Resources
Health & Safety Policy
This document outlines BIFF's policy on Health & Safety
How To Manage Festival Entries
A helpful guide to planning and managing entries to your festival
How to Programme A Festival
A handy guide of areas to consider when planning your festival programme.
How To Steward A Festival
A useful guide to stewarding a festival including the different stewards and their role in running a successful event.
Insurance Product Information Document 2024
An overview of the coverage offered by the 2024 Festival Liability and Loss of Money insurance package.
Insurance Product Information Document 2025
An overview of the coverage offered by the 2025 Festival Liability and Loss of Money insurance package.
Investments for Festivals
A introductory guide to investments for your festival
Leaflet - Festival Child Protection
Child protection information for staff and volunteers working at Federation Festival events. This leaflet provides an overview of child protection and your broad responsibilities. It is not intended to replace the need for staff and volunteers to know the relevant policies and procedures.
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.
Long Service Awards Nomination Form
Long Service Awards Nomination Form for Festivals to acknowledge volunteer service to the festival movement. You can also apply and pay for a Long Service Award online at https://www.federationoffestivals.org.uk/long-service-awards-nomination-form
Managing Accompanists at Festivals
A useful guide to working with accompanists at your festival.
Marketing, Recruitment & Managing Change
An introduction to festival marketing strategies. This covers identifying and reaching your audience, communication, website design and content, social media presence, press and print.
Marking Schemes - Final version for consultation
Following feedback from adjudicators and festivals over a number years, the Adjudicators Council has been working to update the BIFF Marking Schemes and are delighted to be able to share these initial proposals with you.
Music Session - 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.
New BIFF marking scheme guidance
This presentation gives an overview of how to use the new BIFF marking scheme.
New Marking Scheme support and training session recordings
Watch our online information sessions to find out more about the new BIFF marking scheme which is being rolled out from the 1st April 2024.
NNCEE - A Guide to Child Performance Licensing (2020)
The National Network for Children in Entertainment and Employment's (NNCEE) Guide to child performance licensing.
Online Meetings & Governing Documents
Guidance and advice in relation to updating governing bodies, specifically in relation to allowing online meetings.
Online Safety Policy
This is BIFF's policy on online safety.
Photography & Filming at Festivals
A guide to good practice when managing photography and filming at your festival.
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.
Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders
BIFF's policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders
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.
Privacy Policy
BIFF's Privacy Policy outlining how we process personal data.
QR Code - Descriptors and Criteria
QR code to the Descriptors and Criteria for the new marking scheme rolled out on 1st April 2024. This can be copied and pasted into festival programmes or used on festival websites as an easy way to access the Descriptors and Criteria.
Recruiting Festival Volunteers
This document provides a guide to recruiting volunteers to your festival and what you need to think about when doing this.
Recruitment Form 1: Volunteer Application Form
This must be completed by ALL who work for with you, whether or not they need a DBS check.
Recruitment Form 2: Self Certification Form
To be completed by people who require a DBS check as part of their role.
Rules & Byelaws
This document is our amended Rules & Byelaws to reflect the changes proposed in our Organisational Restructure Proposal 2024/2025. The new additions or amendments are flagged in red text.
S&D Session - Board Set Texts - Rebecca Vines
“Time gallops withal” This interactive session looked at how to retain standards and expectations in the modern world. This session explored: • Hip hop, rap and performance poetry in the syllabus. • Post- 2000 poets and playwrights. • What makes a good adjudicator: best practice refresher. • Bums on seats: keeping Shakespeare relevant in the digital age.