BIMM Students In The Spotlight
Brighton has been buzzing all summer. From the beaches to the backstreets, the pubs to the parks, the city has been alive with music. We’ve danced through Brighton Fringe and The Great Escape, soaked up jazz at Love Supreme, partied at On The Beach, celebrated Trans Pride and many other incredible events.
But the music scene is more than the artists on stage; it’s the people backstage, shaping the future of live events and new music. At BIMM University, students aren’t just getting chances to perform; they’re stepping into the roles of producers, tech crews, social media creatives and event managers, gaining hands-on experience working at Brighton’s top festivals and music events.
The Great Escape, Brighton’s biggest weekend in May, is a city-wide takeover of music discovery, with over 450 emerging artists performing across grassroots venues and pop-up stages along the beach. The air is filled with new sounds and industry professionals are on the hunt for the next big artist.
For BIMM students, the festival offers more than performance slots; it’s a gateway into the engine room of the music industry. After all, it takes a whole team to get your favourite artists from the rehearsal room to the stage.
One of those behind-the-scenes talents this year was Keira Bradshaw, a Music and Sound Production student who volunteered as a tech assistant at The Great Escape. “I found out about it through the BIMM Connect page, where they were looking for volunteers to help out at the festival,” Keira says. BIMM Connect is an online hub where students can link up with other creatives across the university to collaborate on projects. It’s also where lecturers and industry professionals post job openings, volunteer roles and other opportunities to help students gain hands-on experience and build their careers.
Keira shares, “The most memorable moment from the event was getting to work alongside the BBC Introducing Wales team and meeting lots of different artists such as Berenice, Nia Smith, Jordan Adetunji, Ruby Duff and her team.” Having the chance to not only discover new music, but also gain technical skills helps build CVs and opens doors to future opportunities. “I learnt lots of new tech skills, met lots of different producers, artist liaisons and sound engineers that I have kept in touch with, and am looking forward to working with again in the future.”
Moving into June, we have to shout out the BIMM students who volunteered at the iconic Glastonbury Festival, assisting with backstage co-ordination and VIP areas on the Pyramid and Other stages. Martina Cetraro shared, “When I saw the front of the stage for the first time, I literally FaceTimed my mum crying. It’s been a dream of mine since I was little to go to Glastonbury, and having the opportunity to do it through BIMM was just incredible. I’m forever, forever, forever grateful.”
Closer to home, Brighton Pride was the city at its brightest, with an estimated 300,000 people filling the streets with rainbows, glitter and pure celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. At Preston Park, Pride in the Park was a full-blown music spectacular, with headline sets from icons such as Mariah Carey, Sugababes, Confidence Man and Brighton’s own Fatboy Slim.
Among the crowd and down in the photo pit were 14 BIMM students, working alongside digital marketing company WMA Agency to capture the magic as part of their PR and social media team. Tessa Carlisle, a Business and Events Management student, was one of them. “My role was to shoot content on my iPhone of the crowds at the festival, get in the pit and shoot content of the artists, and watch over the media tents where people were coming in and out,” Tessa explains.
But the opportunity goes beyond the stage. It’s the chance to build connections and allows for introductions with industry professionals, meeting other creatives and gaining contacts for the future. Working local events also brings a different kind of reward: feeling part of Brighton’s cultural heart.
“Part of what makes Brighton so special is its music scene and the celebration of the city itself,” Tessa shared. “I think Pride really highlights that. This festival helped me feel connected to Brighton’s music scene and gave me an insight into how festivals are marketed and how artists are booked.”
Summer 2025 proved that Brighton’s sound isn’t just about the great artists on stage, but the BIMM students behind the scenes helping it all happen. Their enthusiasm ensures not only the success of each event, but also Brighton’s reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting places for live music.
