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Elissa Gold

@_elissagold

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Creative Senior Producer
Project Director
Arts, Music & Cultural Programming
Experiential
Ops & Logs
Celebrating the Neurodivergent Brain

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I've basically spent the last week crying. Happy tears, I promise! And I'm STILL going! 😭🖤 I honestly don't know where to begin.

On Wednesday night, Back to Black 20 came to life at the Roundhouse. An extraordinary celebration of 20 years of Amy Winehouse's iconic album, curated by Mark Ronson, Salaam Remi, Paul O'Duffy & PNut.

What an absolute BEAST of a project this has been! So many moving parts, endless curveballs, a relentless pace & a million things happening simultaneously. Throw a major BBC broadcast into the mix & you've got a whole other level of madness! 🤣

I've had the privilege of working directly with the project partners to help bring their vision to life, alongside Mark Ronson's team, the Amy Winehouse Band, Amy's original team & an incredible BBC production team.

This has been an incredibly emotional journey for so many involved. Amy is still so deeply loved, & for those who knew her, the memories & emotions are never far away. It's been a true honour to be something that celebrates her for the extraordinary artist & person she was, & the music she gave us.

Watching everything come together, and finally seeing that stage come alive on Wednesday night, was quite overwhelming.

THE ARTISTS!!! What a phenomenal group of women. The talent, the voices, the energy, the love and respect for Amy. Every single one of them brought something special.

I've been lucky enough to work on some fantastic projects throughout my career, but this one has to be my absolute highlight. I've had more pinch-me moments in the last six months than I can count. It's been an absolute privilege to be involved, and I'm genuinely proud of the work I've done and what we've all achieved.

A huge amount of love and respect to every single person who worked their absolute arses off to make this happen. What a team.

...& then there was my daughter, Tilly, watching from the audience. After the show, she said to me, "Mum, I'm so bloody proud of you."

Well, that absolutely finished me off. 😭❤️

I'm exhausted, emotional, ridiculously happy and genuinely gutted it's over.

And now I get to watch Back to Black 20 on BBC Two tonight at 9.35pm and cry all over again! 🤣😭🖤 by @_elissagold

Sixteen years ago, I walked onto my first @wildernesshq. I never imagined it would become such a huge part of my career. As one of the festival's Creative Producers and Programmers, it's been an incredible journey to be part of since the very beginning, and it'll always hold a special place in my heart.

This year, I got to experience Wilderness from a completely different perspective.

I joined @avantgarde_global as a freelance Senior Producer during the pitch process to help the team shape the creative vision and operational strategy behind The Audi Haven, @audiuk headline activation at Wilderness.

Following a successful pitch win, I stayed with the project through to delivery as Operations and Logistics Lead, working alongside an incredibly talented team.

The Haven played host to an amazing programme throughout the weekend, with surprise performances from Professor Green, a DJ set from the legendary Jo Whiley, a Sunday afternoon with Jamie Cullum, immersive dining experiences with Theo Randall, and so much more, all within a space that felt like it had always belonged at Wilderness.

I've been lucky enough to work on some incredible projects over the years, but this one genuinely felt different. It brought together some of the best people in the industry, and it was an absolute privilege to be part of such a talented, collaborative team.

#wildernessfestival #audiuk #liveevents #seniorproducer by @_elissagold

Week 1's #specialevents were an absolute whirlwind for @googlepixel #curiosityrooms !! Launch parties, a top secret 🤫 album launch for @littlemix with @youtubemusic (spot the 5th band member! #minime 🤩😜😘) plus a fashion show for @kyra.tv and @paq.official 🤗 Week 2 is all about feminism with the incredible @scarcurtis @tanyaburr and @amikageorge 💪💪💪an interview with #starwars legend @johnboyega and hosted by @mrfemioguns plus @fearnecotton #ahappyplace podcast with @melaniecmusic 🙌 Follow the link in my bio for full event details! Sooooo proud to be part of the #weareamplify production team! #curiosityrooms #googlepixel3 #55regentstreet #londontown #piccadillycircus #freelanceevents #eventsuk #eventprofsuk #eventproducer by @_elissagold

I've written and deleted this post so many times today.

Not because I don't know what to say. Because there's too fucking much to say.

