From Fans to Frontline: Why Gen Z Is Powering the Outdoor Events Industry

Every summer, the UK transforms into a hive of outdoor events: festivals, marathons, touring food fairs, open-air cinemas, and immersive theatre pop-ups. But behind the energy, logistics, and excitement is a new generation that’s reshaping how these events come to life: Gen Z.

At Live Recruitment, we've seen a marked surge in recent grads and early-career professionals seeking roles in the outdoor events space. In fact, during a recent round of graduate interviews, over half expressed clear aspirations to work in festivals or experiential environments. So, what's behind the growing appeal?

Experience over glamour

For Gen Z, the lure isn’t just about brushing shoulders with artists or jet-setting across continents. It’s about experiences - raw, real, and rooted in storytelling. Touring with performers, helping build out stages in unexpected locations, and living through the adrenaline-fuelled, behind-the-scenes world of live production all strike a chord with this experience-driven generation.

They’re drawn to environments where creativity meets intensity, and where hard work results in moments that are felt, seen, and shared. There’s a strong “work hard, play hard” mentality at play - and the long hours, night builds, and rain-or-shine conditions are worn like a badge of honour. It’s not about glamour; it’s about grit and immersion.

Built-in experience

What makes Gen Z particularly compelling is that many already come to the table with hands-on experience - even before entering the job market. Whether it’s volunteering at local music festivals, running student union events, managing campus brand activations, or producing digital content for university societies, they’re entering the industry with relevant exposure and a practical grasp of experiential culture.

They also tend to be digitally fluent, collaborative, and highly adaptable qualities that align perfectly with the dynamic nature of outdoor and live events. They’re not afraid to roll up their sleeves, learn on the fly, and contribute to something bigger than themselves.

Foot in the door

Roles like artist liaisons, production assistants, or site coordinators are especially attractive to this demographic - not just because they’re close to the action, but because they offer clear progression and a meaningful introduction to the wider industry.

These positions allow young professionals to work within teams that value passion, adaptability, and hands-on learning. Whether they’re supporting artist logistics, managing volunteer teams, or troubleshooting on site, these early roles lay the foundation for long-term careers in production, ops, and event direction.

How Live Recruitment helps

At Live Recruitment, we understand what makes this generation tick. We don’t just place people in roles - we help build careers by matching the right energy and potential with the right opportunity.

Our team works closely with both talent and employers to ensure roles align with long-term ambitions and the cultural nuances of the outdoor events sector. We know that a Gen Z candidate looking to break into festivals may value mentorship, variety, and creative autonomy just as much as pay or title.

Whether it’s a three-day staging/rigging build for a touring show, a summer-long AV contract working in UK-wide events, or a permanent position with an events production agency, we know how to connect fresh energy with experienced teams. Because when passion meets purpose, incredible things happen.

Get in touch for more information: hi@live-recruitment.co.uk | www.live-recruitment.co.uk