Events wishing to take part in this year’s UK Festival Awards can now register their interest by submitting their contact details on this short online form. We will then get back in touch as soon as the main entry process goes live.

This loss of a true legend is best expressed by Claude’s own team, in the following message:

Dear Claude,



On January 10th, you left us! 
Only a few days after your accident in Caux-sur-Montreux, in your beloved mountains, overlooking the lake that you were so fond of.



You always had a sparkle in your eyes whenever you dealt with people. For all of us, who were fortunate enough to cross your path, you will always remain the one who questioned certainties. « And, why not ? » You would repeatedly ask the same question when we tried to explain why a project would not be feasible. Reality was never challenged only your wildest dreams. The Montreux Jazz Festival is the ultimate proof of that! But not the only one! 



Your audacity resonates in each one of us, a strong sense of generosity and sharing.
Thank you for taking us where we never thought we could go. And in your typical spirit, you left by surprise as if to remind us once more, that in life as in music, each great performance could be the last one even if the show must go on. You hoped for an exit that reflected your life, you succeeded this as well. We carry, and will continue to carry on in your spirit everything you taught us.



Thank you Claude.


Your teams of yesterday, today and of tomorrow. 

www.montreuxjazzfestival.com

The 2013 festival will still go ahead as planned.

First, the public-voted ones…

Best Major Festival – Bestival

Says Clash News Editor Robin Murray: “No other festival managed to successfully cover as many genres, touch as many bases, please as many people as Bestival. Matching enormous headliners (who delivered impeccable performances) they were able to impact a sense of quirky personality onto a bill which stretched the barriers of eclecticism. Sigur Ros followed by Stevie Wonder… no other festival on the planet would try something like that!”

Best Medium-Sized Festival sponsored by Eventbrite – Bloodstock Open Air Festival

Bringing bands to the UK that rarely play here, and giving unparalleled support to the unsigned scene, Bloodstock is the UK’s biggest and best Independent Metal festival. With a very strong team who continue to work tirelessly year in year out, coupled with the most loyal fans of any music genre, we have the recipe for what is a Very Metal weekend!

Best Small Festival sponsored by Jeremiah Weed – Y Not Festival

Y Not began life as a house party for 150 people that spilled over into a nearby field. Seven years on we welcomed 8,000 ticket holders through the gates, but has somehow managed to retain that early ethos of a gathering of people just having a good time, put together by the same people who set it up all those years ago.

Best New Festival sponsored by Access All Areas – Festival No.6

Festival No.6 is a festival like no other in a place like no other. Inspired by the fantasy world of Portmeirion, we set out to bring the village alive as the most magical festival site imaginable. No.6 is much more than a music festival, with an innovative arts and culture programme including spoken word, poetry, comedy, pop-up theatre, film screenings, aerial trapeze artists and a spectacular fire garden.

Best Dance Event sponsored by Peppermint Bars – GlobalGathering

GlobalGathering has become the UK’s most cutting edge and forward thinking electronic music festival, redefining the model of dance festivals by bringing together the freshest underground sounds and future headliners with some of the world’s most critically acclaimed artists. With Tinie Tempah, Chase & Status, Armin van Buuren, Skrillex and Friendly Fires headlining the 2012 event.

Best Metropolitan Festival – Camden Crawl

Camden Crawl is communally programmed by an incredibly diverse melting pot of the of the UK’s most prolific independent arts and music advocates. It brings all social groups and age ranges together to experiment with a wide array of cutting edge art and music genres within its affordable one ticket umbrella. There is a rock & roll euphoria that sweeps through the entirety of Camden Town centre as the whole community embraces and participates in the event day and night through the long bank holiday weekend.

Best Family Festival – Latitude

Celebrating its seventh year in 2012, Latitude has secured its reputation as one of the most highly respected and anticipated festivals of the summer. Using the natural landscape of the surrounding woodland and the lake to showcase its artists like no other festival, Latitude delivers the very best established and emerging talent from the worlds of music, comedy, theatre, cabaret, dance, poetry, literature, art and fashion.

