Resources for Festivals

Downloadable resources are accessible to members only. The resources listed here only offer a preview of the documents we offer. If you are already a member, please login to access this content.

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Adjudicator Contract of Engagement

Template Contract of Engagement between a festival and a BIFF adjudicator.

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Adjudicator Letter of Engagement

Template Letter of Engagement between a festival and a BIFF adjudicator.

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Festival Engagements by Adjudicators and Accompanists 2025

List of engagements at BIFF festivals as notified to us by Adjudicator and Accompanist members.

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BIFF Mark Scheme Guidance

This presentation gives an overview of how to use the BIFF mark scheme.

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BIFF mark scheme support and training sessions

Watch our online information sessions to find out more about the BIFF mark scheme which was rolled out on the 1st April 2024.

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Descriptors and Criteria - Dance

Dance Descriptors and Criteria for the BIFF Mark Scheme with optional marks.

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Descriptors and Criteria - Dance - Bands only

Dance Descriptors and Criteria for the BIFF Mark Scheme using bands only.

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Descriptors and Criteria - Music

Music Descriptors and Criteria for the BIFF Mark Scheme.

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Descriptors and Criteria - Speech & Drama

Speech & Drama Descriptors and Criteria for the BIFF Mark Scheme.

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Mark Sheet Templates for Adjudicators

Template mark sheet for use by adjudicators at BIFF festivals.

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Backing Tracks - Guidelines and Recommendations

Guidelines and recommendations for the use of backing tracks at festivals.

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BIFF Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how we will collect and use your personal data.

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Code of Good Practice for BIFF Member Festivals

Code of Good Practice for BIFF Member Festivals

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Complaints Policy & Procedure

This document sets out BIFF's Complaints Policy and Procedure, explaining how stakeholders can raise concerns, the responsibilities of both BIFF and the complainant, and the three-stage process for handling complaints — from informal resolution through to formal consideration by a Complaints Panel and, if necessary, final referral to the Board of Trustees.

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Copyright Guidance

Our guide to copyright

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Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

This document is a statement of our policy for achieving equality of opportunity throughout the work of BIFF and its members. This policy shall inform our actions and attitudes to all BIFF members, employees, sub-contractors, trustees, volunteers, participants and members of the public attending our events.

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GDPR - A Guide for Festivals

An overview of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in a festival context with steps to take to ensure your festival is GDPR compliant

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Guidelines for Online/Virtual Festivals and Adjudication

Issue 3 updated 21st April 2021.

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Guidelines for Recording Adjudications at Virtual Festivals

Guidelines for sharing recorded adjudications at virtual festivals.

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Health & Safety Policy

This document outlines BIFF's policy on Health & Safety.

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Online Safety Policy

This policy covers the use of social media by BIFF and its members to promote work and activities directly related to the continued development of the amateur festival sector. In this case social media, communication can take place with groups and individuals on a local, regional, national and international level.

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Photography & Filming at Festivals

A guide to good practice when managing photography and filming at your festival.

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Policy on the handling and storage of information

Personalise this for your organisation and pass it on to anyone who is being DBS checked. This is to inform them of what happens to their private information and they must receive a copy of this document from you.

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Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders

BIFF's policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders

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Policy on the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders

Personalise this document for your festival. You need to have a policy and a copy must be passed to anyone you are DBS checking. They have a right to know what you will do if information comes back on their form and you have to make a decision whether to employ them or not. This also applies to volunteers.

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Recommended Fees, Expenses and Terms & Conditions for Adjudicators and Accompanists 2026

This document is for use by BIFF festivals, adjudicators and accompanists when entering into contracts of engagement.

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Risk Assessment for Festivals

This document outlines what to look for when making a risk assessment.

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Sri Lanka - Recommended Fees, Terms and Conditions

This document provides our recommended Fees, Terms and Conditions for use when working at our member festivals in Sri Lanka.

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Template Privacy Notice

A template for a Privacy Notice which can be used as a guide when putting together a Privacy Notice for your festival.

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Child Performance Licences - The Essentials

This resource provides an introduction to the essential information relating to child performance licences in a festival context and includes the NNCEE Guide to Child Performance Licensing presentation.

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Child Protection Policy Statement

This document sets out BIFF's Child Protection Policy Statement, outlining the organisation's commitment to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people across all member festivals, the principles that underpin that commitment, and the practical measures — including the appointment of safeguarding officers, safe recruitment, and compliance with relevant legislation — through which BIFF and its member festivals seek to protect young participants from harm.

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Child Protection Procedures

These procedures apply to all staff and volunteers working with children, in whatever capacity or setting at our festivals, either paid or unpaid.

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Child Protection Reporting Concerns Form

This document provides a template form for recording and actioning any child protection concerns at BIFF member festivals.

