It’s a mixed bag of topics for this year’s check-in on the festival scene. Sure, rising production costs are driving up ticket prices as organisers struggle to balance the books, but following a triumphant return during the 2022 summer season, this vibrant sector is now back on track. And if the recent season has shown us anything, it’s that fans love festivals more than ever.
So what does the 2023 season look like, and with a spate of acquisitions and new launches changing the landscape of competition for outdoor events, what new opportunities might this present? And with rising costs, mental health, and touring schedules making line-up programmes harder to fill, what role do festivals play as talent incubators themselves?