Katrina Larkin resigns from The Big Chill festival
"I'm incredibly proud of what we achieved" says former Creative Director
Daniel Fahey - 08 November 2010
She originally set up the event with Pete Lawrence in 1994, but she has now stepped aside
following a takeover
by Festival Republic in 2009.
“It’s obviously a very significant step for me to take but it is
one that was agreed last year when Festival Republic bought The Big Chill Festival,” Larkin said. “Throughout
the negotiations, both Melvin and I felt that it would be best if I maintained involvement in the festival on a creative,
consultative level to ensure as smooth and successful a transition as possible.
“We intentionally didn’t
put a time limit on this process, as it is something that is impossible to predict with any accuracy. Instead, we chose to
wait until both of us felt happy that the time was right for the festival.
“It’s a massive demonstration
of Melvin’s professionalism and passion for festivals, that after one year we both feel completely happy to finalise
the transition.
“The whole team at Festival Republic should receive both plaudits and awards for the sensitive
and successful manner in which they have overseen what has been an organic evolution of an already extraordinary festival.
From day one, they have fully understood the heritage of innovation, experimentation, creativity and escapism that needed
to be upheld as the UK’s first boutique festival. I feel completely happy that I’m leaving The Big Chill in the
safest pair of hands in the country.
“I would also like to thank Melvin for the manner in which he has conducted
what could have been a difficult process for us both. I’m incredibly happy that, in keeping with the spirit of the Big
Chill Festival, our relationship has remained so friendly - so much so that I’ll be cycling across Kenya with Melvin
for ten days in November in aid of The Kenyan Orphan Project.
“The Big Chill is 16 years old so perhaps now
is the perfect time fully to let go and allow it to grow on its own. I am incredibly proud of the things we’ve achieved
and will cherish the thousands of golden moments that I’ve been privileged to share with the Big Chillers down the years
from the first festival in the Black Mountains in ‘94 to the moment I found myself standing naked in a field with a
thousand naked black and blue, red and yellow chillers last year!
“I’m off now to explore other opportunities
in life and, of course, to continue my work with the Big Chill Bar Group.”
Katrina Larkin was given the Lifetime
Achievement Award at the UK Festival Awards last year.
Festival Republic
own stakes in Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds and Latitude.
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