Getting To Know Your Pollstar Live! Panelists: Grace Barrett

Pollstar Live!, the world’s largest gathering of live entertainment professionals, returns to the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, Feb. 21-23. The three-day conference is a flagship event for Pollstar magazine with compelling keynotes, panels, roundtables and the Pollstar Awards, celebrating the best in the business, along with plenty of opportunities to network and engage in insightful discussions.

Pollstar Live! kicks off with Production Live!, the one-day companion conference that features panels on all topics related to staging live events including lighting, video, stage management, sound technique, concert production, video, regulations, security and more.

Click these links for the Production Live! schedule and the Pollstar Live! schedule. Register for Pollstar Live! here.

Getting To Know Your Pollstar Live! Panelists

Grace Barrett
Director of Communications & Partnerships at Planet Bluegrass
Panel: Hello, I Love You – Fostering Community Around Artists & Events
Date/Time: Thursday l Feb. 23 l 11:30 a.m.

Why must everyone go to your panel?
Community is key! You can’t have a successful event without a group of dedicated followers that believe in your mission and vision. Prioritizing these folks is the most important thing you can do.

What story will you tell during the panel?
How the Planet Bluegrass community rallied in 2020 in the face of a canceled festival season. Many Festivarians donated their tickets to help keep our lights on. We were able to use that money to pay our staff, artists, and others struggling during the pandemic.

What’s the story you won’t tell?
That one community member who felt so connected to us and the magic of the festival that they birthed their child on the grounds.

What may cause tempers to flare?
Tempers typically flare for us when we deviate from historic norms (ie. get a new ticketing partner, change an age-old process, etc.). Change is unavoidable, so it’s important to communicate clearly and make sure your community knows you are on their side and listening to their feedback through the change.

What was the best part of your 2022?
Tenacious D at Telluride Bluegrass!

Your predictions for 2023’s live industry highlights?
John Scher announces Woodstock 2024 sponsored by Southwest Airlines.

Career tentpoles you are most proud of?
Successfully producing a fully socially distanced festival during a COVID-19 shutdown.