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Festival Republic relaunches gender-balance initiative

Festival Republic has announced the relaunch of its development programme for female and gender-expansive artists, on International Women’s Day.

ReBalance, which initially launched in 2017, is a year-long initiative designed to address “challenges along the new music pipeline journey while providing crucial, tangible support to emerging talent,” organisers said in a press release.

The programme is designed to provide opportunities on both the stage and in the studio. Beneficiary acts will receive dedicated studio time, mentorship from industry leaders, a year-end showcase, and a guaranteed Festival Republic event performance in 2025.

“We’ll be investing in emerging artists, offering practical support at a pivotal stage in their careers”

Studio work will be “led and/or assisted by a woman or gender-expansive professional,” in an effort to both diversify the recording environment and provide opportunities for production professionals.

“We’ll be investing in emerging artists, offering practical support at a pivotal stage in their careers. This includes providing them with tools, connections and a commitment to a festival booking at one of our events,” says Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic.

The six UK-based acts for this year’s class are Mary O’Donnell, Sprout, Bebeluna, samxemma, cruush and Red Ivory.

The relaunch of the initiative, which ran for three years before being paused due to the pandemic, comes during a period of heightened focus on misogyny in the UK music industry.

National lawmakers recently reported that the industry is a “boys’ club” with women facing intersectional barriers including racial discrimination.

“Women’s creative and career potential should not have limits placed upon it by ‘endemic’ misogyny which has persisted for far too long within the music industry,” says MP Caroline Nokes, Women and Equalities Committee chair.

Across 50 of Europe’s leading festivals last year, 90% of headlining performers were men, according to a study by IQ and ROSTR. Artists across the complete lineups also skewed male, with 35% of artists being female and 1% non-binary.

 


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Festival Republic plans new three-day UK festival

Festival Republic has applied for a premises licence to stage a three-day music event in Luton, UK this spring.

Luton Borough Council’s licensing panel is due to consider the application today (22 January), with the event pencilled in for the Bedfordshire town’s Stockwood Park across the spring bank holiday.

The promoter is seeking permission to stage the festival between noon and 11.30pm Friday 24 May and 9.30am to 10.30pm on 25-26 May. The licence would allow entertainment including live music, recorded music, dance performances and films, in addition to the sale of alcohol.

Luton Today reports that a representation has been made by a local resident expressing concerns about the suitability of the site, which last hosted concerts by Bad Manners and Levellers in 2010.

“As this is the first large scale event to be held at Stockwood Park, there could be people turning up with the intention of listening to the music, but outside of the event area,” it reads.

The publication notes that a noise hotline would be available during the event, while Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn would consult the local community ahead of the event.

Bristol City Council has approved FKP Scorpio UK’s bid to stage a series of outdoor concerts in the city centre despite local opposition

Also in the UK, Tower Hamlets Council has backed a decision to allow medium and large events at London’s Victoria Park – home of AEG-promoted concert series All Points East – to increase in capacity from 500 to 5,000 and 5,000 to 20,000, respectively. Major events will remain at 50,000-cap, but will rise in frequency from 10 to 12 per year.

According to the BBC, Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman says the council had “no choice” but to hire out the park as another way of making money. The authority is hoping to generate £1.58 million (€1.85m) a year from the increased capacities as it seeks to tackle debt in excess of £68m.

However, some residents have slammed the mayor’s proposal as “a terrible idea that would ruin our park”, and are demanding the council carry out a consultation.

Elsewhere, FKP Scorpio UK’s bid to stage a series of outdoor concerts in Bristol has been approved by the city council despite local opposition. The company will present three 15,000-cap live music events in Queen Square from 9-11 August.

The concerts will be the biggest to take place in Queen Square, which hosts the main stage of Bristol Harbour Festival but is near a growing residential area, since Glastonbury’s Arcadia brought its fire-breathing spider to the square in 2015. Massive Attack also performed at the site in 2003.

 


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London’s ‘biggest electronic show ever’ announced

British DJ, producer and label founder Michael Bibi has announced a 45,000-cap homecoming event at London’s Finsbury Park, billed as the biggest electronic music show ever to take place in the capital.

Presented by Festival Republic and Cream, the show will take place on Saturday 6 July as part of Bibi’s One Life tour.

The 33-year-old is returning to touring after being diagnosed with CNS Lymphoma, a rare form of brain and spinal cancer. In December last year, he revealed he was cancer-free after undergoing intense treatment.