The Grass Roots Festival Award – Green Man

Maybe its because of the incredible beauty of its Black Mountain location, the passion for music which draws musicians and music lovers back each year, or that its never strayed from its independent anti corporate stance which has made Green Man such a unique and magical experience.

Best Toilets sponsored by XL Video – Lodestar

Considering toilets are the most talked-about feature at festivals, it amazes us how few events go out of their way to provide excellent ones. Lodestar are a welcome exception and keep their attendees happy by cleaning their loos for 18 hours a day! That’s the kind of commitment that wins awards.

Best Overseas Festival – Benicassim (Spain)

Sun, sea, sand, Stone Roses… scorchio!

Headline Performance Of The Year – New Order at Festival No. 6

Rebecca Laurence of Virtual Festivals writes: “Iconic, tragic, bittersweet, anthemic, there’s no arguing that watching New Order performing their most famous, Joy Division song whilst images of Ian Curtis and ‘Joy Division Forever’ flash behind them is not only poignant and melancholic, but also full of hope. Fusing this sense of pasts lived and futures to behold, we can’t think of a more perfect band to finish off this new festival in its very unique, nostalgia-heavy setting.”

Best Breakthrough Act sponsored by Jagermeister – Jake Bugg

The Nottingham singer’s self-titled debut went straight to Number One in October, dethroning Mumford and Sons’ ‘Babel’ and beating Leona Lewis’ ‘Glassheart’ into third place. Infamously, Bugg later remarked: “It’s my job to keep that X Factor shit off the top of the charts.” For that reason alone he deserves this award.

Anthem Of The Summer – Django Django – Default

Tim Chester at NME writes: “Every so often a band such as this drops by as some kind of compensation for the fact that Clor no longer exist in a world where The Wombats do. Django Django offer an alternative oasis in an arid no-man’s-land of identikit indie. If this is their default setting, lord knows how it sounds when they’re going out on a limb.”

These categories were decided by industry juries...

Promoter Of The Year sponsored by Robertson Taylor – Gareth Cooper (Festival No. 6, Beach Break, Lollibop)

Decided by the Festival Awards Board. From founding of Snowbombing to having the vision to spot that a teddy bear’s picnic in Stoke Newington could sell 30000 tickets in Regents Park, Gareth Cooper has earned a unique reputation in this industry for conceiving new ways to create live festival entertainment – with great success. He is shareholder in Parklife, Lounge on the Farm and Beach Break Live but his most recent creation Festival Number 6 has cleared the pathway for how good new festivals can be in a worrying market.

The Extra-Festival Activity Award – Live From Jodrell Bank

Decided by the Festival Awards Board. Jodrell Bank is an internationally renowned center for astrophysics. The festival’s organisers used this fact to engage customers in science related content with the help of 80 scientists, a mars rover prototype, particle research and a live video link from the stage to an observatory in Chile! It all climaxed with a 76meter projection onto the Lovell Telescope during headliner Elbow’s set, featuring custom visuals made in collaboration between the band and the scientists. It all made for a truly unique festival moment.

Best Line-Up – Download

Decided by a panel of renowned UK music journalists. Hosting more than 100 acts over three epic days at the spiritual home of rock, Doningon Park, Download is the UK’s largest and loudest hard rock and metal festival. In a tough year, Download just went from strength to strength, selling out its biggest capacity to date and packing what has been hailed as one of the greatest rock line-ups of all time, crowned by thrash titans Metallica, metal legends Black Sabbath and electro-punk gods The Prodigy.

Concession Of The Year – Paelleria

Decided by festival organisers. Raves Bestival’s Rob da Bank: “The real deal for any festival – boasting genuine Spanish ingredients from the stock base through the finest Spanish chorizo to their juicy olives, it is some of the best festival food we’ve ever tasted and it’s all knocked up in a field! Combine that with always-smiling, dressed up staff who know their stuff and a kooky stall complete with Spanish postcards and we can’t think of a more deserving winner!”

