The Student Room Group
Reply 1
event management?
Reply 2
PJ991
event management?

:yep:
Reply 3
After being heavily involved with festivals recently (notably Latitude and Glastonbury) Id like to think I can offer a little advice.

From speaking and working with people throughout the chain, from spending time in meetings the Eavis's at Glastonbury to working things out with a stage manager on a small stage at Latitude there is one thing in common - these people love festivals and music. This is alot more important than a degree.

But the real question you should be asking is "where do I want to fit in?" Accounts? Stage management? Bookings? General organisation (ie location of stages, ordering toilets etc)
Specialist areas such as financial management - it would probably be wise to do a relevant degree.
The bookings people just need to be able to recognise good music, although experience in this, or in finances/businesses etc is still important.

Basically - if festival management is your dream, do a degree in business and management or event management - it will stand you in much better stead. But if changing isnt what you want to do, or is to hard, you will be able to get involved in festivals without a degree!
Reply 4
something along the lines of manangement would probably be good, i think snaude has got it bang on tbf saying where do you fit in
Reply 5
snaude
After being heavily involved with festivals recently (notably Latitude and Glastonbury) Id like to think I can offer a little advice.

From speaking and working with people throughout the chain, from spending time in meetings the Eavis's at Glastonbury to working things out with a stage manager on a small stage at Latitude there is one thing in common - these people love festivals and music. This is alot more important than a degree.

But the real question you should be asking is "where do I want to fit in?" Accounts? Stage management? Bookings? General organisation (ie location of stages, ordering toilets etc)
Specialist areas such as financial management - it would probably be wise to do a relevant degree.
The bookings people just need to be able to recognise good music, although experience in this, or in finances/businesses etc is still important.

Basically - if festival management is your dream, do a degree in business and management or event management - it will stand you in much better stead. But if changing isnt what you want to do, or is to hard, you will be able to get involved in festivals without a degree!


That's exactly what I needed to here! :smile:

I am totally passionate about new music and the whole festival experience - thing is, I'm interested in so many sides to it! whether it's photography, organising the bands, sets, stages, reviewing the bands, activities on the site - I really do love the sound of all of it! I'm spoilt for choice really!
Reply 6
Napier University in Edinburgh offer degrees in Festival and Event Management: http://www.courses.napier.ac.uk/Courses.aspx?X=2&Y=1&L=F
Reply 7
not sure, maybe events management ?
Reply 8
Alot of Festival Republic's (The company behind Reading/Leeds and to an extent Download + Glastonbury) interns came from Leeds Met doing Events Management degrees.

You should however remember that getting a job with one of the major organisers is as much about who you know then what you know. Chances are you'll spend a long time organising local beer festivals and corporate events before getting anywhere near a music festival.

If you're serious about getting into festival management, it might be worthwhile voulenteering at festivals with groups such as Oxfam and then working your way up their structure to become different levels of supervisors. This will give you an excellent 'extra' on your CV when applying to the organisation companies.

Be warned however; The job isnt nearly as glamerous as many would think. I do consultation work for Festival Republic during the Reading/Leeds festivals which involves working directly with the festival organisation team. They spend most of their time sat at a desk in an office in a portacabin during the actual event speaking to contractors on the phone/radio.

Oh, and the sound from side-of-stage viewing during gigs isnt all that great either :wink:

Good luck!
I want to do events management work (not festivals necessary), however I'm also doing a completely unrelated arts degree..
My plan is to get various work experience placements during summers, etc. I think that, alongside a good degree which shows commitment/etc should be enough..?
Reply 10
Is there not a "festival management" degree? There seem to be degrees going for ****ing grass maintenance so it's surprising if there aren't.

Just do the most academically difficult course related to 'management', try to get some sort of work-related experience, and go from there...
As someone who lives in Glastonbury......and knows of the organiser, my grandad was the photographer from the first festival, just a gathering in a field up to about 2 years ago when he retired...
i would say what the hell are you doing getting a degree!?.

... Get some experience!
Even if you just started with stewarding etc/ something in the music industry- try an internship or something. E-mail people get some contacts.

Micheal Eavis's daughter now runs Glastonbury but he just invited some hippies to come party on his farm and look how huge it has become. Not saying this would work for you but i dont see how a degree in management or anything would either.

I dont know about the other festivals but alot of local people are involved in helping out with glast. alot of that is volunteer/ in exchange for a ticket but it's the best way to get started.

good luck ! x
Reply 12
party planner managerment ???
It'd seem to me that you could do whatever subject you want. Much more important than that, while you're at university you could get involved with events and festivals that get put on, or if there aren't any, organise your own. It's probably the best environment to get that kind of experience in.
Reply 14
moshing-fairy
As someone who lives in Glastonbury......and knows of the organiser, my grandad was the photographer from the first festival, just a gathering in a field up to about 2 years ago when he retired...
i would say what the hell are you doing getting a degree!?.

... Get some experience!
Even if you just started with stewarding etc/ something in the music industry- try an internship or something. E-mail people get some contacts.

Micheal Eavis's daughter now runs Glastonbury but he just invited some hippies to come party on his farm and look how huge it has become. Not saying this would work for you but i dont see how a degree in management or anything would either.

I dont know about the other festivals but alot of local people are involved in helping out with glast. alot of that is volunteer/ in exchange for a ticket but it's the best way to get started.

good luck ! x


I agree on some points...experience is important. But a degree goes along way too, ecspecially for the management side.

Also, Emily Eavis doesnt run Glastonbury - she runs the Park area, not the festival site. Michael is still in charge, along with Festival Republic (or Mean Fiddler...however technical you want to get)

Freeloading on festivals is really quite easy. Be it as a performer, a volounteer, a steward or anything. Get a list of stalls that were there last year, contact them all asking for work. Free ticket in the bag.
Or put together a band and perform...not as hard as it sounds...
Reply 15
this topic has helped me a lot.. thanks :smile:
Volunteering for Oxfam won't get you anywhere because it's not directly affiliated with Festival Republic - to be honest, anybody can volunteer for Oxfam so it's nothing special. If you want to make it, you need experience in organising events (such as organising college or university balls) and experience in the company you want to work for. Volunteering to work backstage for Festival Republic is the best way to get your face known and, as long as you work hard, you'll get there eventually - but it'll take a while. I started volunteering backstage at Latitude last year and now I've been offered working backstage at Leeds Festival with all my expenses paid for and I got offered a job working for a music agency whilst I'm still at University. You just need to know the right people.
yo, did you ever make it in the festival world??