“I’m excited to give something back to my hometown after all the support and love I received during my cancer treatment,” says Bibi, founder of record label Solid Grooves.

“Money raised helps the incredible team at the charity to continue to provide the very best treatment and care and drives forward life-saving research”

The One Life tour will also be supporting various cancer charities including The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, which supports the work of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, where Bibi received his treatment. There will be the opportunity to make a donation to the charity when purchasing tickets.

“We’re hugely grateful to Michael for his generous support of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity as part of his upcoming London show,” says Vicky Johnson, associate director of public fundraising and engagement at The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. “Money raised helps the incredible team at the charity to continue to provide the very best treatment and care and drives forward life-saving research to develop new treatments for the benefit of cancer patients globally.”

The full lineup is yet to be revealed, but promoters expect tickets to sell fast, with 200,000 sign ups already received ahead of the 26 January onsale.

 


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Futures Forum 2024: First speakers confirmed

Futures Forum, the leading conference for the next generation of live music industry leaders, has revealed the first raft of speakers and moderators for 2024.

The fourth annual instalment of the gathering will again take place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on 1 March 2024 – the final day of its renowned parent event, the International Live Music Conference (ILMC).

The first confirmed speakers include Wasserman Musics Alex Hardee and Holly Rowland, who will appear together on the Agents vs Bookers panel, which aims to lift the lid on the inner workings of agency partnerships.

Chairing that panel is The O2s Marc Saunders, who will conduct in-depth discussions and quickfire question rounds to test the pairs’ knowledge of each other and their rosters.

Gurj Summan will be one of four panellists to swap tracks, tips and tales of the artists that are dominating their playlists

Elsewhere, former New Boss Connie Shao (AEG Presents) will moderate Meet The New Bosses: Class of 2024, featuring a quartet of the most promising 30-and-unders in the international live music business.

While Claire O’Neill (A Greener Future) will take the helm for A Greener Future: The Case Studies. She’ll welcome a panel of sustainability pioneers from festivals, venues and tours, who will share their tried-and-tested practices and innovative solutions.

And finally, Gurj Summan (Live Nation, Festival Republic) will be one of four panellists to swap tracks, tips and tales of the artists that are dominating their playlists, during Now That’s What I Call 2024.

For more information on Futures Forum 2024 or to purchase passes, please click here.

 


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Skepta to curate new Festival Republic event

British grime star Skepta is curating a one-day festival in south London, promoted by Festival Republic.

The inaugural Big Smoke Festival will take place on 6 June at Crystal Palace Park and will be the only opportunity to see the Mercury Prize-winner perform in the UK in 2024.

One of the two stages at the festival will be hosted by Más Tiempo – the house music label from Skepta and acclaimed British rapper Jammer – showcasing the best live acts in dance.

Skepta and Más Tiempo recently became the first act to sell out Drumsheds – Broadwick’s new 15,000-capacity warehouse venue in north London – in advance of the show.

Discussing the new Big Smoke Festival, Skepta said: “I’m gassed to finally announce that Big Smoke Festival is official…I’m so excited, it’s been a wild one to do this. I just want to say thank you to all the supporters, it’s been a couple of years that you didn’t see me on a stage…

“I know a lot of people have been wondering when they’ll see Skepta at a festival and I really wanted to save all that energy and put it into something that was for us, by us. There’s going to be a live stage for all your favourite acts – anyone you know that’s affiliated with Skepta. There’ll be a live stage on one side and the Más Tiempo stage which will also be a full lineup. I might bust up one stage, fly over to the other one and link with Jammer. It’s gonna be crazy.”

“There’s going to be a live stage for all your favourite acts – anyone you know that’s affiliated with Skepta”

In recent years, Festival Republic has hosted a number of concerts and festivals in Crystal Palace Park, which is renowned for hosting concerts from the likes of The Rolling Stones, Bob Marley and Pink Floyd.

Last year, the Live Nation-backed promoter organised Dog Day Afternoon with Iggy Pop, Blondie and Generation Sex, Community Festival with Two Door Cinema Club, The Wombats and The Vaccines, and a concert with The Lumineers.

In 2021, the promoter took Wireless, its flagship festival for rap and hip-hop, to the south London park for one year only.

That year, Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn told IQ that he had entered a “long-term arrangement with the park and the trust and I’m committed to Crystal Palace now”.

In other news, Live Nation last month signed a legally binding agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to improve accessibility at Festival Republic’s events.