Best Brand Activation sponsored by CGA – Southern Comfort Juke Joint

Decided by the European Sponsorship Association. Chris McCormick, Festival Awards co-founder: “In a product category with a long history of festival sponsorship and activations, the Juke Joint is a relatively fresh idea. The production values and theatre are the interesting elements with the brand not being forced. The follow on results of 82% of people who would try the drink again showed a genuine impact and this ultimately leads to more value for the promoter.”

Lifetime Achievement Award – John Probyn

Decided by the Festival Awards Board. Steve Jenner, Festival Awards co-founder: “John’s contributions to event production have raised the bar in safety, comfort and enjoyment for millions of live music fans across the festival spectrum, worldwide, extending far beyond his own events. For this reason alone this award is overdue. However, I feel passionately that credit also very much due for John’s commitment to engaging directly with his audiences through digital channels as well as regular fan-forum meet-up events. This has been key to the stand-out success of events like Download Festival and has driven forward the evolution of the wider marketplace in no small strides”.

Click here for more testimonials and information on this award.

Alex Hardee from Festival Number 6 scores two wins in one when he proposes on-stage to his girlfriend in the audience whilst collecting his award for Best New Festival!

The show

Date: 3rd December, 2012
Venue: The Roundhouse, London
Host: Phill Jupitus

The second year at The Roundhouse saw the biggest turn-out yet and the first marriage proposal delivered on-stage by Alex Hardee of Festival Number 6 and Coda!

And the winners were…

Best New Festival

Festival Number 6

Best Metropolitan Festival

Camden Crawl

Best Dance Event

Global Gathering

Best Overseas Festival

Benicassim (Spain)

Best Family Festival

Latitude

Best Breakthrough Act

Jake Bugg 

Line-Up of the Year

Download

Headline Performance of the Year

New Order at Festival Number 6

Anthem Of The Summer

Django Django – ‘Default’

Agency Of The Year

William Morris

Promoter Of The Year

Gareth Cooper (Festival Number 6, Beach Break Live, Lollibop, Snowbombing, Lounge On The Farm)

Best Small Festival

Y-Not

Best Medium-Sized Festival

Bloodstock Open-Air

Best Major Festival

Bestival

The Grass Roots Festival Award

Green Man

The Greener Festival Award

Croissant Neuf Summer Party

Concession Of The Year

Paelleria

Best Toilets

Lodestar

Best Brand Activation

The Southern Comfort Juke-Joint

The Extra-Festival Activity Award

Live From Jodrell Bank

Lifetime Achievement Award

John Probyn, Chief Operating Officer, Live Nation

This honour, decided by the Festival Awards board, crowns a momentous year for the world-renowned production boss, which has seen him direct the largest series of live music events ever staged by a single company in the UK in one summer, in the face of some heavy resistance from the weather.

John’s notable 2012 triumphs included saving the biggest and best Download Festival yet (100,000 tickets, sold-out) from a potential wash-out and then walking 144 miles from Donington to Hyde Park in aid of Cancer Research. It was there that he played host to more than a million live music fans (for Barclaycard Wireless, Hard Rock Calling and BT London Live – in support of the 2012 London Olympic Games). The weather returned with a vengeance and once-again threatened the events. This time John retaliated with 8 million litres of woodchip; the ground was saved and the show went on.

All this is but the pinnacle of an illustrious career that began in commercial radio events and has seen John Probyn rise, through his unique ability to balance the needs of the fan with the bottom line, into his position today as arguably the most respected, recognised and well-liked production executive in the industry, and Chief Operating Officer of the world’s largest live entertainment producer.

Steve Jenner, Festival Awards co-founder comments: “John’s contributions to event production have raised the bar in safety, comfort and enjoyment for millions of live music fans across the festival spectrum, worldwide, extending far beyond his own events. For this reason alone this award is overdue. However, I feel passionately that credit also very much due for John’s commitment to engaging directly with his audiences through digital channels as well as regular fan-forum meet-up events. This has been key to the stand-out success of events like Download Festival and has driven forward the evolution of the wider marketplace in no small strides”.

