Shambala becomes first UK festival to transfer to employee ownership model

The move sees the festival’s original co-founders Kambe Events step away from ownership, ceding the business to the team members who have helped build it over more than two decades.

The transition will see Shambala owned by an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), helping to ensure the festival will remain independent and that its team will share in future successes.

Co-founder and MD Chris Johnson said: “All of us at Shambala have an emotional stake in what we have built over 25 years - now everyone has an ownership stake too.

“We would be nothing without our people, and they deserve to carry on the Shambala legacy as beneficiaries."

This bold step comes at a time when many independent festivals are being acquired by major live entertainment conglomerates, marking a significant alternative path for the sector.

By choosing employee ownership, Shambala is reinforcing its commitment to independence, sustainability and ethical stewardship.

Mr Johnson added : “Shambala stands for independence and, in an increasingly commercialised festival scene, we simply could not sell to venture capitalists or the big promotion companies.

“While exploring alternative paths, we fell in love with the Employee Ownership model.”

While recent years have seen a rise in community ownership of independent venues and a growing number of employee-owned retailers, this transition represents a first for the UK festival industry - setting a new precedent for how live events businesses can evolve, while keeping their core values very much intact.

Head of Music and another of the festival’s co-founders, Dan Raffety has led Kambe’s transition to EO.

He said: “It is patently clear that the current capitalist model is fundamentally broken.

“As a society we must explore alternative models of ownership as a way through which the massive power and potential of capitalism can be focused on serving humanity and the planet at large.

“Employee Ownership is just the next, natural step in Kambe’s adventures towards a utopia - the next phase in our constant evolution towards justice and a better world.”

The move continues a long-standing tradition of thought-leadership and innovation for Shambala.

Over its 26-year history, the festival has been at the forefront of industry change, particularly in areas like sustainability and ethical operations.

This latest development adds to a legacy defined by forward-thinking decisions and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

By placing ownership in the hands of its employees, the festival is ensuring that its founding ethos - creativity, sustainability, independence and community - remains protected for years to come.

Shambala takes place over four days in August at Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens and features more than 30 stages and venues.

Together these offer one of the summer’s most diverse lineups, from world-class heritage acts to groundbreaking new talent and spanning everything from techno and house to soul, punk and folk.

This year, acts including Bob Vylan, Goat, Orchestra Baobab, BCUC, Los Bitchos, The Selecter, Night Tapes and Reggie Watts are among the hundreds of acts who will be performing.

Last year, Shambala was named Independent Festival of the Year and Medium Festival of the Year by the UK Festival Awards, as well as winning the Sarah Nulty Community Impact Award. Additionally, it scooped Best Independent Festival in the 2025 Access All Areas awards.

Remaining tickets are available via https://www.shambalafestival.org.