In celebration of International Women’s Day we sat down and had a chat to some of the amazingly talented women that work within DHP to find out a little about what they do and how they got there. In this first round of interviews we spoke with Head of Marketing Anwyn Williams, Ticketing Coordinator Cait Briggs, Promotions Coordinator Clementine McIntosh and Designer Nat Baker.
Head of Marketing
Anwyn Williams
What does your job as Head of Marketing involve?
I work across DHP’s festivals and biggest concerts & tours, as well as managing/overseeing the marketing team. The role involves planning a range of marketing activity for different events, ranging from social media posts to national print ads and radio campaigns, as well as the day to day management of the team and working on improving how we work.
How have you pushed past any boundaries that have come your way?
I think I probably struggled with confidence a bit when I first started working in the industry, but I was 22/23 at the time so that’s not too surprising! I moved past that by reminding myself of all the good things I’ve achieved and pushing myself to go for opportunities, like the role I am in now.
What kind of experience did you need to enter into the role?
When I started at DHP back in 2014 I had a little bit of marketing experience from my post-graduate internship, but a lot of experience of being involved with the local music scene through playing gigs etc. Since then, I worked my way up through various positions in the Marketing Team before becoming the head of the department.
Describe your role in three words.
Exciting, fast-paced, ever-changing!
Do you have any advice for women looking to work in the music industry?
From a marketing perspective, I would say make sure you’re able to demonstrate that you’re truly passionate about music. That could be from doing music related projects in your spare time, taking on work experience somewhere, or just by explaining your love for music in your applications and interviews.
Who is your favourite female artist / female fronted band at the minute?
I loved Wednesday and Wolf Alice’s albums from last year (Twin Plagues and Blue Weekend). Waxahatchee’s 2020 album Saint Cloud is my current go-to album when I want to stick something on but can’t decide what. And Laura Marling is probably my all-time favourite female artist.
Ticketing Coordinator
Cait Briggs
What does your job in ticketing involve?
My day to day job usually consists of sending show details out to external ticket agents, as well as sending sales updates twice weekly to all agents and external promoters. Basically providing any sales or show info to external contacts.
What kind of experience did you need to enter into the role?
Unlike other areas of the business (marketing, accounts), there’s no real training or preparation for ticketing. You really just have to observe others, and pick it up in your own way.
Have you had any boundaries that you have had to overcome and if so how did you do this?
I think the pressures that agents can put on can be extremely daunting at first, but once you’ve built a relationship, it becomes a lot easier to manage. The industry itself can be so demanding, so ensuring that you give yourself enough time to complete tasks is essential!
Describe your role in three words.
Rewarding, exciting, fast-paced.
Do you have any advice for women looking to work in the industry?
Don’t feel daunted – the industry can seem like such a difficult place for strong, confident women sometimes. We are very much here – jump in feet first and get stuck in!
Who is your favourite female artist / female fronted band at the minute?
Band wise, Haim will always take top spot! Artist wise, Little Simz is untouchable at the moment.
Promotions Coordinator
Clementine McIntosh
What does your job as Promotions Coordinator involve?
My role is a mix of event management and marketing, in the daytime I manage the social medias, plan, brand and market our club nights and external hire events, and decorate the venue for seasonal holidays (Halloween is my favourite time of year!). In the evening I run a team of promotional staff who make sure everyone gets into our events safely and quickly, and then I stick around to make sure everyone is having a good time and things are running smoothly. It’s a job that holds many hats, which means I’m never bored!
What kind of experience did you need to enter into the role?
In my first week of university I started working as a ticket rep and flyer-er for a local student events company, and during my time there worked my way up! Companies like such are nearly always looking for extra staff, so it’s the perfect way to get your foot in the door. During the pandemic I also became the event manager for a not-for-profit organisation Learning By Heart, which taught me a lot about non-traditional ways of running events, as no one could leave their house! I’m lucky enough to come from a social media obsessed generation, so I didn’t necessarily need to search for experience in how to use Instagram etc, but its always handy to learn the business side of those channels.
Have you had any boundaries that you have had to overcome and if so how did you do this?
I think, and this does perhaps stem from being a woman in the industry, I have been worried about not being taken seriously. Sometimes you have to make important last minute choices, as nothing ever goes 100% to plan, and I struggled to back myself in the past. Luckily I’m surrounded by amazing colleagues that respect me and my role but I had to remember to believe in myself and my decision making too.
Describe your role in three words.
Very Big Ideas
Do you have any advice for women looking to work in the industry?
Be yourself, unapologetically. Don’t squish down your femininity because you feel it might be seen as a negative, bring your perspective as a woman as an advantage to the table. Don’t feel pressured however to become the voice for your gender, and if you start feeling that way, maybe question why there aren’t more voices with you.
Who is your favourite female artist / female fronted band at the minute?
I’ve loved Holly Humberstone since I first heard her debut single in 2020, and I got to buy her a drink when she played at Rescue Rooms last November! I’m so excited to see her rise to fame at the moment and can’t wait to see where she goes.
Designer
Nat Baker
What does your job involve?
My job involves catering to any design need that the company may have. From tour posters, to club night rebrands, to festival announcement videos. And plenty of stuff in between.
What kind of experience did you need to enter into the role?
For my role it was all about having a good design portfolio and a clear passion for music and events. I studied Graphic Design at the University of Leeds which undoubtedly helped me along the way, but it was the experience that I gained during my placement year that really helped me gain the role. I worked for a music magazine as a design intern, and designed features for hundreds of artists throughout the year I spent with them. I also volunteered with Oxfam Festival Shop to produce content for their social media, and got to work with the shop at loads of great festivals. It was these experiences along with my design portfolio that helped me gain the role, more so than my degree.
Have you had any boundaries that you have had to overcome and if so how did you do this?
A big boundary for me was that I knew I wanted to work in the industry, but I didn’t know exactly what area I wanted to work in, and found this quite overwhelming. My advice to anyone in a similar scenario would be to think about what skills you have and how you can apply them to the industry, that’s what I did with graphic design.
Describe your role in three words.
Creative Diverse Fun
Do you have any advice for women looking to work in the industry?
I would say if you’re incredibly passionate about the industry and work really hard, you’re halfway there. Networking is also so important because sometimes it can be about meeting the right people at the right time, that’s what happened to me. Go to every gig you can, every festival you can, hang around and chat to people after gigs and make friends and contacts through that. I worked part-time behind the bar at a venue whilst I was at uni and that was a great way of meeting other like-minded people. What also helped me was posting my design work on Instagram, as this led to further opportunities with other music publications, it’s definitely important to have a social media presence.
Who is your favourite female artist / female fronted band at the minute?
The first band that comes to mind would definitely be Wet Leg. They’re fast up-and-coming with no signs of slowing down, and I’m looking forward to undoubtedly catching them at a festival this summer. They’ve just released their new single ‘Angelica’, which you should definitely check out if you haven’t already.