Further testimonials include:

John Giddings, MD, Solo and organiser of the Isle Of Wight Festival comments: “I have always been impressed with John’s ability to make a show happen, against all odds. He has a practical ability and understanding of putting on a show that is unrivalled in this country. That said, he shouldn’t be allowed to talk to the press! I can’t think of a more deserving recipient”.

Tim Massey, International Director of the 46664 concerts in honour of Nelson Mandela says: “I first met John at Live Nation’s offices in Argyll Street in 2007 when we were starting to plan Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday concert and dinner in Hyde Park. That was in the days when the right hand lift always seemed to breakdown with people trapped inside. I remember one story of when John was one of those trapped and running late for a meeting (as it was told to me) and in true JP spirit he forced open the doors and clambered to safety rescuing the other occupants. It is this spirit of adventure, great humour and level headiness which John has always shown, that singles him out as a one off. He has been a delight to work with over the years, as have his awesome team and long may this continue, always with a few laughs along the way! Many congratulations John, you deserve it.”

Melvin Benn, MD, Festival Republic says: “It is hard to extend my memory to the point I met John it was so long ago but it was sometime in the early 90’s and well before the digital age we now live in and he was working for BRMB radio station in Birmingham producing shows. He and I didn’t cross over on anything particular that I can remember (he was in the MCP camp as I recall) and yet he stood out. He was obviously good at what he was doing (probably the only good thing about BRMB actually!) and has continued to be good at all that he does which is why he has gone on to steer Download, Wireless, Hard Rock Calling and lots of other things for Live Nation to be what they are now but he was also alright. He was personable and genuine and ultimately, that’s what resonated with me. He is genuine in everything he does. I liked it then and I still do now. He deserves the applause. I wish there were more like him. Great for Live Nation, great for his team and great for the industry. Cheers John.”

Jason Carter, BBC Head of Live Music Events adds: “A more than well deserved award for John, who has delivered some of our most special event moments for the BBC, particularly for Radio 1. He is always a pleasure to work with, whether that’s broadcasting from his shows, or building ours. But most of all a thoroughly decent person!”

James Barton, Cream Founder and President of Electronic Music, Live Nation, adds: “There are few more deserving of the Lifetime Achievement Award than John Probyn. His contribution to our industry has been immense, also his management of Creamfields in the early days helped set the template for us to follow ever after. He is great to work with, up for a laugh and a genuine all round top bloke.”

Bernard Doherty, CEO, LD Communications says: “John Probyn is a festival icon and the best in the business. This man could build and put a show on in the Sahara desert and yes I would be right there to publicise it. I have worked for John at Download from the very beginning as well as many successful years in Hyde Park. He is always in complete control, with an air of calm only comparable to a grand master… which is what he is. A consummate professional who never fails, at the end of a long festival day to have a smile on his face and is happy to offer you a bit of advice.”

Paul Latham, Chief Executive Officer, Live Nation UK says: “No site or task has been too big for John Probyn and all functions are carried out with his usual Brummie bonhomie. John has developed a world class team around him and is always keen to impart his knowledge to those that ask while learning more from those around him. Indeed 2012 was a seminal year for him as not only did he have the usual array of Live Nation festivals to oversee, he took on the creation and production of the month-long multi-site London Olympic Live sites, and still found time to take part in a mind-numbing and limb-destroying 145 mile charity walk with 3 other athletically challenged industry veterans to raise over £100k for respective charities. I am proud to have him as my right hand man, and a friend.”

Neale Coleman, Director of London 2012 at the GLA and the Mayor of London’s advisor on London 2012 adds: “John made a fantastic contribution to London’s unique Olympic and Paralympic summer. Working with the Mayor and many other partners he made possible the BT London Live Sites which enabled 1.5 million people to share in the spirit of London 2012. Without his energy, drive and determination it simply wouldn’t have happened.”

