Holly Payton has been working with in the Festival industry for over 10 years. She was the founder and manager of the Brighton Festival Fringe, and has worked with in some of the country best known international festivals at the same time as being the director of one of Edinburgh Fringes longest standing venues.
She has since pooled her knowledge of the sector and her extensive contacts to found her own global networking company, The World Festival Network. As well as this Holly lectures on festivals, has sat on many festival boards and advisory committees, consults on setting up new festivals and sits on industry talks and panels all over the world.
"I am a motivated, career driven person and take my work seriously. I embrace new opportunities and challenges executing them to best of my abilities; I also like to have a nice time while I am doing it."
Awards
Best Fringe Manager - Fringe Report
Best Arts Event - BABA awards (for Brighton Fringe)
Argus Angel - Angel of Brighton & star of festival
Latest 7 Award - Outstanding contribution to the Festival
Membership
Member - Thames Valley Innovation & Growth Business Hub
Steering Committee Member – Oxford Fringe
Advisory Commitee - Hollywood Fringe
Advisory Commitee - O'ahu Fringe
Advisory Commitee - Chicago Fringe
Trustree of BAFA (British Arts Festivals Association)
Member of IFEA (International Festivals and Events Association)
Member of AIVP (Association of Independant Venue producers) Ended
Creating an all encompassing website to join together festival managers, promoters, performers, press & media, sponsors and audiences.
Involves international festival communications and travel, in-depth research via meetings with web designers and all potential users, talks and travellingto different Festivals globally discussing its uses.
Creating application documents and processes for 3 funds
Providing an email help service for applicants. Creating short lists of suitable applicants.
Running a number of surgeries to assist applicants in their applications
Providing a summary of applications for consideration at WAC committee meetings
April 09 - Present
Arts Council England
Arts Council Assessor
I was invited to take part in a new assessment pilot commissioned by Arts Council England to assist with its evaluation of the artistic quality of work created or presented by the arts organisations it funds. I assessed The Nuffield Theatre, Southampton & Chichester Festival Theatre. I am now employed by ACE to continue as an Artistic Assessor, theatre specialist.
Coordinating start of new theatre initiative - permanent, semi permanent and travelling theatres.
Customer relations: meeting and greeting clients at the Globe theatre (McCurdy and Co. responsible for the reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London)
A programmed theatre and Industry Hub with professionally run talks, workshops and master classes
Turning bare spaces into 2 studio theatres. I.e. staging, all technical, sound and lighting rigs and equipment, box office and fully program 2 space venue to hold 18 shows a day.
Budgeting, programming, marketing, press, recruitment staff, website and brochure productions.
I was responsible for the re-brand of the Brighton Fringe and played an integral part in bringing the Brighton Festival Fringe from a company with a £57k in ‘03 to a £270k turnover in ’08. It is now the 2nd largest fringe festival in the world with over 600 events and 200 venues.
Managing registration and advertising, working to tight deadlines in brochure production.
First point of contact and source of knowledge to contributors, colleagues and general public.
Initiating opportunities for individuals, organizations and promoters to take part in the fringe.
Tracking finance and budgets. Box office settlements, reviews and summaries of year.
Business development, PR and customer relations.
Meeting potential clients, liaising with City Council and Arts Council England on various objectives.
Writing management schedule for year. Putting action plans in place.
Developing Media Partners. Interviews, liaison, press releases, press office & Green room.
Managing and recruiting volunteer assistants and Part time staff.
Funding and sponsorship applications from concept to contract.
Managing all aspects of events – Orchestras, Chorus’s, Operas, Theatre and Music.
Liaise between artists, Festival, BBC, Venue, and all venue and box office staff to ensure smooth running of events. Manage all artists’ needs from arrival to departure.
Enable and ensure the BBC has accurate timings for live recording of concerts.
Assistant to the literature programmer. Ran all the books and debates events pre to post production.
Ensuring smooth running of all events from pre to post production.
Lead contact within organisation for the confirmed clients and artists.
Ensuring highest standard production arrangements. Updating ARTIFAX for all departments.
Coordinating information relating to all aspects of event including technical & riders.
Organising production meetings with all departments and companies involved in event.
On stage production and time management; Hiring services and equipment.
Feb 01- Sept 01
McCurdy & Co., Berkshire
Administrator
Development of office efficiency. Marketing, design for promotional material.
Database creation for contacts. Archiving history, research and company information.
Customer relations: meeting and greeting clients at the Globe theatre (McCurdy and Co. responsible for the reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London)
Site visits to check on the running of job & photographic documentation of reconstruction.
