Women who lead
As we enter festival season, Good Housekeeping recognises the women who are making live music amazing
Illustrator Josie da Bank, 49, and her husband created Bestival, which has developed into a music festival for all ages.
Twenty years ago my husband, Robby, was running the Sunday Best record label and we did club nights in London and Ibiza. Organising a music festival in the UK felt like a natural progression. What we didn’t realise was how hard it was to sell tickets; it was all done via paper flyers and billboards. While Robby took care of the music, I led the creative side, sorting out the art and stage designs. Our first Bestival was on the Isle of Wight in 2004. It was a massive success and we wanted to carry on. By the time of our second Bestival, I was pregnant and had the idea of creating a family-friendly festival. A lot of our friends were starting to have children, as were our audience, and at the time there wasn’t really a family festival. It took a few years to organise, but in 2008 we launched Camp Bestival in Dorset, with lots of space to include activities for kids. We’ve had many amazing performers over the years. Florence + The Machine played when their first album, Lungs, was released and Ed Sheeran performed in 2011. He played for about 50 people in the woods; a really intimate performance compared with the arenas he sells out now. When we started, Robby had a show on Radio One, meaning he had access to all kinds of new bands, so we’ve been able to spotlight up-and-coming talent who have gone on to do great things.
Last year, was our first Camp Bestival in Shropshire – we recognise that Dorset is really far away for families who don’t live in the south of England. There’s a lake at the Shropshire site, which we don’t have in Dorset, so we’re able to offer more activities, such as raft building and paddleboarding. This year, we’re celebrating 15 years of Camp Bestival, and we’re bringing back a ship called HMS Camp Bestival, featuring my illustrations, where we’ll show a big circus spectacular every night. It’s perfect for bringing families together. I’m particularly looking forward to seeing Grace Jones headlining in Dorset. She’s played several times before and it’s always a joy to have her back. Meanwhile, Primal Scream will take the main stage in Shropshire.
Ever since we started, we’ve tried to get an equal spread of male and female performers – and I think we’ve managed it every year, which I’m really proud of. It’s a real balancing act to get a great mix of acts that appeal to everybody.
I’m so glad Robby and I work together; it’s so all-consuming that if
