Audio Farm Festival have launched a crowdfunding campaign, intending to secure the future of the festival.
This summer’s intimate 1500 capacity event generated £20,000 of debt, largely attributed to a lack of bar staff impacting the total alcohol sales.
Organisers claim as many as 75 volunteers set to work on the bars failed to turn up for shifts, leaving bars straining under pressure.
The crowdfunding campaign is aiming to raise £10,000, with the remaining money coming from other fundraising over the next year.
The festival
They have been asked to donate a minimum of £100 to the crowdfunder by 1st October to retain their anonymity.
If they do not donate, no-shows will be ‘named and shamed’ on the festival’s Facebook group and banned from all future Audio Farm events.
Meeting the fundraising target would ensure that the festival returns in 2020, with any resulting profit going to charity. Around £2,500 has already been raised.
This year’s Audio Farm Festival is said to have cost £150,000 to host, and with only 800 people on site having actually paid for a ticket, £80,000 of that is covered by ticket revenue.
£10,000 is generated from car parking
Additionally, their previous event in 2017 left £38,000 of debt, but this has been covered by the festival’s core crew.
Over the last two years, an estimated 500 people broke in or didn’t turn up for shifts. Had they bought a ticket instead, the revenue would amount to nearly £55,000, mostly eliminating the debt from both events.
Despite never turning a profit, Audio Farm have raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity through direct donations, guest tickets, and spin-off events.
£15,000 has been donated to the Green Paw Project in the last three years, working to set up temporary veterinary clinics in places of need around the world.
Organisers claim their goal is to make £50,000 for charity each year by 2022.
To donate to secure the future of Audio Farm Festival, visit their crowdfunder page here.
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