One of DHP Family’s young event professionals who began working behind the bar at The Bodega has been recognised in the stand out class of next gen talent for the live event industry.
DHP’s production manager Maddy Chamberlain is one of the Access All Areas 30 under 30 Class of 2024, which are drawn from all corners of the UK music industry. From humble beginnings working behind the bar at The Bodega in 2017, Maddy has risen through the ranks to become production manager delivering more than 250 shows a year across multiple venues.
Maddy now looks after a busy year round programme of events at 250 cap Bodega and 450 cap Rescue Rooms. Since 2022 she has also been the City Coordinator for Dot To Dot, the award winning metropolitan festival taking place across multiple venues and two cities over two days in May, and is part of the on site team for Splendour and Foolhardy Folk Festival.
When not organising gigs for other bands, she performs as lead vocalist in her own band Midnight Rodeo touring the UK and Europe after signing a record deal last year.
Maddy said: “Being recognised for this award is such an amazing achievement for me, I feel very honoured. I never knew exactly what I wanted to do growing up, I just knew I needed to work in the music industry and to have found a career I absolutely love and be celebrated alongside some truly inspirational young people in the music industry is such a dream. Very excited for the year to come working with Access All Areas!
“I’m so grateful to DHP for all the incredible opportunities and support throughout my career so far, for the encouragement from when I started on the bar, to providing pathways and guidance to where I am now. I started at The Bodega which will always have my heart, and have since been given more responsibilities in delivering shows for Rescue Rooms and co-ordinating Dot To Dot Festival. I remember so vividly being in my first year of Uni here, sitting in the kitchen, planning all the bands I was going to see at this cool metropolitan festival, and now I get to play a part in delivering it to those who also live and breathe music and to some who will hopefully follow in similar footsteps as me.
“DHP is great for career progression like this, building up through the ranks, I’m just one of many in the company who have had the opportunity to do this. I’ve also been incredibly lucky to have met some of my closest friends and inspiring people through working in DHP, the whole team are just the best bunch.”
Her hard work has paid off with Rescue Rooms named as a ‘Grassroots Champion’ finalist in the 2023 Live Awards while Dot To Dot Festival won Best Metropolitan Festival at the UK Festival Awards in December 2023.
Sam Joynes, DHP’s Head of Production, said: “Maddy is a young, talented team player who deserves to be recognised for her hard work and commitment to putting on the best shows possible. Leading on the delivery of Dot To Dot festival has shown a huge amount of skill and hard work. Pulling together a festival takes lots of multitasking and determination and Maddy has shown great skill in managing teams and getting everyone to pull together to get the job done.
“She has amazing potential to progress within the industry and we will make sure she continues to get all the mentoring, training and opportunities she needs to move on to delivering even bigger and better shows.”
For those looking to follow in Maddy’s footsteps, DHP Family gives in house training to production staff along with plenty of opportunities to progress within the diverse venue portfolio in Nottingham.
Sam added: “We can offer a pathway from bar or entry level job to venue management and then up through the venues, into head office or into the wider industry for those who demonstrate the dedication, aptitude and driving passion for putting on a great show every single time. Many of our senior team both in the venues and our Nottingham head office have progressed through the company in just that way, and we’re proud of our commitment to developing our people.”
Maddy is also passionate about promoting inclusivity and diversity within DHP concerts and festivals and the wider live industry. She is a key member of DHP Family’s Women in Music initiative which champions women within music and beyond and promotes shows, keynotes and events to support equality within the industry.
The Class of 24 will be celebrated at an awards ceremony at ExCeL London, at the Event Production Show on 29 February. Access All Areas will work with the cohort for 12 months as part of a programme designed to provide advice, support and networking opportunities.
DHP Family is one of the UK’s leading companies in the entertainment sector promoting national tours and concerts, operating music venues in Nottingham, London and Bristol and organising festivals in Nottingham, Bristol, London and Derbyshire.