Under the Equality Act 2010 in the UK, Live Nation is legally required to make reasonable adjustments for disabled attendees across its festival portfolio, which includes Wireless, Download, Latitude, Wilderness, and Reading and Leeds Festival.

 


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Electric Picnic date change attracts farmers’ ire

Ireland’s Electric Picnic has raised the ire of local farmers after bringing the festival forward to mid-August for 2024.

The 70,000-cap festival traditionally takes place later in the summer, with its most recent edition held from 1-3 September in Stradbally Hall, Co. Laois, headlined by Billie Eilish, Fred Again.. and The Killers.

But the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) says promoter Festival Republic should revise its plans to stage next year’s event from 16-18 August to avoid clashing with harvest season.

“This changing of the dates came out of the blue and it is going to cause huge problems for local farmers,” says IFA county chair John Fitzpatrick. “The dates announced for 2024… are right in the middle of harvest season. To expect that the harvest and the movement of grain can take place with 70,000 people piling into a small rural town is not realistic.

“It’s a time where there will be lots farm machinery on the roads at the busiest time of the year in one of the busiest tillage areas in the country. There needs to be serious dialogue to resolve this issue and everything must be on the table.”

Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn has denied suggestions the festival was moved to avoid Coldplay’s four concerts in Dublin’s Croke Park, which are set for 29 August to 2 September, stressing that the dates were chosen in order to accommodate certain acts.

“There were some artists we wanted to talk to and were interested in playing but could only make a couple of dates,” said Benn, as per Newstalk. “I just wanted to explore it, really, to see whether it would work, and various circumstantial reasons.

“In fairness I didn’t know it was blinking harvest season”

“Essentially some of the artists that we wanted to play next year could only play two weeks earlier. We just took a decision that we thought was the right thing, really.”

According to Laois Today, Benn played down the controversy when speaking to local media, saying he had already met with farmers to discuss the issue.

“In fairness I didn’t know it was blinking harvest season,” he laughed. “Maybe I should [have known] but I didn’t. I asked the landowner, and he didn’t bloody tell me and I was like, ‘Is everything ok to go?’ And he was, ‘Yeah, it’s all fine.’

“[The farmers] were a bit shocked but they’ve overcome their shock. Yesterday was the only day I didn’t meet them this week. I met them again this morning.

“I’ve given some of them the plan as to how I’m going to overcome it. It’s a good plan, they’ve accepted the plan and I can still get people into the grain store when the festival is on.”

However, Fitzpatrick says the IFA has had no discussions with the promoter, telling Laois Live Leinster Express: “We have never met, there have been no talks, there is no agreement and there was no contact between IFA.”

Benn, who said Electric Picnic would revert to its traditional weekend in 2025, added that he would be applying for planning permission to increase the capacity of the festival by 5,000 to 75,000 from next year.

 


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Top promoters tackle the new headliner debate

Leading UK promoters have spoken out on the live industry’s success rate at developing fresh stadium and festival headliners.

The new headliner question has been a perennial debate in the touring business over the past decade, amid claims of an over-reliance on heritage artists. Yet despite legends including Elton John, KISS, Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne and the Eagles all retiring from the road, the pipeline appears to be as healthy as it has been in decades.

The summer of 2023 has witnessed open air spectaculars by an abundance of stars still in their 20s and early 30s such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish, Burna Boy, The 1975, Arctic Monkeys, Wizkid, The Weeknd, Blackpink, Sam Fender and Bad Bunny, and AEG’s European Festivals chief Jim King is buoyed by the state of play.

“It’s a very interesting question because it comes up a lot,” he tells IQ. “But as I remind everybody: some of the biggest shows this year have been with young, contemporary artists, or certainly will be in the next 12 months.”

Blockbuster tours by Taylor Swift ($300.8 million), Harry Styles ($124m) and Ed Sheeran ($105.3m) all hit the nine-figure mark in H1 2023, with Swift’s Eras Tour on target to become the first concert tour in history to net more than US$1 billion, and Styles recently wrapped Love On Tour generating close to $600m overall.

“Harry Styles could probably still be playing Wembley now if they had the availability”

Only this week, meanwhile, it was announced that The Weeknd pulled in over 1.6 million fans to the European leg of his After Hours Til Dawn Tour. The Canadian shattered Wembley Stadium’s record for sales with a traditional concert set up with the stage at one end with 87,000 tickets sold, having also set a new attendance record for London Stadium after drawing 160,000 fans over two nights in July.

