Big Gig

1. The Promoter

The promoter is: The Guide Association (“Girlguiding”) of 17-19 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0PT.

2. The competition

2.1 The title of the competition is Big Gig Artwork Competition.

2.2 To enter the entrant must create and submit artwork. This can be using whatever tools they wish. It could be a painting, drawing, an illustration, collage, a relief print, or even a digital design. Entrants can experiment with mixed media by adding textiles and recycled materials or try sculpting with clay to create a 3D masterpiece. Entrants may use bold watercolours or simple sketching pencils, they need to show what Big Gig means to them. 

2.3 Entry criteria include the following:

• 2.3.1  original and using entrant’s own ideas (not copied, plagiarised or using AI);
• 2.3.2 imaginative, colourful and creative as possible;
• 2.3.3 no bigger than A3 in size (29.7cm x 42cm);
• 2.3.4 You can submit up to 3 photos of the same piece of artwork;
• 2.3.5 No identifying features, photos or personal details, including your name, your town or city, or your Girlguiding group/names;
• 2.3.6 No use of any pre-existing characters, brand names, band logos or names, or third parties. The artwork also must not contain any inappropriate or political statements, images, logos or branding. The entrant may use or be inspired by our Girlguiding Big Gig branding if they wish; and
• 2.3.7 entries must have an attached consent form. All entries without a consent form will be discarded.

3. How to enter

3.1 The competition will run from 9 am on 18 May 2026 (the "Opening Date") to 11.59pm on 20 July 2026 (the "Closing Date") inclusive.

3.2 All competition entries must be received by the Promoter at the address set out at condition 1 by the Closing Date. All competition entries received after the Closing Date are automatically disqualified.

3.3 To enter the competition the entrant must send their entry to [email protected] before the Closing Date.

3.4 No purchase necessary for entry to the BIG GIG Art Competition.

3.5 The Promoter will not accept:

• (a) responsibility for competition entries that are corrupted, not successfully completed or transmitted, lost, mislaid, damaged or delayed in transit, regardless of cause, including, for example, as a result of any postal failure, equipment failure, technical malfunction, systems, satellite, network, server, website, computer hardware or software failure of any kind; or
• (b) proof of posting or transmission as proof of receipt of entry to the competition.

3.6 By submitting a competition entry, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.

3.7 The competition entries will be judged by a panel of judges based on the entry criteria as set out in condition 2.3. If applicable, the decision of the independent judge will be the tie breaker. The decision of the panel of judges (acting reasonably) will be final.

3.8 The Promoter will send the full names of the judges to anyone who writes within one month after the Closing Date of the competition requesting details of the judges and who encloses a self-addressed envelope to the address 17-19 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0PT.

4. Eligibility

4.1 The competition is only open to all residents in the UK aged 18 years or over, except:

• (a) employees of the Promoter or its holding or subsidiary companies;
• (b) employees of agents or suppliers of the Promoter or its holding or subsidiary companies, who are professionally connected with the competition or its administration;
• (c) panel judges or Pioneer (youth and international youth panel)
• (d) members of the immediate families or households of (a), (b) and (c) above.

4.2 In entering the competition, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and eligible to claim the prize. The Promoter may require you to provide proof that you are eligible to enter the competition.

4.3 The Promoter will not accept competition entries that are:

• (a) automatically generated by computer or created by artificial intelligence (including but not limited to chatbots such as ChatGPT or similar software applications);
• (b) completed by third parties or in bulk;
• (c) illegible, have been altered, reconstructed, forged or tampered with;
• (d) photocopies and not originals; or
• (e) incomplete.

4.4 There is a limit of one entry per person. Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed.

4.5 The Promoter reserves all rights to disqualify you if your conduct is contrary to the spirit or intention of the prize competition.

4.6 Competition entries cannot be returned.

5. The prize

5.1 The prizes are a bundle of Big Gig merchandise, including badge, 2 pin badges, lanyard, wristband, tote bag, t-shirt and hoodie (subject to availability).

