All in a day's (and night's) work with an artistic production manager

Four years ago, after studying art history, Héloïse took an internship at Le Sucre, Lyon’s iconic club: “Le Sucre and Nuits Sonores opened my eyes to loads of musical styles that I wasn’t aware of.” She has worked for the festival ever since, managing all aspects related to “artist reception”. It is a complex juggling act, involving constant coordination with hotels, train companies and artists’ agents. Most of the work is done at the office, with telephone in hand, to make sure that the artists are there on the big day and well looked after.

“My job is to work out all the logistics for the artists, whether it’s accommodation, transport, the cost of runs, or picking them up in a car. I know that my telephone could ring at any moment until they arrive in Lyon.” In short, she has to think of everything. She also takes on board requirements expressed by the artists and their teams, compiled in a rider. There have been one or two oddball requests, recalls Héloïse with a smile: “In what other job would you need to rent a cement mixer for a synth-punk concert?” 

Once the festival is underway, Héloïse looks after the artists and makes sure that everything goes to schedule. She is always on the alert for emergency situations, because a late arrival or cancellation can upset the whole festival. 

For the 2024 Nuits Sonores, five artistic production managers will be working at Le Sucre, La Sucrière, H7 and Le Transbordeur, with the same missions as Héloïse. She will be working primarily at Les Grandes Locos, a totally new venue where Skrillex, Fatboy Slim and more than 50 other artists will be playing. This is an extra challenge for the whole team as “we have to identify access points to the stage for the artist, in order to manage audience interactions and the general layout with the logistics team.”

Nuits sonores 2024

For its 24th edition, the day and night electronic music festival is returning to Lyon from 7 to 12 May 2024. This year, the sessions will be held in part at Les Grandes Locos, a new venue for major events in the metropolitan area. Artists on the bill include Ben Klock, JakoJako, the veteran Laurent Garnier, Bonobo, Audrey Danza, Tomasa del Real, Jennifer Cardini, Vel, Kerri Chandler and dozens of others!

© Brice Robert www.b-rob.com

Nuits Sonores

Festival

Quai Pierre-Sémart Rue Gabriel-Péri - 69350 La Mulatière
06 66 38 02 12

www.nuits-sonores.com

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© Gaétan Clément

Le Sucre

Show venue

50 quai Rambaud - 69002 Lyon 2ème

www.le-sucre.eu

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