In Milan, the 33-year-old sold over 159,000 tickets, making him the first artist to sell out two nights at Ippodromo La Maura, with his shows in Paris marking the biggest sales for Stade de France this year, totalling to 151,000 across the two dates. His shows in Nice, France sold 70,000 tickets across two shows – the highest in the city’s history.

“We talk our supply chain of new headliners down so often, with other artists sadly no longer with us or retiring,” says King. “But if you look at this great run of stadium shows, there has been no bigger act in London this summer than The Weeknd, with two London Stadiums and a Wembley Stadium.

“Harry Styles could probably still be playing Wembley now if they had the availability. His quality as an artist is unquestionable, not just in terms of his music, but his live performances. Taylor Swift will set records next year, no doubt, as she continues to in North America, and Ed Sheeran continues to do so as well – and those are just the easy ones off the top of your head.”

King oversees the 65,000-cap BST Hyde Park in London, which this year featured seasoned headliners Guns N’ Roses, Take That, Billy Joel, Pink and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, plus contemporary superstars Blackpink and Lana Del Rey.

“Stadium business in the UK has never been stronger”

“The process of developing artists to that level has clearly changed since the 1970s, but most of the cultural industries have changed in some ways since then as well,” he adds. “I don’t feel any lack of optimism about the future – Lana Del Rey could have sold 100,000 tickets in London this summer if she’d have wanted to, such is the love and appreciation of where she is in her career. So I think the industry is in far better shape than people say.

“Stadium business in the UK has never been stronger. Trying to get avails for stadiums in the UK at the moment is beyond a challenge, and we know from The O2 and our other venues that live music is extremely strong – and that’s because of the quality of the artists. When quality sits in place, demand will follow.”

This weekend’s Reading & Leeds Festival (cap. 90,000 & 75,000, respectively) will be headlined by British artists Sam Fender, Foals and The 1975 (subbing for Lewis Capaldi), as well as Billie Eilish, The Killers and Imagine Dragons from the US, and Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn is confident the UK is still developing enough headline talent in relation to its American counterparts.

“Two out of the three Glastonbury headliners [Elton John/Arctic Monkeys] were UK acts, three out of six at Reading and Leeds are UK acts, three out of the three at Latitude [Pulp/Paolo Nutini/George Ezra] were UK acts, three out of the three at Wilderness [Chemical Brothers/Fatboy Slim] were UK acts, well one’s French albeit UK-based [Christine & The Queens],” Benn tells Music Week.

“If you look across festivals as a whole, there are more UK headliners than US headliners. Wireless [Playboy Carti/Travis Scott/D-Block Europe] has a greater propensity of US artists than UK artists because of the nature of the music. But if I was to look across all of the festival headline positions, the UK is very much the strongest generator of headliners.”

“There’s a fresh pipeline of talent coming through, which is needed”

Superstruct-backed UK festival promoter From the Fields booked Nile Rodgers & Chic, Kasabian, Blossoms and Royal Blood to headline its 40,000-cap Kendal Calling and Roisin Murphy, Pavement and Grace Jones for the 25,000-cap Bluedot.

“I’ve always struggled finding the headliners,” company MD and co-founder Andy Smith tells IQ. “I’ve always been the boy who cried wolf thinking that this is the year we won’t be able to find anyone. I remember back in 2011, the festival had completely sold out and we couldn’t find a Sunday night headliner. and that was two months of sheer panic, but eventually Alex Hardee came through and we got Calvin Harris so it worked out in the end. But it’s always difficult. If it wasn’t difficult, everyone would be doing it, but we always come through.

“I’d say it’s as difficult as it’s ever been. But this year, we had one of our strongest, most varied bills and it’s great to see newer acts taking our headline slot. Blossoms have played a number of times at the festival, but this was their first time on the main stage and they were headlining it and they did a great job. Royal Blood, again, had never played at Kendal before. So there’s a fresh pipeline of talent coming through, which is needed.”

Speaking earlier this year, Live Nation boss Michael Rapino praised the emergence of younger headliners such as Bad Bunny, Karol G, Rosalia, Blackpink, BTS and Billie Eilish.

“Six of the top 10 artists were younger artists,” he said. “There’s just a host of great new talent every year coming up, filling the pipe. We didn’t know Luke Combs was going to be selling stadiums out this year, two years ago. We had no idea Bad Bunny was going to be the largest selling artist last year.

“We’re also seeing this encouraging new supply strategy where for many years, it was all about US or UK-based artists that filled the charts and fill the stadium and most other talent was domestic… Now, you can see artists coming from Latin America and Korea and becoming global superstars.”