5.2 Prizes are subject to availability. There is no cash alternative for the prizes. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize with a prize of equal or greater value.

5.3 The prizes are is not negotiable [or transferable.

5.4 In order to claim the prizes the winner must respond to the notification email they will have been sent within 14 days of receipt.

6. Winners

6.1 The decision the judges nominated by the Promoter is final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.

6.2 The winner will be announced on 1 September 2026 (the “Announcement Date”)

6.3 The Promoter will contact the winner personally as soon as practicable after the Announcement Date, using the email address provided with the competition entry.

6.4 The Promoter must either publish or make available information that indicates that a valid award took place. To comply with this obligation the Promoter will publish the surname and county of the prize winner and, if applicable, their winning entries to anyone who emails [email protected] or writes to the address set out in CONDITION 1 (enclosing a self-addressed envelope) within one month after the Closing Date of the competition.

6.5 If you object to any or all of your surname, county and winning entry being published or made available, please contact the Promoter [[email protected]]. In such circumstances, the Promoter must still provide the information and winning entry to the Advertising Standards Authority on request.

7. Claiming the prize

7.1 If you are the winner of the prize, you will have 14 days from the Announcement Date to claim the prize by in accordance with condition 5.4.

7.2 The prizes may not be claimed by a third party on your behalf.

7.3 The Promoter will make all reasonable efforts to contact the winner. If the winner cannot be contacted or is not available, or has not claimed their prize within 14 days of the Announcement Date, the Promoter reserves the right to offer the prize to the next eligible entrant selected from the correct entries that were received before the Closing Date.

7.4 The Promoter does not accept any responsibility if you are not able to take up the prizes.

8. imitation of liability

Insofar as is permitted by law, the Promoter, its agents or distributors will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate the winner or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking up the prize except where it is caused by the negligence of the Promoter, its agents or distributors or that of their employees. Your statutory rights are not affected.

9. Ownership of competition entries and intellectual property rights

9.1 All competition entries and any accompanying material submitted to the Promoter will become the property of the Promoter on receipt and will not be returned.

9.2 By submitting your competition entry and any accompanying material, you agree to:

• (a) assign absolutely to the Promoter all your intellectual property rights held in the competition entry with full title guarantee; and
• (b) waive absolutely all moral rights,

in and to your competition entry and otherwise arising in connection with your entry to which you may now or at any time in the future be entitled under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 as amended from time to time and under all similar legislation from time to time in force anywhere in the world.

9.3 You agree that the Promoter may, in their sole discretion, make your entry available on its website [www.girlguiding.org.uk] and in any other media, whether now known or invented in the future, and in connection with any publicity of the competition. You grant the Promoter a non-exclusive, worldwide, irrevocable licence in perpetuity, for the full period of the intellectual property rights in the competition entry, to use, display, publish, transmit, copy, edit, alter, store, re-format and sub-licence the intellectual property rights in the competition entry [and any accompanying materials] for such purposes.

10. Data protection and publicity

10. 1 The Promoter will only process your personal information as set out in the Privacy notice | Girlguiding. See also condition 6.3 and condition 6.4, with regard to the announcement of winners.

11. General

11. 1 If there is any reason to believe that there has been a breach of these terms and conditions, the Promoter may, at its sole discretion, reserve the right to exclude you from participating in the competition.

11.2 The Promoter reserves the right to hold void, suspend, cancel, or amend the prize competition where it becomes necessary to do so.

11.3 These terms and conditions are governed by English law. If any entrants to this promotion wish to take court proceedings, then they must do this within the courts of England.

What's Big Gig?

Packed full of amazing pop performances, Big Gig is a massive concert just for Girlguiding. It’s packed with top pop performances and gives Guides, Rangers and leaders a fun, safe space to come together, celebrate Girlguiding and enjoy an unforgettable show with friends. On Saturday 10 October 2026, we’re taking over Wembley Arena for 2 amazing shows. Each show can only hold up to 10,000 Guides, Rangers and leaders.

