Skiddle and the Association Of Independent Festivals (AIF) have selected 20 small independent UK festivals to receive free AIF membership and promotional support worth up to £5,000 for their 2027 events.
All of the festivals chosen – including Torquay’s Burn It Down Festival, Bedfordshire's Buzzstock, Scotland's Wildhood Festival, Portsmouth's Country On The Coast and Cardiff Psych And Noise Festival – have capacities of 2,000 or fewer.
The list also includes BOIA, LitFest, Madchester Festival, Meltchester, Novacaine Festival, Open Arms Fest, Out & Wild Festival, Outer Town Festival, Outer Waves, Scottish House & Disco Festival, Supersonic Festival, The Festival of Vocal Arts, Vibrant Open Air, Westival and Wood Fest.
In 2025, festivals with capacities of 2,000 or fewer accounted for 56% of all festivals listed on Skiddle, highlighting their importance within the festival community.
“The UK is home to hundreds of exceptional boutique festival experiences, each offering something unique to a broad range of audiences, and we’re proud to work with so many of these events and their teams," said Skiddle's head of partnerships Duncan King.
“Over recent years, the sector has suffered and we’ve lost many great festivals. Now, the tide is turning, and we’re seeing organisers hosting successful experiences and returning for future instalments.
“External pressures, including rising costs, continue to have an impact. By working with organisations like the AIF, we can help these festivals access education, networking opportunities and promotional backing, supporting their long-term future.”
As part of Skiddle’s promotional support, selected festivals will receive a featured listing in Skiddle’s Festival Guide, editorial support and paid campaigns delivered by the platform’s content and marketing team, and account management from Skiddle’s festival specialists.
Micro and very small festivals are the foundation of the festival industry
John Rostron, AIF
The initiative marks the second time Skiddle and AIF – the UK’s official not-for-profit trade association for non-corporate festivals – have partnered to support UK events.
Last year’s scheme was focused on a broader selection of festivals varying in size of capacity. A total of 22 festivals benefited from the same membership and promotional support, including Moovin Festival, GemFest, Love To Be Festival and Caribbean Rocks.
“Micro and very small festivals are the foundation of the festival industry," said AIF CEO John Rostron. "It’s where creativity lives because the teams behind them are often doing everything with minimal resources. By Skiddle providing these 20 festivals with AIF membership, it means they won’t have to go it alone. They are joining a supportive community of organisers who share what works and what doesn’t.
"We are incredibly grateful to Skiddle for supporting our grassroots festival sector for a second year and can’t wait to see what these festivals achieve for audiences in 2027.”
Meanwhile, Skiddle has secured its first external investment since launching 25 years ago, partnering with Soho Square Capital to accelerate the company’s existing five-year growth plans while its founders retain control of the business.
The investment will support the company's continued expansion beyond music, festivals and nightlife,with lifestyle events representing an immediate area of focus alongside further investment in technology, marketing and business development.
“We started Skiddle because we wanted to help people find out what was on," said Skiddle co-founders Ben Sebborn and Richard Dyer. "Twenty-five years later, that’s still at theheart of what we do, but the opportunity ahead of us is bigger than ever.
“We want to help more people discover brilliant events, give more independent organisers the tools and support to grow, and take Skiddle into new markets. This investment gives us the backing to move faster across Europe, build our lifestyleoffering and keep improving our technology.
“Taking investment for the first time was a big decision. Finding a partner who understood Skiddle, our independence and the relationships we’ve built with promoters and fans was essential. Soho Square’s approach means we keep control ofthe business we’ve spent 25 years building, with the support to take it further.”
