BA (Hons) Creative Events Management celebrates the careers of 25 alumni during its 25th anniversary year

The range and prominence of the careers of BA (Hons) Creative Events Management graduates were recently celebrated as part of the course’s 25th birthday year.

From the founding of genre changing festivals to helping deliver international events of global significance, AUB Creative Events Management alumni have reached some exciting and pivotal places within the contemporary events industry.

At the 25th anniversary party, alumna Jo Vidler, now Creative Director of elrowFamily in Barcelona was the keynote speaker, reflecting on her time at AUB and highlights from her successful career in directing festivals since.

The BA (hons) course has equipped graduates with the skills to prosper in a variety of fields and career pathways: Lauren Townsend, 2014 graduate, says, ‘this course gives you a well-rounded and fully stocked arsenal of transferable skills.’

Some of the 25 alumni celebrated include Poppy Handy (2003) – Managing Director of Port Eliot Festival, Lucy Woodbridge (2010) – Head of Visitor Events at the Natural History Museum, Natalie Davies (2015) – Project Manager organising events globally for broadcaster ITV, alongside an array of programmers, producers and event managers making their mark at some of the UK’s most vibrant cultural destinations.

By extension, the creative entrepreneurship element of the degree programme has instilled in our graduates an aptitude for entrepreneurial activity in establishing successful events and companies within the creative industries. From many graduates’ involvement in the '00s with Secret Garden Party festival and subsequent founding of Secret Productions, to Jimmy’s Iced Coffee and talent management and production companies.

Alumni gathered on 19 January to celebrate 25 years of the course. Remembering their time at AUB, graduates have been assessing how the course prepared them for their careers.

Nicholas Bartlett (2006) commented: ‘The network you get through the course is incredible, my career would have been impossible without it.’ Andrew Spackman (1995) reflected: ‘The course both allowed me to pursue my creative ideas and passions, whilst wrapping a professional framework and process around it.’