When's Big Gig?

Big Gig takes place on 10 October 2026. There are 2 shows - 1 in the afternoon and 1 in the evening. The first show times are:

• Show 1: 1.15pm to 3.30pm (doors open at 11.45am)
• Show 2: 6.30pm to 8.45pm (doors open at 4.45pm)

Plan your journey early. It’ll be busy on the day, and you won’t want to miss a moment of Big Gig, so allow time for travel and security checks. 

We kindly ask you not to arrive before your allotted show time to reduce crowds and congestion. The doors open for show 1 at 11.45am and show 2 at 4.45pm. Due to venue turnaround, we recommend arriving no more than 10 minutes before doors open. 

Where's Big Gig?

Big Gig is happening at OVO Arena Wembley, London .  

Who can attend?

Guides, Rangers, young leaders and their adult leaders.   

Can Brownies attend?

We don't have a concert event for Rainbows and Brownies. We're looking at ways that all ages can engage with Big Gig without attending the event and there'll be more information on this soon.

Will photos or videos be taken?

Yes. Girlguiding will be capturing the event, including photos and videos. Please be aware that this is a large-scale event. Find out more about photos and videos.   

Will you need volunteers to help run the event?

We currently have volunteer opportunities for Big Gig for those doing the Queen's Guide award. As the merchandise will be pre-order and online only, there's fewer volunteer roles than usual.

Can we wear themed outfits?

We'd ask you try to avoid any single use plastic (such as glow sticks, light up headbands, deeley boppers) for outfits, as we're hoping to make the event sustainable and eco-friendly. You could upcycle something or use sustainable, reusable materials, such as tie-dye fabric headbands.

Why's it taking place in London?

With a sustainable arena and easy access by public transport, London was chosen as somewhere we could welcome as many girls as possible for an unforgettable adventure.

Big Gig 2026 is now sold out. You can view the event on the AXS website.

• Are tickets refundable? Tickets are non-refundable, but tickets can be passed on to another Girlguiding member.  
• How are tickets issued? Tickets are mobile or digital only. They use a dynamic barcode system, and this can be transferred between leaders if needed. 
• How will seats be allocated? Seats will be allocated at random closer to the event. However, everyone in your group will all be seated together. Please note this may not apply to accessible seating due to venue limitations. 
• I have separate bookings for my group, can we sit together? If you want to be seated close to or next to another unit or booking, please use the same email address at the time of booking, so your bookings can be matched together. If you're unable to do this, please email [email protected] or [email protected] with both booking confirmation numbers before 1 August 2026. We'll do our best to meet requests, but we can't guarantee all requests due to venue limitations.
• Are people reselling genuine tickets?  Unfortunately, it's common for fraudsters to use popular, sold-out events (such as Big Gig) to sell fake or non-existent tickets. Please be wary of social media comments, emails or texts with offers of or links to tickets for this event from people you don't know. They may be ticket scams. Be vigilant and take extra steps to protect your personal information and bank details.
• How do we safely sell or transfer tickets we no longer need? Units are welcome to sell or pass tickets on to members within their own unit, or to another unit attending the same Big Gig performance. You'll need to manage the transfer of both funds and tickets directly. Make sure this is with someone you know and trust. As this process is outside of the online system, Girlguiding can't take any responsibility if there are any issues. We strongly encourage all units to carry out appropriate due diligence when buying or selling tickets, as we are aware that ticket-related scams do unfortunately occur. Tickets should not be bought or sold for over the original sale price of £40.
• How can transferred tickets be seated together? If tickets are being passed to another unit and you'd like those attending to be seated together, please email [email protected] or [email protected] directly before 1 August 2026, as they manage seating plans and allocation. We'll do our best to meet requests, but we can't guarantee all requests due to venue limitations.

