TRUE STORIES
There’s a massive pool of highly talented female artists out there
production and security. But things are slowly improving. “Gender disparity is a major focus in events right now.” Within CC itself, Louise and the rest of the team are dedicated to creating an inclusive atmosphere of mutual respect free from hierarchy, regardless of your role and gender. “We are all there with the same goal – to create a fantastic event, but also foster respect for the way we do it.” But this respect hasn’t always been reflected back to Louise herself. “Being operations director, my voice as a woman isn’t always heard in giving direction,” she shares, referencing the countless occasions when her instructions would only be acknowledged when delivered by a male colleague, or the number of times suppliers and contractors have asked her to direct them to management. “You have to become extremely resilient. But things are changing, especially since we like to surround ourselves with like-minded partners.” A SUMMER TO REMEMBER Beyond these challenges, a career in events remains full of unbeatable highlights for Louise, from singing her heart out to Diana Ross as the sun goes down to hanging out backstage with both her one-year-old son (a regular festivalgoer) and Lionel Richie. It’s precious moments like these and seeing guests create their own memories that make it all worth it.
somewhere that channels the carefree community vibe very well. However, she also acknowledges the general lack of independent festivals on the UK scene that aren’t corporately owned. Indeed, our conversation takes place amid an extremely challenging time for the event industry, as various factors such as the cost-of-living crisis combine to create unprecedented overheads for running the festival. Aside from this, Louise is also no stranger to the challenges that come with working in what is traditionally a man’s world. In this regard, CC stands out as something of a front-runner for female representation across both its events management team and its line-up. “The majority of festival headliners are male,” she tells us. “It’s extremely lazy on the part of the promoters, since there’s a massive pool of highly talented female artists out there and a huge audience who want to see them perform – they just don’t reflect the state of the music industry,” she says, referring to an ongoing false narrative that suggests it’s much easier to book male headliners. “That being said, this year it’s great to see Glastonbury announcing two female headliners after listening to negative feedback from previous years. Glastonbury leads the way in many respects – and this should definitely be one of them.” On the site management side, CC is seeing a lot more women in these roles, but a major gap still exists across technical
NEXT GENERATION Louise brings her young son onsite to see the operation come together
“It’s been pivotal bringing my son along and having him see what me and the team do,” she reflects. “I hope he will grow up in a more gender-balanced world, whatever industry he goes into.” Looking to June, Louise will have to pick her moments to get in the crowd and soak up the atmosphere. But once Sunday night comes around, you’re sure to find her grooving to Chaka Khan. As things come to a close, stages are being packed away and you’ve got round to washing the glitter out of your hair, her planning’s well underway to do it all over again.
The Cambridge Club Festival takes place from 7 to 9 June 2024 at Childerley Orchard. Find out more at thecambridgeclub.co
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