Curtis began his journey into the creative and festival industries through a non-traditional route, initially following a STEM pathway at university while using his spare time to explore music, fashion design, and photography.

His early festival experiences came from working bar shifts and volunteering in exchange for tickets, but it wasn’t until graduating and moving to Bristol that he formally entered the festival industry. Curtis started by engaging with a short-term placement with Big Team in the accreditation department. In summer 2025, Curtis then completed a Big Team Festival Pathways placement in collaboration with Team Canteen, working across major events including Love Saves The Day, Boomtown, Glastonbury, Forwards, and Waterworks.

Through this opportunity, he developed essential skills in catering, accreditation, programming, and event management, gaining hands-on experience in large-scale event production.

Since the placement, Big Team has continued to support Curtis through regular check-ins, industry talks, workshops, and networking opportunities, helping him build lasting professional relationships.

Over the past year, Curtis has also observed positive industry shifts, particularly around sustainability and improved mental health support for festival workers, while personally growing in confidence navigating complex festival sites.

He sees Big Team as a vital organisation driving diversity, inclusion, and long-term support within an industry that has historically lacked representation. Looking ahead, Curtis plans to work as a freelance event photographer while continuing to build experience in catering, develop his portfolio, and ultimately work towards organising his own events and festivals.