
March 8 marks International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the achievements of women, as well as call for true equality. This year’s theme is Inspire Inclusion, where we acknowledge intersectionality – how unique combinations of discrimination affect women – and work towards a world that’s diverse and equitable.
London is a diverse city, and as such, is home to a range of events. I sat down with three women who hold key roles in some of the biggest events in London right now. I spoke to Amanda Koval from the photography exhibition Accidentally Wes Anderson: The Exhibition; Andrea Lopez from the concert series Candlelight; and Natalie Davis from events producer Exhibition Hub. Here’s what they had to say.
Amanda Koval, co-founder of Accidentally Wes Anderson: The Exhibition
Accidentally Wes Anderson: The Exhibition (AWA) celebrates images from around the world, taken in the style of iconic film director and producer, Wes Anderson. It started as a travel Instagram page run by Amanda and her partner, who’ve always been fans of Wes, and transformed into a book, a small pop-up, and then an all-out exhibition.
What is your favourite thing about Accidentally Wes Anderson: The Exhibition?
This is the first time we’ve had somewhere where people can properly watch some of our adventures. [On Instagram] your sound doesn’t automatically turn on, you may not even watch it with sound because you have all the words there, so it’s really cool to watch people sit down and watch these things like a movie, because we just never had that before.
How does AWA speak to this year’s International Women’s Day theme?
[The exhibition] brings all of these people and their art into the same room. We have over a hundred and twenty countries in this exhibition, which is so cool – reaching every single continent. It truly shows it doesn’t matter where you live, you can find something that is a pop of colour.
We’ve gotten so many nice messages from people who are like I can’t believe my photo is in an exhibition in London… you don’t need to have a fancy camera. Everyone can be like, “I can do that.” You don’t need to go to Antarctica to get a shot. You can walk around the corner from your house and find something interesting.
Any advice for women in London who are interested in the events industry?
No idea is crazy, or a bad idea. Someone would have an idea, and I’d be like ‘I thought about that three months ago’, but I didn’t say it because I was nervous. Just say it because it might turn into something! Within the first 30 days of the account, I started with these collections and those are now part of the exhibition. It’s hard for, at least me, to be a loud voice and I’ve become much louder since this has started.
You can get tickets to Accidentally Wes Anderson: The Exhibition here.
Andrea Lopez, Manager of Candlelight, EMEA & APAC
Candlelight was born in 2019, the brainchild of tech company and events platform, Fever. The aim was to fill a gap in the market for younger generations to connect with classical music – something they’ve achieved with abundant success, as Candlelight concerts are available in over 100 cities around the world.
Andrea has been involved in Candlelight since the very first concert in Madrid, and she currently oversees Candlelight in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific regions, and leads the expansion into new markets.
What is your favourite thing about Candlelight?
My favourite thing is the diversity. From an audience perspective, when I walk into a Candlelight concert, I’m super happy to see how different the audience members are [from one another]. There are young couples, but then there are also old people coming to the shows with their families. There are also friends coming too. I also like the diversity that we have in our programming – it’s mind-blowing to me that within one concert series, you’re able to experience so many different programmes.
How does Candlelight speak to this year’s International Women’s Day theme?
So, on top of what I just mentioned, I think this diversity of our programming is also coming from diversity within our teams. I think it’s really cool to have such a diverse team and diverse mindsets from different parts of the world. This is helping us bring both the global component, but also the local components. The way to celebrate diversity is by having it already present inside, and then you see the reflection out in the world and with the programming.
Any advice for women in London who are interested in the events industry?
Don’t be afraid of saying crazy ideas out loud, and executing them because when you do, then you may find an audience. When I started working in London, in the very beginning, I was not expecting that we would do a tribute to Bad Bunny on strings, and it’s amazing!
Also, being a female in the industry: it’s important that you are assertive with [your vision], and make sure that your opinion is not being outspoken. Make sure that you bring your arguments to defend your opinion, and of course, be open to receiving feedback.
You can get tickets to Candlelight concerts here.
Natalie Davis, Senior UK/Ireland Operations Manager at Exhibition Hub
Exhibition Hub is a global events company that mixes arts, technology, and entertainment to create fun, educational, immersive exhibitions. Natalie started as General Manager of Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience in London, before setting up venues and events worldwide. She now is back in the UK, working and managing teams at Exhibition Hub events across London.
What is your favourite thing about Exhibition Hub, and your favourite event?
It’s our genuine guest-focused approach and the focus on offering the best guest experience for everyone who walks through our doors. Van Gogh was my start with the company, so will always have a special place in my heart, and it’s fun to watch it evolve each year. But Bubble Planet, I was a part of from the design stages, so to be a part of that on the ground in Wembley, where it’s doing so well, is great.
How do the Exhibition Hub’s events speak to this year’s International Women’s Day theme?
From our goal of making the arts – and our experiences – diversely accessible, to our teams who deliver these experiences day in, day out, we celebrate diversity. Our collection of experiences from Monet to Dali, Bubble Planet and Dinos Alive, are diverse on all fronts – the beauty of what we do is exactly that [we have] something for everyone, regardless of age or background.
Any advice for women in London who are interested in the events industry?
Find that company and that product that celebrates what you are passionate about. Throughout my whole career, I’ve managed to work on experiences that make people happy and offer an escape from life stresses, whether for an hour or a day. I wouldn’t want to work in anything else.
Every position, challenge, and workplace, teaches you and rewards you somehow. Keep growing and focus on the positives, even when things get tough: if you can see the silver lining, it’s worthwhile. Oh, and always expect the unexpected in events!
You can get tickets to Bubble Planet here, Art of the Brick here, and Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience here. You can check out Exhibition Hub’s current events around the world here.