The debate will take centre stage at this year’s International Festival Forum (IFF) as part of the Headliners: The Winner Takes it All panel from 10am on Thursday 28 September, which will be chaired by WME agent Andy Duggan. Click here for more details.

 


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LGBTIQ+ List 2023: Katherine Koranteng, Festival Republic

The LGBTIQ+ List 2023 – IQ Magazine’s third annual celebration of queer professionals who make an immense impact in the international live music business – has been revealed.

The ever-popular list is the centrepiece of IQ’s third Pride edition, sponsored by Ticketmaster, which is now available to read online and in print for subscribers.

To get to know this year’s queer pioneers a little better, we interviewed each of them on the development of the industry, the challenges that are keeping them up at night and more.

Throughout the next month, IQ will publish a new interview each day. Check out yesterday’s profile with Ippei Kimura, booking/marketing/tour manager at Creativeman Productions in Tokyo, Japan.

The series continues with Katherine Koranteng (she/her/hers) marketing & campaigns manager at Festival Republic in London, UK.

Katherine Koranteng is the marketing manager of Latitude Festival, the 35,000-capacity music and multi-arts festival that takes place in Suffolk, England. Katherine (Kat) got her start attending London’s The Event Academy, shortly after securing an internship at MAMA Festivals, moving up to digital strategy assistant working on festivals like Lovebox and Citadel. In 2019, she moved over to Festival Republic, starting as a social media creator before ascending to digital content coordinator, where she delivered brilliant creative campaigns and content for some of the company’s biggest brands including Reading & Leeds and Wireless. In 2022, Kat was promoted to marketing lead at Latitude Festival, overseeing all marketing aspects of creative, advertising, sponsorship and delivering the marketing onsite deliverables and operations.


Tell us about the professional feat you’re most PROUD of in 2023 so far.
Being promoted into my role as the marketing manager for Latitude and seeing it on track for a sell-out. What makes me particularly proud is supporting the queer community across the many stages. The late-night programming specifically includes a wide variety of performances, such as cabaret, burlesque, and drag shows.

Name one queer act you’re itching to see live this year.
The Cocoa Butter Club at Latitude this year. They’re a queer collective that showcases and celebrates performers of colour in burlesque, drag, and music.

What advice could you give to young queer professionals?
To me, queerness is all about freedom of expression. It’s about embracing who you are, being proud of yourself and standing firmly in your authenticity without being swayed by others’ opinions. My advice may sound cliché, but it holds true: Be yourself. Don’t feel pressured to conform or fit into a mould just because the environment around you may be different. Your true essence shines brightest when you embrace your unique self and let your pride and clarity guide your path.

“To me, queerness is all about freedom of expression”

In terms of challenges in the industry, what’s currently keeping you up at night?
One thing is the lack of diverse thought among influential decision-makers in the industry. While there is a gradual shift happening, there are still instances where artists are solely booked based on their commercial value, potentially sacrificing the true essence and spirit of the art. I remain hopeful for a future where the positive changes that are being made continue, where decisions about lineups embrace a wider range of perspectives and artistic integrity. It’s a challenge that we need to address and push for more expeditious change.

How do you see the live music business developing in the next few years?
Even more niche events and festivals catered to specific audiences. We have already seen the growth of festivals like Mighty Hoopla, which was created to provide a space for the queer community to enjoy music that represents happiness, joy, and queerness. This trend of catering to specific interests will likely continue to shape the live music business.

“[There’s] lack of diverse thought among influential decision-makers in the industry”

Name one thing the industry could do to be a more equitable place.
Embracing diverse thought. As a black, queer woman, I often find myself standing out in an environment where there is a lack of representation. It can be challenging to express your outlook on life when it feels like others might not relate. We need more individuals of all identities and walks of life, so voices can be heard, and new perspectives can be valued. I believe it ultimately comes down to the hiring process. It is essential to select individuals not only based on their skill set or institutions they’ve attended but also their genuine passion for and understanding of the music or art being presented.

Shout out to your biggest ally and live music industry
I’m not entirely sure if she is still active in the music industry, but I want to give a big shout-out to Olivia Timson. When I first joined Mama and worked at Lovebox festival, Olivia hired me. Lovebox featured an incredible celebration of queerness, expressed through the way people dressed, the music, and the lineup of DJs. Olivia played a significant role in opening my eyes to the abundance of love and self-expression within the industry. She encouraged me to follow my voice, be proud of who I am, and embrace my creativity. I’m truly grateful for her support and guidance.