Is transport provided?

Units must arrange their own travel to Big Gig. We’d encourage groups to use public transport as much as possible. Your local area may have planned coaches for units.

When should we aim to arrive at the show?

Plan your journey early. It’ll be busy on the day, and you won’t want to miss a moment of Big Gig, so allow time for travel and security checks. 

We kindly ask you not to arrive before your allotted show time to reduce crowds and congestion. The doors open for show 1 at 11.45am and show 2 at 4.45pm. Due to venue turnaround, we recommend arriving no more than 10 minutes before doors open. 

How do we get there via public transport?

OVO Arena Wembley is served by multiple stations. The closest tube station, Wembley Park, is a 10 minute walk. It’s in travel zone 4 and is on the Metropolitan and Jubilee Lines.

Alternatively, you could travel to nearby Wembley Central, which is a 15-minute walk. This is also in zone 4 and can be reached via the Bakerloo Line and London Overground lines. Find out more about how to get to OVO Arena Wembley. 

Is there coach or car parking?

Limited parking for coaches and cars is available in the pink car park. This can be pre-booked via Big Gig 2026 parking.  

We want to stay overnight before or after Big Gig. Where should we stay?

There are lots of overnight venue options for groups wanting to stay in London around Big Gig. Campsites and activity centres, including Girlguiding-owned venues, can be found on the adventure map.  

There’s also the option to book hotels, hostels and holiday lets. We’re aware that it isn’t always possible to check out these types of accommodation in advance.

We’ve put together some guidance of things that you should take into consideration: 

• Think about who else could be staying there - including who could be sharing bathrooms or communal spaces. If you’re booking a holiday let, such as a house or flat, you must have sole occupancy for your group and not exceed the stated occupancy limits.  
• Check what level of public liability insurance the venue has.  
• Understand the safety and evacuation procedures for your accommodation. Hotels and hostels will have clearly marked fire exits and information about evacuation and fire assembly points. Some rooms may have different exit routes, so make sure your group knows where theirs are. For holiday lets, you may need to think about this yourself (or ask the owner) and make sure it’s included in your risk assessment. When arriving at a holiday let, check for working fire alarms, fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide alarms.  
• Know who you can contact for support throughout your stay, such as a reception desk or an owner. If there’ll be periods where there isn’t a venue host, property owner/manager or staff member on site, do you have a contact number of someone on call?  
• Most holiday lets (and some hotels and hostels) have requirements you need to complete on arrival or departure. They may also have specific instructions on how to enter the property or use the equipment provided, such as heating. Make sure to ask what these are in advance so you can plan these into your trip.  
• It’s important to complete a dynamic risk assessment when you arrive at your accommodation for any unforeseen hazards or issues. You should think about what you’ll do in advance if something isn’t as you expect.  

Is there accessible seating?

Yes. You'll be able to book or request accessible seating, subject to availability. There'll be 2 ways to do this depending on your seating requirements: 

• There are a limited number of wheelchair spaces and ambulant accessible (low mobility) seats (6 steps up to lower tier blocks) available to book on the ticketing website.
• Units or individuals with other specific accessible seating needs should book general tickets and email their booking confirmation and seating requests to [email protected] or [email protected].

We'll do our best to meet your needs, but we can't guarantee all requests due to venue limitations.

Is there a quiet space available?

Yes. A quieter, calm space will be available at the event. You won't be able to view the gig from this space. Ear defenders are allowed into the venue.

Are toilets and accessible facilities available?

Yes, the venue is wheelchair-accessible and there are accessible toilets available. There are also gender-neutral toilets.  

Will people who need wheelchair spaces and ambulant accessible seats be able to sit with their unit?

There are a number of wheelchair spaces and ambulant accessible seats available in the arena. These are located in designated areas for accessibility. This means you may not be able to sit directly with your unit. These spaces come with 1 personal assistant seat, so you'll be able to sit with someone from your group, but please consider your ratios.

