 Twin Festivals initiative for the first time in 2012. Deriving from the popular ‘twin towns’ concept the scheme aims to create a cultural exchange between the UKs leading independent festivals and their international counterparts and both festivals […] "'Pin It")
EXIT FESTIVAL IN SERBIA NOW ‘TWINNED’ WITH BESTIVAL
Exit Festival will be teaming up with Bestival to take part in the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) Twin Festivals initiative for the first time in 2012.
Deriving from the popular ‘twin towns’ concept the scheme aims to create a cultural exchange between the UKs leading independent festivals and their international counterparts and both festivals have plenty of ideas up their sleeves to benefit both artists and festivals goers from Serbia and the Isle of Wight this summer.
Says Rob Da Bank “I’m so pleased that we’re twinning with Exit – my one visit there has stayed lodged in my festival brain as one of my favourite memories…playing records in an old fort to the most hedonistic party people this side of …well Bestival! So much energy, good vibes and great acts playing – hopefully something that we share with Exit at Bestival. Long may we be brothers and sisters in sound!”
Exit General Manager Bojan Boskovic added: “We are so excited to be twinning with Bestival this year as we have watched it bloom from a wonderful ethos into one of the largest and most musically exciting festivals around! Bestival has a great energy, an immense and interesting line up and who can compete with the unique ideas and artwork each year. Exchanging acts and ideas, we also hope some of our followers will make the journey to Bestival and we look forward to welcoming Bestival fans to our crazy fortress”.
To benefit local artists each festival has suggested acts to swap and play at each other events. The Playground Syndicate will play at Exit and The Good Guys will play at Bestival. Each act will also blog about their experience playing at the twinned festival.
Twinned festivals will be sharing not only artists and expertise but also audiences, as 10 lucky competition winners will win tickets to experience the twin festival in action. And one very lucky winner from each festival will win a trip to the twin festival with travel and accommodation for them and a mate. Announcements will follow on both festival websites in the coming months with more information and how to enter.
Now in its third year the AIF scheme has gone from strength to strength with participating festivals successfully building local awareness of their twins through cross press and marketing promotions. As well as sharing links on their websites, twinned festivals also include twinning information on flyers, marketing materials and in their PR campaigns to local media and once their own event has sold out help to market their international twin through their media channels. Talent discussions have helped to co-ordinate bookings of international artists and further reinforce the fundamental values that unite the festivals.