The award will be presented as the finale of this year’s UK Festival Awards gala ceremony which takes place at The Roundhouse in London on Monday 3rd December, preceeded by the UK Festival Conference which returns to the same venue.

In the pub giving Freddie Fellowes his well-deserved award for a new festival called Secret Garden Party – 2005

2004: UK Festival Awards launched as an online poll by Virtual Festivals.com, 12,000 fans vote. We fantasise about one day staging it as an event at The Roundhouse. The awards are presented in person to the winners in their local pubs of choice! 

2005: 50,000+ fans vote; BBC 6 Music sign up as media partner. Saluted in Scottish Parliament when T In The Park is voted Best Major Festival. The awards are again presented to the winners in person during an epic road-trip spanning the UK.

The Levellers performing at the first ever UK Festival Awards event – 2006

2006: Pressure from the industry prompts the creation of the first live event, for 500 standing-only at London’s Islington Academy, sponsored by Carling.
Hosted by: Steve Harris. Outstanding Contribution to Festivals: Melvin Benn (Festival Republic – Reading & Leeds, Latitude).

2007: The first seated event at KoKo, Camden. Michael Eavis attends.
Hosted by: The Cuban Brothers. Outstanding Contribution to Festivals: John Giddings (Isle of Wight).

2008: Moves to the IndigO2, adding a gala dinner component (at the Goucho restaurant) and the first UK Festival Conference by day (oversubscribed).

Michael Eavis accepting his Outstanding Contribution to Festivals award at the IndigO2 in 2008

Establishes independent ownership as Festival Awards Ltd.
Hosted by: Sean Keaveney. Outstanding Contribution to Festivals: Michael Eavis (Glastonbury). 

2009: The Awards returns to the O2 and the conference fills out into Europe’s largest cinema, the Vue in the O2 complex. The European Festival Awards is launched in partnership with The European Festival Association and debuts at The Grand Theatre in Groningen, Holland, on the opening night of Eurosonic Noorderslag.
Hosted by: Dixie and Horsey (Stars of ‘Svengali’). Lifetime Achievement Winner: Katrina Larkin (The Big Chill).

Living the dream with Paolo Nutini – Best Headline Performance, Latitude – at The Roundhouse in 2011

2010: The Awards continues its O2 residency and the Conference expands again into sell-out event at the British Music Experience, covered live by BBC Business News.
Hosted by: Craig Charles. Lifetime Achievement Winner: Geoff Ellis (T in the Park). 

2011: Awards show up-scales to The Roundhouse and sells-out – the founding dream realised. Conference moves up to The Forum, attracts record attendance.
Hosted by: The Cuban Brothers. Lifetime Achievement Winner: Steve Heap (Association of Folk Festivals). 

2012: Awards returns to The Roundhouse. Conference joins it at the same venue for the first time.
Hosted by: Phil Jupitus. Lifetime Achievement Winner: Come and find out! 

What is the UK Festival Awards?

• The annual Oscars of the contemporary music festival business
• The kite-mark for quality events in the sector
• The only body which recognises the herculean effort which goes into producing Britain’s world-leading music festival scene.

Its mission is twofold:

1. To highlight the spectacular achievements of the festival sector
2. To empower festival-goers to shape the continuing standard of the marketplace.

Since its launch, it has grown into a major event at The Roundhouse in London, giving the industry chance to let its hair down and celebrate the achievements of the past year.

With a gourmet dinner, gala awards ceremony and after-show party, it attracts over 1,000 of the most influential people in the business.

Over half a million fan votes were cast last year, making it the benchmark by which festival-goers rate their experiences, and a coveted prize for organisers.

Awards include Best Major, Medium and Small Festival, Best Family Festival, Best Overseas Festival, Best Headline Performance, and of course – Best Toilets! Click here for the full list of Awards.

Along with its sister events, the UK Festival Conference and the European Festival Awards, the UK Festival Awards is owned and produced by Festival Awards Ltd.