Wheelchair and ambulant accessible tickets need to be booked separately from your main group booking.

If the two separate bookings are made using the same email address, we'll aim to seat them as close as we can. If you're unable to use the same email address, please email [email protected] or [email protected] before 1 August 2026 with both booking confirmation numbers. We'll do our best to meet requests, but we can't guarantee all requests due to venue limitations.

For more information, you can visit the OVO Arena’s accessibility information.

Is it a seated event?

Yes. It's a fully seated event.

I need to book a ticket for a personal assistant.

You can find out more about personal assistant tickets, including evidence, on the OVO Arena’s accessibility website.

I have another question about accessibility and accessible facilities.

You can find out more about OVO arena's accessibility. If you're unable to find the answer to your question you can also call their accessible phoneline on 020 8782 5629. The accessible booking line is open Monday to Friday (9am to 5.30pm). You can also contact [email protected] or [email protected]. For advice and bookings, you can also call 020 8782 5629.

Are there any grants available to help with costs?

Yes. There are a number of grants to give units, girls and volunteers a helping hand, as well as to make sure members with additional needs can fully participate in guiding. Please read more about grants from Girlguiding HQ that are available. 

There may be a trust or foundation you can apply to for support too. We've answered some questions about how they work on our grants from trusts and foundations page.

There may also be further funding available from local county, district and division teams. Speak to your country or region team, or your commissioner, to find out what funding might be available to help you.

Are there grants to support attending Big Gig if I have access needs?

Yes, there's an accessible guiding grant. This grant helps young members with additional needs to access all areas of the programme, and can also help volunteers who need additional support to carry out their guiding role. 

Is there any further support for units in higher need?

If your unit is in IMD (Index of Multiple Deprivation) area 1 or 2, we're offering additional financial support to cover part of the ticket costs for girls to attend Big Gig in October 2026. This financial support will operate alongside our other grants and any local financial support that may be available.

To be eligible, units must be experiencing financial difficulty (as demonstrated through your unit financial accounts) and be based in a postcode that is in an IMD area 1 or 2. 

You can check your eligibility depending on where you live:  

• England: IMD (Index of Multiple Deprivation).   
• Scotland: SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation).   
• Wales: WIMD (Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation).  
• Northern Ireland: NIMDM (Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure). 

Volunteers can apply on behalf of young members in their unit, for up to £100 per unit. This'll cover 50% of ticket costs for up to 5 young members.

Financial support will allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. This fund will be ongoing, and volunteers can apply retrospectively.

You can make your application by applying via our 'Big Gig funding' form.

For any further support or information, contact [email protected]

How can I keep costs low?

• Travel: link up with nearby units to share a coach or minibus to the venue.
• Fundraise: you may want to fundraise for all or some of your transport, tickets or merchandise. Find out more about fundraising.
• Payment plans: rather than asking parents and carers to pay all in 1 go, offer payment plans, where small payments are made over a period of time.
• Include everyone: be sensitive to people's different situations when talking about costs. Make sure all families are made aware of support options, and try not to make any assumptions.
• Bring packed lunches: packed lunches are welcome at Wembley, and can be more cost effective than buying food.
• Reuse and upcycle: consider which costs are essential for Big Gig and which aren’t. For example, instead of buying new outfits and accessories, you could get creative with your unit and upcycle things to wear.
• Apply for Gift Aid: if your unit receives donations, Gift Aid could help you to raise more money. Find out more about Gift Aid.

Read more about how you can keep costs low in our affordability guidance.

Is the event just for Girlguiding?

Yes. Only Girlguiding members can attend the event.

Will there be security checks?

Yes. Security and bag checks will be conducted on entry.  Find out more about bag checks, prohibited items and security screenings at OVO Arena.

Can we bring bags?

