Somerset’s new Homestead festival is the latest cancellation of 2025 – the 39th festival so far this year.
According to the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), that figure is half the number of festivals that fell in 2024, and has been met almost a month ahead of 2025’s mid-point.
The AIF described 2024 as a “devastating year” for the UK’s festivals, with a record 78 events falling throughout the course of the year – more than double the amount (36) that did so in 2023. Secret Garden Party (pictured) in Cambridgeshire announced that 2024’s event would be its last.
Combining the fallen festivals of 2023, 2024 and 2025 with the 96 events lost to Covid, the total number of UK festivals to have disappeared since 2019 is now 249.
The AIF is now calling on the UK government for a music festival tax relief to mitigate closures and help support the recovery and growth of the festival sector.
Mirrored on other creative tax reliefs, such as for theatre and orchestras, the proposal would support smaller festivals under 30,000 capacity with tax relief on eligible expenditure towards the creative and music elements that make up micro and small events.
AIF CEO John Rostron said “The cancellation of Homestead is indicative of the challenges facing the independent festival sector right now. All the ingredients are there for a wonderful new festival, but the pressure on events is making it too difficult to get over the line. Instead of welcoming 2,000 people to this new festival, we have yet another cancellation to add to the list.”
He added: “A music festival tax relief would have given Homestead the space it needed to get the gates open. Only government intervention here will give promoters the opportunity to kickstart new events like this, mitigate closures, and help the many festivals on fallow years return. We submitted a proposal to government this week and urge festivals to join us to help their voices be heard.”
PHOTO: James Wicks
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