Working in the Events Industry as a Freelance Contractor.

The events sector is a thriving industry that is making a good come back after the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. This opens up plenty of opportunities for those working in the industry and is particularly suited to those who prefer working on a temporary contract basis. What is it like working as a temporary contractor in the events industry.

The events industry spans numerous sub sectors that can vary between business conferences, music festivals, concerts and sports hospitality for example. The very nature of the industry can make some roles seasonal or linked to musician's tours and one-off sporting events. It can therefore be quite challenging to secure a permanent full-time role which are usually limited to larger corporations, hotels and venues where there is a requirement for a consistent presence of an events manager or coordinator.

Typical Contractor Roles. 
The more mundane administration type roles found in the events sector typically called coordinators may offer security or a permanent position, but career progression and rewards may be limited. Some of the most exciting roles are in curation and artistic direction which are always in demand with high rewards. Experienced event managers often opt for operations and logistics roles where the work is demanding and rewarding with plenty of vacancies around. There are also a variety of support roles like IT, marketing and finance where employers are looking for event specific experience.

Benefits of Contracting. 
Those preferring to go down the contracting route working in events often cite the variety of work as the main benefit of temporary roles. It also suits employers who are running seasonal and one-off events as they don’t have to employ someone permanently. There are usually more open vacancies available than qualified candidates which means experienced workers can pick and choose the most attractive roles. Working on a variety of different roles in the events industry can also strengthen a resume if candidates can demonstrate wide ranging experience. Working for several event organisations over a year can soon increase the number of contacts and networking opportunities which could make it easier to secure future roles on personal recommendation or invitations to return in following years. After the completion of a contract many choose to take a lengthy break which can be particularly welcome after a busy festival season for example.

The events industry benefits form the availability of people keen to work on a temporary contract basis as this often aligns with their own commercial plans and budgets. For anyone seeking long tern permanent roles in the events industry well paid rewarding positions can be hard to find. Anyone new to the industry should consider freelance contract work which may be a route to achieving a long and rewarding career in events.

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.

Photo by Anna Shvets via Pexels

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