reach these goals. You can donate to the crowdfund here.

Find out more and apply for tickets via the First Festival initiative here.