Iona Fyfe has hit out at the Doune The Rabbit Hole festival organisers after they have left musicians waiting three years for payment
The festival still owes around £800,000 from last year’s festival.
It was held last July at the Cardross Estate near Stirling after being cancelled the previous two years because of Covid.
Appearing on BBC’s Good Morning Scotland on Thursday, the Huntly-born singer-songwriter who is a regional board member of the Musicians’ Union, said: “I performed at the festival in 2016 and 2019.
“It took many months to be paid. I was paid less in 2019 than I was in 2016. They came back to me in 2022 and asked to be paid £200.
“Unfortunately this has been going on for a number of years now.”
Union calls for Doune The Rabbit Hole boycott
The Bectu union which represents contractors, including stage crews and technicians, who work behind the scenes at musical festivals has called for a boycott of the festival.
Director Craig Murray has accused the union of trying to “destroy” the event.
However, he took to Twitter to claim that his allegation of malice is not aimed at Iona.
He wrote: “It is aimed at Bectu and others who have spread an extraordinary set of malicious falsehoods with the declared purpose of destroying the festival.
“It is not a commercial or profit-making event. The owners have never taken a penny out – I know because that’s me.”
I would clarify that my allegation of malice stands but is not aimed at Iona.
It is aimed at BECTU and others who have spread an extraordinary set of malicious falsehoods with the declared purpose of destroying the festival. https://t.co/YUaaRbRdMt— Craig Murray – (@CraigMurrayOrg) June 9, 2023
It is understood the festival’s business plan is to scale down the festival and generate a profit which would allow them to pay a third of the debts from last year.
Musicians report not getting paid
Ms Fyfe told Good Morning Scotland: “Mr Murray does maintain that no one from pre-2022 is missing money, but this is not the case when I am on the ground speaking to other musicians who have yet to be paid from previous iterations of the festival.
“I personally believe that if you haven’t paid your workers for last year, how on earth do you ensure that you can pay the musicians for this year?”
However, the Musicians’ Union has not called for a boycott.
Instead, they are asking performers to sign a contract with the festival which sets out a date before the festival where the artist will be paid 100% of their fee in advance.
Watch the official Doune The Rabbit Hole aftermovie below.
Ms Fyfe said: “If the money isn’t forthcoming they can then make an informed decision whether or not to go and play
“In 2022, many acts were not paid on the day which was agreed upon. They were on the wings, on stage, their hands were tied in order to not let their fans down – they were boxed into a corner.”
This is not the first time Ms Fyfe has been involved in campaigning for musicians to receive fair pay.
In October 2021, she wrote an opinion piece for The Press and Journal stating that often musicians are paid unfairly.
The outspoken 25-year-old has always been prepared to express her opinions on everything from Scottish independence – which she supports – to promoting her native Scots and cheering on the Dons.
Ms Fyfe ‘Bad practices all round’
Festival organisers also faced controversy after they asked volunteers to pay a deposit to work at the event.
Mr Murray said this is because a percentage of volunteers enter the festival claiming to work, but then disappear into the crowd and just get free entry.
Ms Fyfe said: “It should not be asking its volunteers to put down a £100 downpayment for the privilege of volunteering – bad practices all round.”
The Doune The Rabbit Hole festival is set to run from July 21 to July 23. Learn more on its website.
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