Green Man Festival’s Fiona Stewart is to be honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Festivals award at the UK Festival Awards on Monday 2nd December. Fiona has spent a career in entertainment and events spanning over 25 years, as a pioneer of the ‘boutique festival’ she has shaped the industry we know and love today. Fiona began her event career in the 1980’s in London clubs and venues, followed by an offer of a production role in the nascent Channel 4. After years as a freelance producer during which she cut her festival teeth at Glastonbury and other festivals she became the Festival Manager of the Big Chill where she oversaw the expansion from 3,500 to 35,000 people between 2000 and 2006, and introduced the festival services now identified as ‘boutique’. Fiona owns and directs the hugely successful and critically-acclaimed Green Man festival in Wales’ Black Mountains, which celebrated its eleventh anniversary this summer with performances from Patti Smith, Ben Howard, Edwyn Collins and many more.
UKFA Director, James Drury, said: “Fiona’s dedication to not only her own events, but the industry as a whole, is inspirational. She is generous with her expertise – and that spirit of willingness to share knowledge is something we can all learn from. “I have always admired Fiona’s extremely high standards and determination when many lesser people would give up – it’s the attitude which has made the Green Man festival and all events she is involved with so successful. “It is with great delight that the Festival Awards recognises Fiona’s extraordinary feats and generosity to the festival industry”.
Carwyn Jones AM, the First Minister of Wales said “I am pleased to congratulate Fiona on this well-deserved honour. Despite her busy schedule Fiona has worked closely with the Welsh Government over the last three years as part of the Creative Industries sector panel, for which she has our thanks. She also found the time to produce a contemporary music event in Wales for the Cultural Olympiad in 2012.. While all of this was happening of course, Green Man has, with the support of the Welsh Government, gone from strength to strength. The beauty of Glanusk Park and the surrounding area in Powys make it a distinctive Welsh festival with a strong sustainability ethos. The festival attracts headline acts from around the world who bring tourists into Wales, and we know many of them will come back again; but it is much more than that. It provides a genuine platform for Welsh artists; it works hand in hand with Welsh companies; it provides work experience and training opportunities for Welsh people; it supports Welsh charities. Fiona is to be congratulated for the way she has led the development of Green Man as a thought-provoking and original brand.”
Emma Banks, Senior Agent, Creative Artist Agency added “Fiona certainly deserves this award. It’s tough as an Independent festival but Green Man goes from strength to strength. Green Man has grown to become one of the most loved festivals in the UK and every artist I know that has performed there has had a great time. She has a great eye for a festival site – a strike rate of 2 for 2 is good in anyone’s book and there is a real magic when you spend the weekend in Wales at Green Man!”
For more information on the UK Festival Conference & Awards please visit http://www.festivalawards.com/