Plans for Scotland’s first Womad festival in Glasgow have been cancelled due to low ticket sales, becoming the 20th UK festival casualty this year. The event, co-founded by Peter Gabriel, has been staged in 30 countries since 1982.
Small and independent festival operators face a tough summer with belt-tightening consumers, soaring energy and labour costs, and competition from industry heavyweights. Jon Collins, chief executive of Live, said: “Independent festival organisers basically eat and drink risk.”
The Secret Garden Party shut down after its 2024 edition, with its founder citing unsustainability for independents. A planned new festival, Where It All Began, on the same site was postponed due to poor ticket sales and a 10-15% rise in costs since the Iran conflict.
Red Rooster festival in Suffolk also closed, going into liquidation with no refunds. However, the number of festival cancellations this year (43) is lower than last year (78) and 2024 (36), according to the Association of Independent Festivals.
AIF chief executive John Rostron said margins have become “incredibly tight” due to rising costs, with artist fees up 60-70% over five years. He noted that big corporate players like AEG and Live Nation can absorb these costs, but independents struggle.
