Working in Events

Events are exhilarating, exhausting, stressful, and FUN!!

The first event I was responsible for coordinating was an outdoor children’s festival in the middle of summer in a beautiful park with many trees. I started my day at 5 am, the event started at 10 am, and I was exhausted by 9 am! I was wheeling bins up and down the length of the event area (it was big), coordinating the set-up of marquees, stallholders, entertainers, activity providers, food vendors, and parking marshals. Thousands of kids and families came that day and had a fantastic time.

That was twenty years ago. I’ve lost count of how many events I have worked on since then. I have done community festivals, art exhibitions, fundraising functions, opening nights, movie events, and community engagement activities. It’s a great industry to get into, and a Certificate III in Events can give you the foundations for a successful career.

In that time, I have worked with great people and put together teams I can rely on, who are highly skilled and most of all fun to work with.

I love the planning, the coordinating, and most of all, the spreadsheets!! It’s so exciting after months in front of a computer to see it all come together and then see people enjoy themselves.

How did I get into this? Straight out of school, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Studies at ECU, then five years later a BA in Arts Management at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). I have worked in independent cinema, arts organisations (small and large), and local government, as well as many side projects.

I’m excited that I can share my experience and stories with people who are keen to get into the industry. It can lead to an exciting career with lots of variety and change. You develop lots of transferable skills and work with an amazing range of people, some of whom become good friends.