Yes. You can take 1 bag per person into Wembley Arena, including a regular backpack or a rucksack. This should be no larger than 30cm wide x 40cm long x 20cm deep (approximately A3 sized). Please note that suitcases are not permitted. Please follow these requirements, as our bag policy is slightly different to the arena's standard rules. 

Can we bring banners?

Absolutely! Just make sure any banners and signs don't block other people's views or disrupt others.  Banners, flags or signs that are over the size of A3 or convey offensive messages are not allowed into the arena. The arena also doesn't allow any light up or battery-operated signs of any size. Find out more about bag checks, prohibited items and security screenings at OVO arena.

Is there bag storage at the venue?

No storage is available, and attendees must keep belongings with them at all times. For groups travelling longer distances with suitcases or large overnight bags, you should consider using external luggage storage services.  You can use Stasher to find places in the local area where you can leave your large items. 

Is there anything we can't bring in?

The OVO Arena has a list of prohibited items. Some participants at Big Gig may have allergies and we want everyone to enjoy the event safely. To support a safe and inclusive event, please be mindful of airborne allergies, such as nuts and latex. We're working with suppliers and the venue where possible, but can't guarantee a allergy-free environment. Anyone with allergies should carry any necessary medication (such as an Epipen) and make sure group leaders know what an emergency may look like for them.

What's the adult-to-young-person ratio? 

As per our adult-to-child ratios, the ratios for events outside of your usual meeting place are: 

• Guides: 1 adult for every 12 children, with a minimum of 2 adults.
• Rangers: 1 leader with a recommended second adult.

At least 1 adult should be a Girlguiding volunteer with safer guiding or a safe space level 3, and have or be working towards the leader development programme.

Will food and drink be available at the venue?

Yes. The food and drink stands will be open. OVO Wembley Arena is a cashless venue, so please bring debit/credit cards or contactless payment methods. This will be an alcohol free event.

Can we bring packed lunches?

Yes. Light packed lunches are allowed. There'll be no kitchen facilities available. No cans or glasses are allowed. You can bring a reusable water bottle, and refill stations are available.  

Who’s performing?

We know everyone's curious about who’ll be performing.

Part of the magic of the Big Gig has always been the big surprise of who’ll be stepping out onto that stage.

Because of the way the music industry works, we often can't confirm our acts until much closer to the event. This means tickets have gone on sale before we've announced who's performing - but that’s all part of the fun!

We’ve had some incredible stars join our Big Gig party in the past, including Ed Sheeran, Becky Hill, Scouting For Girls and The Vamps.

While we can't promise an act reveal date just yet, and some may be kept as a surprise, we can promise that every act is carefully picked to be age-appropriate and ready to put on an unforgettable show.

How have the acts been chosen?

All the acts have been chosen by girls on our brilliant adventure youth panel, Pioneer. We've made sure that all the artists match the values of Girlguiding and are age appropriate. We've chosen artists of different genres, so there's something for everyone at Big Gig.

Is merchandise available?

From sparkly badges to comfy hoodies, you can buy the full range now on the Girlguiding online shop. 

There's Big Gig sparkly woven badges, metal pin badges in 2 designs (guitar or disco ball), hoodies, t-shirts, tote bags, lanyards and festival-style wristbands. The sparkly woven badges are only available while stocks last, so make sure you get yours before they’re gone. 

Will I be able to buy merchandise on the day?

Remember, merchandise won’t be on sale at the arena for Big Gig, so pre-ordering is the only way to secure your goodies before the day. Any remaining stock will be back on the Girlguiding online shop after the event. 

When do I need to order merchandise by to have it in time for the show?

If you want to wear the merch at the show, make sure to place your order at least 2 weeks before Big Gig. 

Who designed the merchandise?

We’re excited to reveal this year’s official Big Gig merchandise has been co-designed by Pioneer, our adventure and international youth panel. You can find out more about how Pioneer were involved in creating it and what their favourite pieces are.