More information:

• How the award winners are decided
• A brief history of the Festival Awards
• Full list of awards

Promoter Of The Year

Presented n association with Robertson Taylor, this award was decided by the Festival Awards board and recognises the festival organiser who has produced an outstanding event, overcome adversity, or truly gone above and beyond the call of duty and pulled something phenomenal out of the bag. There’s always at least one each year, often several so this one is often a very tough call for judges.

• Amust4Music (Bloodstock)
• Eastern Electrics Festival Team
• Gareth Cooper (Festival No. 6, Beach Break, Lollibop)
• Kilimanjaro Live (Wakestock, Vans Warped)
• Leo Green (Bluesfest)
• Rob da Bank (Bestivals)
• The Cream Team (Creamfields)
• Underbelly (Priceless London Wonderground)
• Upton Blues Festival Organising Committee
• Y-Not Festival Team (Truck Festival, Y-Not)

Last year’s winner: Secret Productions 

Extra-Festival Activity

This award was decided by the Festival Awards board.

Music may be the vital heartbeat of all our festivals, but it’s often the “extras”, such as pop-up performances, mass participation games, quirky installations or just spectacular attention to detail which fill heads and cameras with memories that last a lifetime. There are so many unique and wonderful creative elements at festivals, but which one was extra special this year?

• BBC Radio 1 Hackney Weekend (Radio 1’s Academy)
• Beat Herder Festival (attention to detail)
• Bearded Theory (Angel Gardens)
• Blissfields Festival (School Sports Day Theme)
• The Camden Crawl (alternative events programme)
• Galtres Festival (Dragons & Knights Theme)
• Green Man (Holiday Ticket)
• Land Of Kings (extreme creativity)
• Live From Jodrell Bank (extreme creativity)
• RockNess Express

Concession Of The Year

This award was decided by all of the participating festival organisers.

Food, drink, cash machines, merchandise: the essentials that keep festival-goers on their feet not only provide an essential source of income for festivals, but can also make a huge difference to the overall colour of an event. Concession staff are there day and night, rain or shine, with a smile and good humour, and this Award acknowledges the hard work they do and the importance of concession at festivals.

• afterCHOC
• Blas Burgerworks
• Chunky Chips & Wicked Dips
• The Harefields Bakery & Roasts
• I Love Ostrich
• The Laughing Stock
• Paelleria
• Pizza Tabun
• Viva La Cheese
• Woodburns Expresso Pizza Bar

 Last year’s winner: The Beat Hotel

 Click here for the full shortlists.

Michael Eavis enters into the spirit of the awards with The Cuban Brothers

The UK Festival Awards is a unique event that unites the leaders of Great Britain’s contemporary music festival industry under a single roof for one day and night to celebrate the past year’s successes, share insights and strategise for the year ahead.

The event takes place at The Roundhouse in London, a heritage live music venue that played host to such acts as The Doors, Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones back in the day and has since been redeveloped into one of the UK’s most state-of-the-art spaces.

During the day, the UK Festival Conference provides a forum for identifying and dissecting the challenges and opportunities facing the market with incisive panel sessions, unparalleled networking opportunities and exclusive presentations of the latest market research findings – a must for anyone with an interest in the business. Click here for more information on the Conference.

The UK Festival Conference – the essential forum for anyone with a professional interest in music festivals

In the evening, it’s time for the industry to let its hair down and toast the hard work, creativity and vision of the people who make the UK’s festivals happen, at the gala UK Festival Awards ceremony, presented by Phill Jupitus last year.

For those who want to make a special occasion out of it, Platinum Tickets provide a 3-course gourmet dinner plus unlimited complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks and a table seat on the main floor. Alternatively, the mezzanine-level seats offer an affordable way to see the show and enjoy the party. All guests have access to the aftershow party which runs until midnight in the main venue.

The Roundhouse

The 2013 UK Festival Awards and Conference

• Date: TO BE CONFIRMED
• Venue: The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London
• Awards Host: TO BE CONFIRMED
• Dress Code: Festive!
• Tickets: WATCH THIS SPACE