LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN RUNNING MUSIC FESTIVALS AND CONCERTS

If you're organizing a festival, you must be aware of your legal responsibilities. You need to be aware of your obligations related to;
- Event cancellation
- Advertised acts failing to perform
- Lack of advertised goods and services at festivals
Making false or misleading representations
It is an offence to make false or misleading representations about an event. This includes claims made in advertising or communications about the artists performing or services available. You must have reasonable grounds for making any claim about the event.
Accepting payment for tickets
You must not accept payment for a festival if you;
- don’t intend to hold the event
- Intend to hold a different event to the one you advertised
- Know or should have known that you wouldn’t be able to hold the event.
If you accept payment in the above circumstances you may be committing an offence. If you’ve accepted payments for an event that is then canceled you may be committing an offence,even if you intended the event would go ahead.
Businesses that genuinely try to meet supply agreements should not be affected.
Event changes or cancellations
You must give a full refund if an event is canceled. If you cancel an advertised act or don’t provide an advertised service, the costumer may be entitled to a full or part refund. You cant add a term or condition to limit your liability for refunds. This may be considered an unfair contract term. It is recommended to communicate to attendees any changes to an eventas soon as possible and as widely as possible.