First of all, please allow us to apologise for taking this long to respond to the recently published open letter and to release a public statement.
Since Field Day began as an independent festival in 2007, our aim has always been, simply, to give you an incredible festival experience with the very best artists from around the world. Through many challenging times, various venues and several changes of ownership, Field Day has never compromised on those ambitions and values, putting on the best show we can in the way we always have.
By partnering with Superstruct Entertainment in April 2023, the future of the festival and its creative and operational independence were secured – the ownership changed but not the ethos. Since then, as has been reported, they have been bought by KKR, of which we had no say in, which has prompted a passionate discussion.
As a high-profile event operating in a global context, our team, of course, recognises the strength of feeling of the artists involved and the fans who attend. The open letter itself says that this situation is “not the choice of Field Day” and we are sorry that some artists have chosen not to perform at this year’s festival.
We have a new home this year but Field Day is, at its heart, the same as it ever was: the dedicated team who put it on, the fans who attend and the artists who bring the soundtrack from all over the world. We remain in full creative control of Field Day and our values remained unchanged.
We know there will be many of you out there who are hurt and angry about this situation. We hope that this helps you to understand the position of the festival team.
We look forward to seeing many of you in Brockwell Park next weekend.
