Being a member of BAFA offers access to the UK’s leading arts festivals, and an invaluable opportunity to build a strong network of professional contacts across the breadth of the festivals sector.
Our members range from volunteer-run organisations to large, well-established festivals, and we also have special memberships available for universities and associate members. BAFA members enjoy a range of benefits from their membership, including discounted festival insurance from Graham Sykes, special offers and discounts from BAFA partners, lobbying and advocacy including BAFA’s Festivals Mean Business research programme, networking and festival advice.
Networking and Professional Development
BAFA provides a year-round calendar of events including regional and small-scale discussion based forums, topic-specific seminars and networking events, the annual BAFA Conference and our specialist conference for students and recent graduates, ‘A Festival Career’. These provide opportunities for members to meet and share ideas with each other and with industry experts. All BAFA events are discounted for members.
Profile Raising and Resource Sharing
BAFA members benefit from being part of the UK’s most established festival network, including individual online presence on the BAFA website. A twice yearly press release sent to specialist and national media gives members the opportunity to be showcased alongside the whole network. Through BAFA’s links to other networks both in the UK and abroad, such as BAFA’s role as the UK hub for the prestigious EFFE programme (Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe), BAFA members are part of a larger family of festivals. BAFA members have access to dedicated members’ resources including contacts at other festivals, press contacts, job opportunities and links to other useful resources.
Advocacy
BAFA backs campaigns for the arts and culture sector and undertakes research – the next iteration of its flagship research programme Festivals Mean Business, will collect core data on the festivals sector across UK, with the aim of representing the sector better to government, funders and stakeholders, and to identify priorities for BAFA’s lobbying and advocacy programme. In turn, this will raise the profile of the whole festivals sector, including highlighting its work in developing the UK’s creative economy, supporting community cohesion and development, and improving outcomes for health, wellbeing and social justice.
BAFA works with partners and colleagues to represent festivals’ interests, to develop and share resources where possible and to work in partnership on joint issues. BAFA is a member of the Creative Industries Federation and works closely with fellow arts associations including the Association of British Orchestras, Association of Festival Organisers, Making Music, Make Music Day UK and the UK Science Festivals Network.
Rates for Festival membership start at just £165 and are based on annual turnover. Membership is flexible so you can join annually at any point of the year.
In addition, BAFA offers university membership and associate membership. University memberships are £550, and include 25 free tickets for A Festival Career, plus participation in specialist online forums for events lecturers, access to potential partners for collaborative projects and research, and direct access to a range of industry professionals.
Associate Membership Rates
Please contact us for more information about how your organisation can benefit from being part of BAFA.
Being a member of BAFA offers access to the UK’s leading arts festivals, and an invaluable opportunity to build a strong network of professional contacts across the breadth of the festivals sector.
Our members range from volunteer-run organisations to large, well-established festivals, and we also have special memberships available for universities and associate members.
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