Student experience: Students go behind the scenes of Little Simz arena gigs
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First-year Stage & Production Management students at the Academy of Live Technology recently had the unique opportunity to gain first-hand experience of a world-class arena production, thanks to an visit from Maggie Salisbury, Production Coordinator for Little Simz.
The production was being built on campus at Studio 001, Production Park, ahead of just two major arena dates at Co-op Live, Manchester and The O2, London. With a production that scaled from 7 to 14 trucks and featured the tallest video wall ever used at The O2, this was an amazing insight into the complexity of arena-level shows.
Maggie spent time with our Stage & Production Management students, breaking down:
- Her role and how she coordinates logistics with the Production Manager
- The artist’s involvement and financial risks in arena-scale shows
- Real-world challenges of scaling up production
Students also got a tour of the stage and spoke with Heads of Department about scheduling, technical issues, and adapting to increased production demands.
Claire Porter-Price, Course Leader, said:
“Getting first-hand, up-to-the-minute experience from a live production like this brought everything we were learning that day into real-world context - it was invaluable.”
Experiences like this exemplify the industry access and hands-on learning that studying at ALT and Production Park provides.
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