First wave of UK festivals reveal 2025 lineups

The first wave of top UK festivals have made their first lineup announcements for next summer.

Set for Seaclose Park, Newport from 19-22 June, Isle of Wight Festival 2025 will be headlined by Sting, Stereophonics and Justin Timberlake.

The festival will also welcome Faithless, The Script, Paul Heaton featuring Rianne Downey, Teddy Swims, Texas, Olly Murs, Clean Bandit, Example, James, Alison Moyet, Dean Lewis, The Lathums and Lottery Winners, among others.

An exhibition celebrating the history of the iconic festival, Experience 25 is running at London’s The O2 between 19 September and 13 November to mark this year’s 25th edition – including the three original events held in 1968-70.

Elsewhere, Sting is also the first headliner confirmed for Latitude Festival, which is slated for Henham Park, Suffolk, from 24-27 July. The STING 3.0 Tour launched at Radio 2 in the Park in Preston earlier this month.

“We’re thrilled to announce Sting as our first headliner for Latitude 2025,” says Latitude director Melvin Benn, MD of Festival Republic. “His unparalleled artistry and the exciting new direction of the STING 3.0 shows perfectly align with Latitude’s mission to deliver a rich and diverse cultural experience. Sting’s extraordinary ability to transcend musical boundaries and deliver unforgettable live performances makes him an exceptional addition to next year’s lineup.

“Latitude is known for captivating audiences with a mix of global headliners and emerging talent, and Sting is just the first of many incredible acts to be revealed – there’s much more to come.”

Sting will also visit Tetbury Forest Live, Westonbirt Arboretum (18 June), Liverpool Pier Head On the Waterfront (22 June), Glasgow Summer Sessions @ Bellahouston Park (25 June), Cannock Forest Live, Cannock Chase (27 June) and Cardiff Depot Live, Cardiff Castle (28 June).

“Everyone we are announcing today is an absolute music icon and we can’t wait to welcome them to Lytham”

In the North West, Alanis Morissette, Justin Timberlake and a double bill of Simple Minds and Texas will headline TK Maxx presents Lytham Festival 2025, which takes place from 2-6 July. Details of the two remaining headliners and special guests will be revealed soon.

“Everyone we are announcing today is an absolute music icon and we can’t wait to welcome them to Lytham,” says Lytham Festival co-founder Peter Taylor of promoter Cuffe & Taylor. “And we’ve not finished there. Watch this space as we still have our Wednesday and Thursday headliners plus a lot of special guests to announce in the coming weeks.”

Cornwall’s Eden Sessions has confirmed The Script as its first 2025 headliner. The group will appear on 25 June, with support to include Tom Walker.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) is launching a bespoke free business support programme for multi-venue festivals thanks to funding by Arts Council England.

Launching in October, the project will offer free custom online training and support over the next six months alongside access to a dedicated in-person programme at AIF’s Festival Congress in Bristol in February 2025, as well as creating a new network with new resources.

It also promises to provide custom business support and industry skills development for this cohort through online, expert-led webinars, as well as peer-to-peer roundtables and training in key areas of pressure or opportunity based on research carried during the programme’s design stage.

Topics covered will include: preparing for The Protection of Premises Bill (aka Martyn’s Law); managing multi-venue PRS licensing; identifying accommodation and travel partnership revenue opportunities; environmental and accessibility event challenges; and an introduction to funding opportunities for promoters, artists and industry professionals.

“It’s thrilling that festivals of all sizes will be able to come together to meet, share and learn”

“I’m delighted that, with the support of Arts Council England, we can offer free direct support to festivals outside of our membership though this bespoke six-month programme,” says AIF CEO John Rostron. “We have never been able to do this before, and it’s thrilling that festivals of all sizes will be able to come together to meet, share and learn, connecting with festival professionals across legal, licensing, revenue generation, funding, sponsorship, and so much more.”

In addition, there will be responsive, bespoke training to meet the particular requirements of multi-venue festival promoters, with each festival to be allocated a small fund for one-on-one legal, financial or licensing health checks or advice as required for their own challenges or needs.

“Multi-venue music festivals are particularly important to me, as they are where I cut my teeth as a music promoter,” adds Rostron, who co-founded Cardiff’s Sŵn Festival. “Working with the built environment, they so often bring a town or city to life – acting as a catalyst for a music scene, or celebrating a particular place, genre or music ecology. Working in existing venues, or creating new spaces in and around the area, they regularly change shape as the area develops or as their audience grows or moves, which can be as exciting as it is challenging.”

Shared resources will be collated and developed following online expert sessions and Festival Congress, and will be openly available via the AIF website as a legacy resource for any multi-venue festival to access.

Festivals wishing to find out more information should email [email protected]

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