2024 Women Of Live International: Katie Musham

Director of Strategic Programming | Co-op Live
Manchester, UK

Katie Musham and her team are weeks away from opening the most expensive arena ever built outside of North America: Co-op Live in Manchester, England, which she describes as “Tim Leiweke’s masterpiece” that is set “to become the best arena in Europe.”

It’s an investment that shows Oak View Group’s confidence in the future of live entertainment and no concern that this golden age of live entertainment could end anytime soon. On the contrary, “Knowing our industry,” says Musham, “I think a Platinum age is coming. Business is booming, and fans are really embracing live. They want more shows, expect a better experience, and are willing to pay for just that. We are building Co-op Live with that in mind.”

As the director of strategic programming, Musham and her team were responsible for Co-op Live’s impressive opening season that included Liam Gallagher’s “Definitely Maybe” shows, the only UK farewell concerts by the Eagles, who “will sound phenomenal in our venue,” according to Musham, The Killers, Pearl Jam and many more.

“We just announced that MTV EMAs is coming to Manchester in November, I have been working with Paramount and Manchester City Council on the show and there is an amazing collaborative excitement from us all,” Musham says. “We are on a mission to spotlight Manchester globally and will make MTV EMAs a flagship event on a huge global scale. The year ahead is going to be epic, so buckle up and join us for the ride.”

OVG, Pollstar’s parent company, isn’t just leading the charge in arenas but also leadership innovation. Musham says the company sees “it in our own leadership and executive teams, where we have more women than men. Women in our industry are amazing – a lot of us are mums and somehow manage the challenging juggle of an intense workload and nurturing the next generation. For me, personally, my son is my biggest support, always sending videos to wish me luck with a big meeting or presentation. I let him know about my work, I think it is important. I am grateful that OVG are very supportive to me and the juggle.”