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Creating Safer Festivals for Everyone

This document outlines the main elements of the child protection policies and procedures to which BIFF member festivals should adhere in order to ensure the safety of children at their events. This document should be included on your festival's syllabus/website.

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DBS - Frequently Asked Questions

This is our frequently asked questions information sheet covering DBS checks. This includes who needs a check and how to apply for a check via our external DBS check partner, uCheck.

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Leaflet - Festival Child Protection

A quick-reference guide for festival staff and volunteers on recognising and reporting child protection concerns at Federation Festival events.

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Leaflet - Safe Working Practice

This is an introductory leaflet to help establish the safest possible working environments for our staff and volunteers in their work with children and young people at our Festivals. We aim to protect children and young people, and to guard against misinterpretation of behaviours and/or unfounded allegations.

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Photography & Filming at Festivals

A guide to good practice when managing photography and filming at your festival.

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Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders

BIFF's policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders

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Policy on the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders

Personalise this document for your festival. You need to have a policy and a copy must be passed to anyone you are DBS checking. They have a right to know what you will do if information comes back on their form and you have to make a decision whether to employ them or not. This also applies to volunteers.

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Adjudicating Commercial & Street Dance styles

Presentation and video guidance on how to identify and adjudicate Commercial & Street Dance styles

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Handling difficult conversations

John Walker from Peninsula Training shares ideas for using assertive communication, managing difficult conversations and techniques for dealing with conflict.

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Poetry Recommendations for Festivals - Rebecca Vines

This presentation outlines some poetry recommendations for festivals.

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Sounds Contemporary - Joanna Walling

Rock and Pop Specialist, Joanna Walling outlines how we can maximise entries for rock and pop and how to ensure that adjudication is the same quality as it is in other genres.

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TES (Educare) CPD Safeguarding Training

Safeguarding and Child Protection training is a priority concern for our members and TES (EduCare) is the UK’s leading provider of online Safeguarding and Duty of Care training courses. Find out more and register here.

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Triangle of Taste - Damien Anyasi

Damien Anyasi (Founder of B-Better) shares his easy-to-use guide for appropriate choreographic practice.

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BIFF Logos and Brand Guidelines

Download BIFF logos and view the brand guidelines.

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Easy and cost-effective ways to market your festival and develop a brand identity

Build a simple brand identity for your festival. Use free tools to create professional templates. Make your festival stand out. Understand importance of marketing your festival effectively.

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Embracing Technology

Inverclyde case study - Using technology to develop a sustainable future for the Festival.

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Marketing, Recruitment & Managing Change (Mid Somerset Festival case study)

An introduction to festival marketing strategies. This covers identifying and reaching your audience, communication, website design and content, social media presence, press and print.

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Putting the ‘funds’ in fundraising

Finlay Campbell's presentation on how to achieve financial sustainability in a world full of uncertainties.

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Social Media - A beginners guide

Presentation by adjudicator Jane Wilkinson on how to use social media and make a big impact with small resources.

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Social Media as a Marketing Tool

Chris Blurton, BIFF Vice Chair, explores the need for adjudicators and festivals to create a new culture around the use of social media as a marketing tool.

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Social Media Best Practices

Sophie Melvin, Head of Marketing & PR at Kode production studio outlined how to use social media and other technology more effectively to promote the festival movement and to increase visibility. This session included a look at safeguarding issues in relation to social media and filming, how adjudicators tackle self-promotion online and how to raise the visibility of BIFF as an organisation.

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Social Media Posters

To help us to increase the visibility of BIFF on social media, we have created three posters for festivals to use in their festival programmes and share on social media, should you wish to do so.

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Successful approaches to fundraising, sponsorship and strategic partnerships

Annette Brown talks about successful approaches in relation to fundraising, sponsorship and creating effective partnerships.

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2026 Insurance Product Information

Festival insurance from BIFF gives member festivals the financial protection they need to run with confidence, covering you against the unexpected costs that can arise before, during and after your event.

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A Festival Organiser's Diary

An overview to help to plan and organise your festival year.

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Adjudicator Contract of Engagement

Template Contract of Engagement between a festival and a BIFF adjudicator.

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Adjudicator Letter of Engagement

Template Letter of Engagement between a festival and a BIFF adjudicator.

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Code of Good Practice for BIFF Member Festivals

Code of Good Practice for BIFF Member Festivals

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Engaging an Adjudicator

This document provides guidance for BIFF festival organisers on how to find, select, contact, and formally engage adjudicators and accompanists, covering the use of BIFF's Adjudicator and Accompanist Directory and Festival Engagements List, what to look for in an adjudicator, how to make provisional and confirmed bookings, the correct use of engagement letters and contracts, and how to handle changes, cancellations and last-minute replacements.

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Festival Engagements by Adjudicators and Accompanists 2025

List of engagements at BIFF festivals as notified to us by Adjudicator and Accompanist members.

