The Show Must Go On Report

The report defines the current impact of the UK festival sector based on Julie’s Bicycle benchmarks, discusses where there is potential for reduction based on precedents from across the industry, and presents a concise overview and proposed roadmap for reduced carbon impact at festivals in-line with UK targets as defined in the Climate Change Act 2008. The report aims to inspire the festival industry sector to lead by example in achieving impact reduction targets and calls for festivals to pledge their commitment to achieve a 50% reduction in green house gas emissions by 2025.

“The Show Must Go On report offers clear evidence and direction for meaningful action on climate change.”

– Melvin Benn, Festival Republic

‘The Show Must Go On’ was launched with the industry at the UK Festival Awards and Conference at the Roundhouse in London on 26th November 2015. Photo: Graham Brown, Plaster Creative Communications.

“This report is a call for the festival industry to take the initiative to craft its own response.”

– Alison Tickell, Julie’s Bicycle

About Powerful Thinking

Powerful Thinking is a think-do tank that brings together festivals, suppliers and environmental organisations to explore new ways of working which reduce costs and carbon through increased efficiency and alternative technologies, and share findings to promote a lower carbon industry. It was inspired by Shambala Festival and Julie’s Bicycle, and founded by a consortium that also included Bestival, Festival Republic, A Greener Festival, the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), Kambe Events and Firefly Solar. These organisations provided both the start-up funds and impetus to drive this initiative forward on behalf the wider festival industry. Julie’s Bicycle further support the group by providing the secretariat and support in-kind.

More recently the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO), the Production Services Association (PSA) and the Nationwide [mobile] Caterers Association (NCASS) have joined the steering group. We also work with research partners; The Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD) at De Montfort University, and the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) at Oxford Univesity.