In our final newsletter of the year, we give an update on the campaign to fund the Show Must Go On, a round up of conferences this month and look ahead to 2025. Plus, key resources and campaigns from our partners, Julie's Bicycle and EarthPercent and news from across the industry and beyond. 

Enjoy this month's update, have a lovely festive break and contact bethan@vision2025.org.uk to share newsletter ideas, stories and queries.

The £100k Funding Campaign for 2030 Outdoor Event Sector’s Climate Transition Plan hits 75% of target. Wide support from across the sector secures production of the Show Must Go On Sector Transition Plan, which will set ambitious climate plans for 2030 for the festival and live outdoor events industry.

Funders include Earth Percent, Events Industry Forum, Arts Council England, with the aim to match this from the industry. Promoters supporting the project so far include, ​​Festival Republic, AEG Presents, Boomtown, Kilimanjaro Live, Shambala Festival, From the Fields (Kendal Calling), DHP Family. In addition, industry bodies such as NCASS and suppliers across the chain are contributing.

Can you contribute to reach the target? There are a range of options to suit all levels. Every amount counts: https://bit.ly/SMGO-3 or contact graham@vision2025.org.uk

Kevin is Sustainability Lead at DF Concerts in Glasgow. With a diverse background as a musician, venue manager, tour manager, and production coordinator, Kevin began his journey working in event sustainability in 2022. 

DF Concerts is Scotland’s biggest festival and concert promoter, with events including Rockstar Energy presents TRNSMT, plus Glasgow and Edinburgh Summer Sessions. The company also runs King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow’s iconic grassroots music venue. Kevin works with key stakeholders across the business to measure and reduce its environmental impact. Read Kevin's answers to our monthly Q&A HERE. 

The Access All Area’s Conference & Awards attracted several hundred event professionals to London’s O2 Indigo, Dec 5 th 2024.

Vision 2025, in partnership with the conference organiser Chris Barrett, curated one of the day’s four panels, framing the significant progress made in 2024, framed against creating a positive direction of travel for 2025 and beyond.

Graham Brown steered a conversation with Ross Patel, Live Green Impact Consultant, Hannah Cox, Betternotstop and Anna Johnson from Anjunabeats. Read a summary of the panel discussion, which began with an open question to the audience about about what aiming for ‘Net Zero’ means to them as event organisers HERE. 

Every year, millions of plastic water bottles are sold at festivals. These bottles contribute to pollution and rely heavily on fossil fuels to produce and transport. In this blog, our friends at Green Events Netherlands dive into the details of how by switching to tap water, event organisers can reduce the environmental impact of your event while aligning with global sustainability standards. Read the blog on the Green Events Netherlands website HERE.

The second annual IMPALA report highlights carbon footprints submitted through the bespoke IMPALA Carbon Calculator, powered by Julie’s Bicycle's Creative Climate Tools platform. Designed specifically for the recorded music industry, the report shares the latest results alongside inspiring case studies of sustainability initiatives and actions from across the IMPALA membership. Read it HERE.

The Association of Independent Festivals will host the next Festival Congress on the 5th February 2025 in Bristol.

Festival Congress full day’s conference and a full evening’s social networking event for around 350 delegates. The programme includes lightning talks, breakout workshops, keynotes, fireside chats and a host of experts and inspiring individuals and organisations from across the festival and event world. Get your tickets HERE.

Our friends at EarthPercent have launched a prize draw to support their work of unleashing the power of music in service of the planet, helping to build a healthy and equitable world for generations to come. 

Win signed, hand-painted & limited edition prizes donated by major musicians, including Brian Eno, Coldplay, Nile Rodgers, Beatie Wolfe, Yoko Ono & Sean Ono Lennon and Orlando Weeks. All money raised supports EarthPercent and their incredible grant partners, funding some of the most impactful climate & environmental work worldwide. There are 15+ prizes up for grabs and you can enter for just £4 (or for free if via post) ENTER HERE.

The LIVE Awards 2024 once again celebrated organisations leading the way in supporting Live Events to create inspiring and sustainable spaces. 

Congratulations to this year's winner onboard.earth who were recognised for their work in engaging the industry in moving to low carbon travel and donating to fund environmental restoration projects. Well done to all nominees: The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead, Big Green Coach, Attitude is Everything, TRNSMT, Co-op Live and P&J Live in Aberdeen. Read more about 2024 winners HERE. 

The Green Events and Innovations Conference (GEI17) will once again bring together global innovators and sector leaders to share, network, and accelerate environmental and social actions to make impactful changes in all kinds of events. The 17th edition will take place on 25th February 2025 at the Royal Lancaster London. Tickets and programme info HERE. 

Our selected news picks from across the Live Events Industry and beyond, including jobs, events, blogs, reports, and what the Vision: 2025 team has been watching, listening to, and reading this month:

• Green Events Code of Practice (GECoP) pilot in Reading is reviewed with positve outcomes in Standout Magazine HERE.
• Liverpool's Expedition One special climate action  conference is reviewed in the Liverpool Express HERE.
• Key takeaways from COP29 from the Climate Change Committe HERE.
• Climate crisis deepens with 2024 ‘certain’ to be hottest year on record, in the Guardian HERE.
• BBC Radio's Rare Earth presents "Good Clean Fun" a panel recorded live at Liverpool's Expedition One  discussing a green future for fun HERE (available Friday 13th Dec). 

Our newsletter reaches over 4,600 UK event professionals interested in sustainability. Send jobs, events, resources and articles to feature here to: info@vision2025.org.uk.