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Good ideas from Festivals

This document outlines some best practice, useful information and good ideas collected from festivals.

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How To Manage Festival Entries

A helpful guide to planning and managing entries to your festival.

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Programming a Festival and Timing Classes

This document provides guidance for BIFF festival organisers on how to structure and timetable a festival day, covering recommended start and finish times, break durations, and meal arrangements to respect the adjudicator's maximum 9-hour working day, along with specific practical programming tips for Dance Festivals relating to age groups, class ordering, stage preparation, and scheduling considerations.

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All England Dance Genre Descriptors

An overview of All England Dance Genre Descriptors, revised in 2022.

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How To Steward A Festival

A useful guide to stewarding a festival including the different stewards and their role in running a successful event.

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Working with your Accompanist at a Festival

This document provides guidance for BIFF festival organisers on how to engage and manage Accompanists.

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Working with your Adjudicator at the Festival

This document provides guidance for festival organisers on consider when working with your adjudicator during the festival.

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Arts Award - Sarah Hughes

Looking at possible volunteering options for festivals, Sarah Hughes from Arts Award outlines the benefits of festivals becoming Arts Awards Supporters.

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Long Service Awards for Festival Volunteers

How to apply for a Long Service Award for festivals to acknowledge volunteer service to the festival movement.

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Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders

BIFF's policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders

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Policy on the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders

Personalise this document for your festival. You need to have a policy and a copy must be passed to anyone you are DBS checking. They have a right to know what you will do if information comes back on their form and you have to make a decision whether to employ them or not. This also applies to volunteers.

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Recruiting Festival Volunteers

This document provides a guide to recruiting volunteers to your festival and what you need to think about when doing this.

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Volunteers & Recruitment Presentation

This presentation given an insight into who volunteers, how they volunteer, why they volunteer, how to create appealing volunteer opportunities and recruit new volunteers.

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Adjudicator Contract of Engagement

Adjudicator Letter of Engagement

Festival Engagements by Adjudicators and Accompanists 2025

BIFF Mark Scheme Guidance

BIFF mark scheme support and training sessions

Descriptors and Criteria - Dance

Descriptors and Criteria - Dance - Bands only

Descriptors and Criteria - Music

Descriptors and Criteria - Speech & Drama

Mark Sheet Templates for Adjudicators

Backing Tracks - Guidelines and Recommendations

BIFF Privacy Policy

Code of Good Practice for BIFF Member Festivals

Complaints Policy & Procedure

Copyright Guidance

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

GDPR - A Guide for Festivals

Guidelines for Online/Virtual Festivals and Adjudication

Guidelines for Recording Adjudications at Virtual Festivals

Health & Safety Policy

Online Safety Policy

Photography & Filming at Festivals

Policy on the handling and storage of information

Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders

Policy on the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders

Recommended Fees, Expenses and Terms & Conditions for Adjudicators and Accompanists 2026

Risk Assessment for Festivals

Sri Lanka - Recommended Fees, Terms and Conditions

Template Privacy Notice

Child Performance Licences - The Essentials

Child Protection Policy Statement

Child Protection Procedures

Child Protection Reporting Concerns Form

Creating Safer Festivals for Everyone

DBS - Frequently Asked Questions

Leaflet - Festival Child Protection

Leaflet - Safe Working Practice

Photography & Filming at Festivals

Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders

Policy on the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders

Adjudicating Commercial & Street Dance styles

Handling difficult conversations

Poetry Recommendations for Festivals - Rebecca Vines

Sounds Contemporary - Joanna Walling

TES (Educare) CPD Safeguarding Training

Triangle of Taste - Damien Anyasi

BIFF Logos and Brand Guidelines

Easy and cost-effective ways to market your festival and develop a brand identity

Embracing Technology

Marketing, Recruitment & Managing Change (Mid Somerset Festival case study)

Putting the ‘funds’ in fundraising

Social Media - A beginners guide

Social Media as a Marketing Tool

Social Media Best Practices

Social Media Posters

Successful approaches to fundraising, sponsorship and strategic partnerships

2026 Insurance Product Information

A Festival Organiser's Diary

Adjudicator Contract of Engagement

Adjudicator Letter of Engagement

Code of Good Practice for BIFF Member Festivals

Engaging an Adjudicator

Festival Engagements by Adjudicators and Accompanists 2025

Good ideas from Festivals

How To Manage Festival Entries

Programming a Festival and Timing Classes

All England Dance Genre Descriptors

How To Steward A Festival

Working with your Accompanist at a Festival

Working with your Adjudicator at the Festival

Arts Award - Sarah Hughes

Long Service Awards for Festival Volunteers

Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders

Policy on the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders

Recruiting Festival Volunteers

Volunteers & Recruitment Presentation

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