 


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LGBTIQ+ List 2023: Meet this year’s queer pioneers

IQ Magazine has revealed the LGBTIQ+ List 2023 – the third annual celebration of queer professionals who make an immense impact in the international live music business.

The ever-popular list is the centrepiece of IQ’s third Pride edition, sponsored by Ticketmaster, which is now available to read online and in print for subscribers.

The 20 individuals comprising the LGBTIQ+ List 2023 – as nominated by our readers and verified by our esteemed steering committee – are individuals that have gone above and beyond to wave the flag for an industry that we can all be proud of.

The third instalment comprises agents, promoters, tour managers, marketing executives, consultants, founders and more – all of whom identify as LGBTIQ+ and, in the face of adversity, have made enormous contributions to their respective sectors.

In alphabetical order, the LGBTIQ+ List 2023 is:

Christina Austin, music agent, United Talent Agency (UK)
Hila Aviran, director of entertainment & tours, PixMob (US)
Johanna Beckman, senior creative curator and promoter, FKP Scorpio Sweden (SE)
Amy Greig, booking agent, Runway Artists (UK)
Adem Holness, head of contemporary music, Southbank Centre (UK)
Kane Kete, client development manager, Ticketmaster (AU)
Ippei Kimura, booking/marketing/tour manager, Creativeman Productions (JP)
Katherine Koranteng, marketing & campaigns manager, Festival Republic (UK)
Stefan Lehmkuhl, freelance curator & live entertainment consultant, BMG/Ruined My Rainbow (DE)
Lucy Mackenzie McNae, tour manager (Josef, Twin Atlantic), Two and a Half TMs (UK)
Saskhia Menendez, innovator at Keychange, board of directors at F-List Music (UK)
Dev Mistry, global internal comms manager, DICE (UK)
Frederik Diness Ove, founder, Queer Music Agency (DK)
Boyan Pinter (Boiadjiev), founder/director, SPIKE Bulgarian Music Showcase (BG)
Scott Robson, event manager, ASM Global (UK)
Roman Samotný, director, Queer Slovakia (SK)
Marie-Christine Scheffold, senior booking agent manager, Selective Artists (DE)
Karim Siddiqui, senior booking manager, Live Nation (US)
Areti Tziorta, marketing manager, TEG Europe (UK)
João Pedro Viana, music agent, WME (UK)

Throughout the next month, IQ will be publishing full-length interviews with each person on the LGBTIQ+ List 2023.

Subscribers can read the full Pride edition now. Click here to subscribe to IQ from less than £8 a month – or see what you’re missing out on with the limited preview below.

Check out 2022’s cohort of queer pioneers here, and 2021’s cohort here.

Wireless secures five-year contract with Finsbury Park

Wireless Festival will be allowed to take place in London’s Finsbury Park every summer until 2027, despite opposition from residents groups.

The local council says the new five-year deal with promoter Festival Republic will raise “significant income” for the north London park and boost the local economy.

As part of the deal, promoter Festival Republic will also be allowed to hold a second weekend of major events in the park each year.

Wireless draws crowds of up to 50,000 people per day and has been held annually in the park since 2014, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 when Covid-19 restrictions were in place. Previously, the event was arranged year by year.

The Friends of Finsbury Park local group has opposed the five-year deal, arguing that there would be no benefit to local people and that it was “about money, not culture”.

The council said the events raise around £1.2 million per year for Finsbury Park

“Evidently, council budgets are tight. But elsewhere in the borough, Haringey Council is making great investments in parks. And perversely, this deal appears to deliver less money for Finsbury Park,” the group said, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. It also said there would be less oversight of the event.

The group, which has been attempting to stop the festival since 2016, has previously complained about noise levels, drug taking and anti-social behaviour at the festival.

The council said the events raise around £1.2 million per year for Finsbury Park, funding the maintenance team and paying for improvements such as a new play space, air-quality monitoring stations and an expanded skate park.

Wireless Festival has an eighteen-year legacy in the UK. The most recent edition of the festival was held across three sites – Crystal Palace Park and Finsbury Park in London, and the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

This year, Wireless will return to Finsbury Park between 7–9 July with headliners Playboy Carti, Travis Scott, D-Block Europe and 50 Cent.

The weekend prior, Festival Republic is promoting a trio of concerts in the park: Jamie T (30 June), Pulp (1 July) and The 1975 (2 July).

 


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