Christopher Barrett

4 days ago | accessaa.co.uk | Christopher Barrett

Cuffe & Taylor and IMG are working on the launch of a new festival at Blenheim Palace next year, following the departure of Nocturne Live. The Live Nation-owned promoter, and event producers IMG Arts & Entertainment, have teamed to create new five-day music and arts event Blenheim Palace Festival at the UNESCO World Heritage Site next year.

4 days ago | accessaa.co.uk | Christopher Barrett

CarFest’s festival director, Anjna Raheja leads a largely female team that runs one of the UK’s largest independent festivals. She tells AAA how the not-for-profit event raises £1 million for charity each year, against a background of major challenges. A family-focused festival founded by radio presenter Chris Evans and operated by CarFest Management Limited, CarFest is much more than a celebration of live music and motor vehicles.

4 days ago | accessaa.co.uk | Christopher Barrett

Broadwick Group has become the new operator of East London venue Troxy (cap. 3,100), while the existing team will remain in place. The operator of venues including Magazine London, Printworks and Depot Mayfield, Broadwick Group said it is partnering with the venue’s landlords Ashburn Estates Ltd to fund a £1.5 million refurbishment of the venue and establish a “broader and more ambitious programming and commercial vision”.

5 days ago | accessaa.co.uk | Christopher Barrett

Oak View Group (OVG) has hired Simon Hanna as senior vice president of operations. Hanna, who joins from Freemans Event Partners where he was COO since 2023, has more that 15 years of strategic leadership experience in global hospitality, live events, and venue operations. A member of the Institute of Hospitality, Hanna has worked on the delivery of large-scale events including the Paris Olympics 2024 and the Rome Ryder Cup 2023.

1 week ago | accessaa.co.uk | Christopher Barrett

Following her SXSW London conference panel session exploring the reimagining of engagement, we caught up with TAIT senior creative director Margaret Kerrison to discuss how new tech is impacting the creation of immersive environments and what that means for the future of audience interaction. At SXSW you spoke about the importance of creating emotional journeys and meaningful experiences that lead to lasting memories for audience members.