The Obligations and Responsibilities of External Contractors at Music Festivals.

A huge amount of trust is put in external contractors appointed by festival organisers to deliver quality products and services on time and in a professional manner. Delivering what has been contracted is only part of the obligations an external contractor must fulfil as their responsibilities on a festival site go beyond this.

Every music festival relies on a range of external contractors in order to create amazing events that satisfy festival-goers, artists, vendors and sponsors. Failure in any one area of responsibility can cause delays, safety concerns and legal consequences. A poorly executed music festival can severely damage the organiser's credibility and brand which will impact on future ticket sales. 

Logistics and Contract Compliance. 
Organisers will often approach multiple contractors before appointing a winning bid usually based a combination of price, delivery timescales, quality of service or products and previous experience. Once appointed there will always be a legal contract drawn up between parties which specifies what is to be delivered and when. This may include any technical specifications, schedules and budgets agreed. With such tight deadlines on deliveries, it is not unusual for organisers to insert clauses that specify financial penalties for late delivery for example. Contractors are obliged to deliver exactly what has been agreed in a timely manner so a constant flow of transparent communication between contractors and organisers is essential. Organisers usually run strict delivery timescales for both build-up and tear-down, so it is essential that contractor's teams fit into assigned schedules to ensure a smooth infrastructure build process. Any on-site issues that can cause delays need to be reported promptly so that remedial action can take place. 

Health and Safety, Insurance and Training Compliance. 
Organisers will usually insist on seeing all relevant safety compliance certifications as well as any legally required insurance. Contractors may be working with numerous hazards which could involve lifting heavy equipment or working with electricity and they will be obliged to show evidence that their staff have all been trained to any required standards. This evidence extends to all staff having an understanding and relevant training that meets all health and safety standards expected on the festival site. 

Sustainability Obligations. 
Music festival entities are increasingly working on improving their sustainability credentials and fulfilling their policies and this extends to all contractors working on a site too. Any materials and equipment should be made from environmentally friendly or sustainable materials where possible and could be a requirement in the bidding process anyway. Organisers may ask that contractors provide evidence of their carbon footprint and their own adherence to eco-friendly practices. A key element for contractors is their commitment to reducing waste and ensuring that after the festival they return the site to its previous condition leaving no trace. 

Contractor Working Practices. 
Organisers may ask to see evidence form potential contractors of their own working practices for staff. This could be in the form of human resources policies which indicate that workers are fairly compensated. This could also extend to policies on DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) which are also increasingly important for any organisation that employs people. Organisers may provide contractors with guidelines about working on a festival site indicating the behaviour expected when dealing with others which should be professional and courteous at all times, in what is often a high pressure working environment. 

For festival organisers planning their next events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics including a dedicated contractor module. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by This_is_Engineering via Pixabay

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