Clare is a Company Founder / Director and Consultant Event Operations Manager with over 15 years delivering event experiences across outdoor mass gathering and brand sectors. Working predominately alongside independent and grassroots festivals, Clare has developed her company to be an award-winning organisation driven by values that include collaboration, belonging, clarity and thought leadership. Clare specialises in event operational delivery and project management, including sustainability, health & safety, crowd management, policy development, licensing, budgets, team leadership, and communications. Her recent festival clients include; We Out Here, Brockwell Live, Rock Oyster, and Live at York Museum Gardens. Read her answers to our 20 Event Industry Green Leader. Read her answers to our 20 monthly questions below:
1. What is the proudest sustainability achievement or moment of your career?
Being the first outdoor festival awarded Dark Skies Friendly accreditation for We Out Here Festival.
2. What was your worst ever sustainability-related decision, project or initiative and why?
Thinking that sustainability is the responsibility of one person one site, when in reality it needs the whole team to work together.
3. What are you excited about implementing this year?
Working with some newer projects who haven’t progressed their sustainability that far, giving us the chance to make a big difference.
4. Which environmental issue do you most care about?
Social sustainability, but also how that impacts the way in which people build relationships with their physical environment.
5. What sustainable change have you made in your personal life that you are most proud of?
Making more sustainable food choices by using local markets and shops in my own life.
6. What do you read, listen to or watch to stay in touch with green issues?
Newsletters, social media, panels / workshops at industry events etc.
7. What is the most memorable live performance in your life?
So many! Sigur Ros In Harper Music Hall Iceland; early Elbow gigs in Night & Day Cafe Manchester; Eminem, Snoop, D12 and Cyprus Hill in Scotland where I also ate my first fried Mars Bar; and of course, my first ever gig watching Tina Turner!
8. Was there a moment you committed to taking action on climate change?
I think it was probably when I realised that small changes are still valid action, and hundreds of small changes make massive impacts.
9. What is the most important issue to tackle at your events?
Ensuring everyone plays their part – audience, artists, staff, contractors.
10. What do you think is the most significant challenge for the events industry becoming more sustainable?
Avoiding green hushing out of fear of not being perfect, and instead talking more, sharing more, and learning more from each other.
11. Can you share something sustainable from another artist or event or company that inspired you to make a change?
Seeing other shows like Shambala making brave steps and realising you can do the same.
12. What is the secret to your sustainable success?!
Involve everyone!
13. Tell us something you feel positive about right now that relates to the environment
There are so many small, localised organisations doing amazing work to connect people to the outside world and to each other.
14. Tell us a book, film or recent article you feel others should watch/read and why about positive change?
Six Conversations We’re Scared to Have by Debroah Frances; Ultra Processed People by Chris Van Tulleken; 4000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman.
15. Can you give people new to sustainability in events a top tip?
Don’t be overwhelmed and try to do everything. Tackle the things within your direct sphere of influence, and those are the things that can make a real difference.
16. What is the favourite festival moment of your career?
] I always have one moment at a show where I see the absolute joy on someone’s face, and that is enough to make it all worth it.
17. What habit or practice has helped you most in your personal journey in life?
Always learning, always asking questions.
18. Is there anything new or exciting you are planning or changing for the future that you can tell us about?
Actually, the most exciting thing for me right now is exploring how you can build a company that delivers a balanced life in the event world.
19. Will we save the world?
Only if we start to consider how we save each other.
20. What would your sustainable super-power be?
The power to un-invent plastic!
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This Q&A originally appeared in our October 2025 Vision for Sustainable Events newsletter. Sign up to receive monthly event sustainability news, case studies and guest blogs direct to your inbox.