Swindon Lives: Helen Miah - Big Arts Day Special

Festival's don't organise themselves, particularly Big Arts Day - they take months of preparation, with a team of highly dedicated and enthusiastic organisers. We caught up with one of those individuals, Helen Miah.

How long have you been preparing for Big Arts Day?

Ever since the last one ended so 11^th July 2011!

What act are you most looking forward to seeing?

Blimey that’s a toughie there’s so much to choose from - I’m quite intrigued by the Bicycle Ballet, excited about our headliners A&T, Josh Kumra and AJ and friends but also hoping to catch a weeny moment of my son DJing!

What’s been your biggest obstacle and how have you overcome it?

At the moment it’s the weather, we’ve done everything we can to prepare for an amazing day but even we cant control the weather.  Im going to go out and spend a fortune on wet weather gear in the hope that will ensure the sun comes out!  (It’s what I did for Radio 1's Big Weekend and it seemed to work then!!)

How important do you think events like this are to Swindon’s culture?

Absolutely vital to provide an opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate and showcase our vibrant and diverse arts scene.  The arts are such a powerful way of uniting people, I just love the fact that the event attracts people from so many different backgrounds and of all ages.  It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling seeing everyone enjoying themselves like one big family! Not to mention making such a powerful statement that we ARE NOT a cultural dessert!

Your phone book must be full of interesting contacts, who is the most famous person in there?

Haha I wish, I’m hoping that some of our outstanding young performers will be famous soon and remember me… I have been keeping a close eye on young Theo Alieri for sometime now!!

You’ve been working very hard in the run up to the Big Day! Will you be working on the actual day or will you get to enjoy some of the acts?

Yes I will be working flat out all day.  I am the Festival Director and the buck stops with me, I have to know what’s going on at all times and be involved in every key management decision.  I do have an amazing team to be working with.

What will be the first thing you do after the show’s over?

Now that depends on when you thinks it’s over?  I will be on site till complete closedown, that was about 2am last year, back on at 8am the next day for the clear up and working all the following week, closing everything down, sorting the media, the budgets etc etc.  BUT I can let you in on a little secret – I shall be performing at the Town Hall on Sunday 15^th as part of the Swindon Dance Strictly Swindon Show… so no doubt I shall be practicing like mad.

Describe Swindon in three words...

Swindon Does Arts!!!!!!!

What has been your biggest achievement to date?

Pulling off the last 2 Big Arts Days and persuading the entire arts community to get involved!

What next?...

Off to Weymouth with our wind machine and wind gatherers to battle it out with the rest of the region then a holiday and chance to remind my kids they do have a mum!!