The wisdom of Littlegig festival founder georgia Black
The human need for connection is as strong as the need for food and water.
saying you want to connect people is like saying you want to inspire them. It’s an outcome. how do you get there? By caring deeply. really, that’s what we do at Littlegig – we care deeply about every aspect of the festival. That’s how we win people’s trust, and then the rest follows.
Be mindful of the broader context, but don’t be apologetic about what you’re doing.
When you’re putting on a high-end event, accusations of elitism are inevitable.
The only way to counter them is to be exceptional and to be conscious. Pay artists and suppliers fairly. don’t appropriate someone else’s culture. and then be proud of the platform you’re creating.
Magic happens when you move people from the thinking brain to the feeling brain.
For various reasons, festivals have become increasingly formulaic by design: stages, food trucks, sponsor activations, security checks. The only way to revive the romance is by using elements of surprise and creative magic to pull people from their organised, busy lives into a place of escape.
Collaborating with creatives is both a privilege and an art form in itself.
I try to park my own controlling tendencies and allow artists as much creative freedom as possible, but at the same time I must provide and guard the framework for the project so that the objective is achieved. Littlegig festival rests on creative talent, and I’ve come to realise that acknowledgment is vital, for even the most self-assured artists.
Not everyone is going to like you.
This is an inevitable truth of running a business. as a creative festival we are a moving entity, constantly trying new ways of doing things, which can mean some tough decisions. on occasion I have changed key suppliers in spite of very good relationships. I try to communicate clearly and compassionately, but at the same time I do not allow myself to be bullied. It’s my prerogative and my duty to steer the ship in the direction I feel it should be going.
Practise being uncertain, imperfect and unoriginal.
These are the things that scare me most and I’ve figured out that the only way to confront them is by trying new things. even if I do them badly, it keeps my life interesting. I’m not sporty but I recently started cold-water swimming and it’s enlivening to expand the way I see myself. at the same time, there are a few ‘old’ things I am trying not to do: overwork or (strangely enough) read too much. I’m a bit addicted to both and, left unchecked, these can keep me from engaging with the world.