Hints and Tips for Those New to Working in the Music Festival Business

Landing a job with a music festival organiser is a dream job for many especially as openings for new staff can be scarce. The festival sector is a dynamic work environment that often demands long unsocial hours and relatively low pay, but the rewards often outweigh this. What do those new to the industry need to know as they start their new career in this business.

The number of people trying to get a job working in the music festival sector usually outnumbers the number of opportunities available. Festival organisers are usually looking for experienced staff to join their teams making it a very competitive employment environment. It’s a fickle business and can be unstable as a career but for those lucky enough to land their first position working for a festival it can be very daunting, here is some guidance for those just starting out. 

Knowledge and Experience. 
Most new starters will probably have a combination of formal certificated education from a university and practical experience, usually working as a volunteer during festival season. Although new to a position they will probably have a basic understanding of how the organisation operates but they should strive to build their understanding of the industry as quickly as possible. This can help them to figure out where the festival they work for fits in the wider sector and helps them to grasp current trends. 

Networking and Learning. 
Even with some experience of volunteering and formal qualifications new starters should strive to build their networks and learn from others in the business. The music festival sector relies heavily on networking, so this is a key objective in the early days of employment. Where possible do some job shadowing of colleagues in different departments to quickly build a deep understanding of the business intricacies. A music festival will give new staff opportunities to collaborate with external partners like sponsors, contractors and vendors and this can help build those key networks. 

Logistics and Safety. 
Getting involved with planning and logistics can help new starters quickly build an intimate knowledge of how the organisation operates. Exposure to different aspects of the business like site location planning, obtaining licenses and permits and scheduling contractors can provide a great insight into the planning and logistics of the event. Most festival organisers now use advanced planning software to make their events more efficient, so it is essential to quickly get up to speed on mastering any event management software used. Safety is a high priority for festival organisers so a good understanding or risk assessments and safety regulations that need to be complied with is an essential part of all staff’s knowledge. New staff should get involved in the planning for emergency procedures should there be unexpected incidents or inclement weather on site for example. 

Creativity and Passion. 
Working for a festival organiser can be stressful with changing schedules and having to deal to unexpected occurrences so it is essential that new starters do not exhaust themselves. Where possible it is key to remain positive and passionate about their chosen profession and festivals do provide an excellent environment for embracing artistic creativity. This can include being involved in the creative themes and design of an event and curating great line-ups and other event attractions. 

The satisfaction of providing memorable experiences for festival-goers and seeing all the hard work come to fruition is an incredibly rewarding and satisfying feeling outweighing those long stressful hours. 

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by Alexander Suhorucov via Pexels

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