Agenda item

            The Committee considered a report in relation to a request from UP Productions for the hire of Boucher Playing Fields from the 24th May - 7th June 2020 for the AVA Music Festival.

            The Committee was advised that the AVA Festival was an Audio Visual Arts 2-day event with multi-stage electronic music, visual art installations and an outdoor art exhibition. The Festival was part of a wider event across the City called AVA Belfast, which was supported by the Council and included a free conference in The Mac and a proposal for more installations at Custom House Square.  The event programme featured both local and International talent, with over 60+ artists involved. 

            The Committee was advised that the festival was a ticketed event, for strictly over 18’s, with the demographic of the event being music fans, tourists and arts enthusiast.  The average age was 23-24 years old.  Over 35% of the tickets were sold to tourists travelling in from outside of Northern Ireland, so there for the event was key in driving economic and social benefits for the City.  This would be the Festival's 6th Year, and it had celebrated great success and press to date being named 'One of the UK Best City Festivals' by the Guardian, and a finalist in the UK Festival Awards for 'Best Metropolitan Small Festivals' and a winner of that category in the Irish Festival awards.

            The Arts Council, Future Screens NI, Invest NI and the Tourist Board all supported the AVA Festival and AVA partnered with Help Musicians NI in order to raise money via guest list donations for that charity.  It also broadcast a stage, which went out live from the event to over 900,000.

            The event would operate controlled access and the space used would be securely fenced off with steel shield type fencing.  All attendees would hold a ticket, and would need to present both a ticket and a passport or driving license in order to gain access.  Those tickets could be purchased via the Council’s website and the main ticketing providers.

            The Committee approved the request, subject to the following:

·        the appropriate legal agreements, including bond arrangements being prepared to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor;

·        the Strategic Director of City and Neighbourhood Services negotiating an appropriate fee for use of the facility, taking into account costs to the Council, minimising negative impact on the immediate area but also the potential wider benefit to the city economy;

·        the Event Organisers being required to meet all statutory requirements and responsibilities, including Public Liability Insurance cover, Health and Safety, Food Safety and entertainment licensing;

·        the timely payment of the bond as required in the legal agreements

·        Event Organisers consulting with public bodies and local communities as necessary;

·        The preparation of an event management plan, which would be subject to the organisers liaising with Council officers and meeting all statutory, legal and Health and safety requirements;

·        Organisers would also be required to reinstate all Council property to its original condition after use. Organisers would be reminded that the current ground conditions and location of this event might have to change due to adverse weather conditions, which shall cover all aspects of management including health and safety, access and will comply with the current events policy.