LONDON (CelebrityAccess) — Steve Heap, the longtime General Secretary of the Association of Festival Organizers announced plans to retire after almost 30 years at the helm of the organization.
Heap was named as AFO’s General Secretary when the AFO launched in 1987 and has overseen the organization’s growth from a handful of founding members to representing 102 festival and event organizers, with events ranging from as small as 500 to over 25,000 capacity.
Following Heap’s retirement, the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), will assume operation of the AFO, creating a combined membership of more than 200 festival and event organizers across the UK.
The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) is the UK’s leading national not-for-profit festival trade association representing the interests of 101 UK music festivals, ranging from 500 to 80,000 capacity.
“Since founding AFO in 1987, I have devoted a considerable amount of time, effort and love to the grassroots festival industry. Members and I have worked together to build a stronger, well-recognized, and sustainable future. Retiring from this desk now, after 38 years, is a big tug and I will leave all the ‘thank yous’ to my personal letters later. For now and in the future, I am delighted to be giving the reins to John Rostron and the team at AIF, where I know AFO members will find support, knowledge, campaigning, and unity in this world of festivals. AFO members are creative, conscientious, and resilient, and I believe will embrace this change of management with enthusiasm, leading on to a real recovery and strong, successful season in 2024,” Heap stated.
“Steve is a legend in the festival world and he’ll be greatly missed as he begins his retirement from AFO. I’m enormously pleased that his departing gesture is to entrust AFO to myself and the team at AIF. We’ll continue to support AFO members in the way they’ve become accustomed, but also bring new opportunities and strength by having so many independent festivals together in one place. I’m pleased that I’ll still get time with Steve as he offers his wisdom and support to me and the members as he steps back to enjoy more time in the fields and less time at a desk,” added AIF CEO John Rostron.
Heap’s retirement goes into effect on April 2nd.
