IFF brings together 1,000 leading agents and festival bookers each year in London. A mix of focussed business meetings, networking sessions and innovative conference programming keep the event fresh and relevant for very busy people.
Here two bookers and an agent talk about what they get out of IFF and why it forms a key part in their festival booking calendar.
What do you get out of attending IFF from a business point of view?
Catching up with both friends and partners across Europe but in a more business focussed environment than, say, other showcase festivals.
What’s your favourite element of IFF personally?
The geographic footprint is very small so you can stack up a huge number of meetings in a very short space of time and the logistics are pretty painless.
That everything is in the same area also means more chance encounters (which IMHO generally pan out to be the most valuable afterwards) but without the claustrophobia that can come with being stuck in one building all day.
What would you say to someone considering attending IFF for the first time?
The most meeting focused conference of all. Whilst there are panels and showcasing, the distraction is limited and this is one to one b2b focussed activity.
What do you get out of attending IFF from a business point of view?
Attending IFF is always a productive experience, and a great opportunity to connect with a diverse spread of people across our industry and the music ecosystem at large. I often end up doing a great deal of business right then and there during the conference, learning lots about the current state of play in many companies and parts of the world, while generally staying on top of the very latest and most relevant developments in the music universe.
What’s your favourite element of IFF personally?
I really enjoy getting some face time with so many friends and colleagues, while also making sure it's time well spent for the artists I represent; securing opportunities, gathering intel, and of course the chance to present some of our most exciting artists in a live setting, to a broad spread of industry professionals. It's always a very fun week. An intense and tiring one to be sure, but a very enjoyable one too!
What would you say to someone considering attending IFF for the first time?
I would say this is an invaluable resource, and one that will pay dividends. But you've got to come prepared, and ready to put in a serious amount of energy to get the most out of it. I'd suggest you stay super-organized and arrange your scheduled meetings in advance. However, you need to allow plenty of time for those impromptu and unplanned interactions to take place too...some of the best moments happen that way. Remember to check out the showcases, as so many brilliant new artists are on show; and if they can pull off a compelling performance in front of a room that's seen it all, you can envision a promising future ahead for them.
What do you get out of attending IFF from a business point of view?
I really get a lot of done! The enormous concentration of artist agents and festival promoters makes it very effective.
What’s your favourite element of IFF personally?
I love that you can bump into old friends and new faces especially during afternoon drinks and have very informal and friendly conversation.
What would you say to someone considering attending IFF for the first time?
Do it, it is worth every penny. However be organized and schedule as many meetings as you can.