Three years of grief, anger and disbelief. Three years of watching antisemitism become terrifyingly normalised in a country I once felt safe in.

I'm heartbroken. I'm scared. And I'm fucking angry.

But amongst the hatred, these three years have also brought extraordinary people into my life. Strangers who became friends, and friends who became family. My mishpocha. ❤️

And despite everything, I've never been so fucking proud to be Jewish.

Today, above all, I remember the innocent lives brutally stolen on October 7th.

We will dance again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again.....

This too shall pass. 🕯️💙 by @_elissagold

This one feels pretty special 🖤

I’m currently part of the core team bringing Back to Black 20 to life, Project Managing alongside the partners behind the show, culminating in a live celebration at the Roundhouse, filmed and aired by the BBC.

Back to Black is part of my history. I grew up with that album, and now I’m watching Amy’s music being loved by my daughter’s generation too. Twenty years on, her legacy and influence are everywhere.

To now be working alongside Amy’s inner circle and members of her original team, people who fiercely loved and supported her, feels quite incredible. At the heart of this project is everything that made Amy so special: the music, that extraordinary talent, her humour, her badassness and everything she gave us.

This show is for the fans, and I’m very, very proud to be part of it. 🖤

(Last pic is of my mini-me dressed up as Amy, many moons ago!)

#bbcstudios #metropolismusic #amywinehouse #backtoblack20 #pinchme by @_elissagold

SHE DID IT!!!! 🎬💄😭❤️

My girl passed her GCSEs & has officially secured her place at @elstreescreenarts, studying Specialist Production Hair & Makeup for Media, Film & Performance.

I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever felt prouder.

The last few years haven’t always been easy for Tilly. The school system is bloody hard & the pressure on our kids is enormous. Tilly ABSOLUTELY deserves this!

And then there was her portfolio.

Tilly has worked SO hard on it. At enrolment she showed it to a tutor who just happened to teach her course. She went through it & told Tilly it was one of THE BEST portfolios she’d ever seen from someone her age & that she should be incredibly proud of her work.

Then came a tick. A signature.

“You’re in. See you in September!”

AND SHE GOT THE LAST PLACE ON THE COURSE!!! 😭

When the tutor said she was in, I cried. Proper big fat embarrassing mum tears. 😂

I’m proud of Tilly every day, but this was ANOTHER LEVEL!

She is SO talented & passionate about what she does, and perhaps the loveliest part for me is that she’s been immersed in the creative industries through my work since she was tiny. She’s grown up in festival fields and experiential worlds, surrounded by performers, artists, makers & all the brilliant humans who create them.

She watched these worlds being built. Then she became part of them. Now she’s part of my own crew.

I could NOT be prouder that my world has influenced hers. ❤️ But this next bit is completely Tilly’s.

Her own craft. Her own industry. Her own trajectory.

At ESA she’ll be immersed in creativity, learning her craft at a phenomenal academy connected to some of the UK’s leading film & TV studios. Most importantly, I think she’s going to find her tribe.

Tilly, you are talented, creative and fiercely BADASS!

Go learn EVERYTHING. Go make weird shit. Go make beautiful shit. Go build worlds.

LET’S FUCKING DO THIS!!! 💙🤍🎬🎭💄🔥 by @_elissagold

More snaps from An Indian Summer. @aisfestival

Five inspiring days. Multiple venues. One city brought together through creativity.

An Indian Summer 2026 celebrated the shared cultures of South Asia and the UK, creating space for bold artistic collaborations, meaningful conversations and unforgettable experiences across Leicester City Centre.

It was a privilege to be Festival Producer for this year's event, leading the delivery alongside an incredible team.

#leicestercitycentre #artsandcultureuk #ais2026

📸 @tom_platinum_morley and @kieranvyas by @_elissagold

That's a wrap on An Indian Summer 2026! 🌟

What a fantastic five days celebrating this year's theme, Cycles & Circles, through an inspiring programme of theatre, dance, music, puppetry, film and visual arts by exceptional South Asian artists from across the UK.

As Festival Producer, it was a privilege to lead the delivery of this city-wide event, working alongside an incredible team, the Executive Producer and the festival's co-founders to bring the event to life across Jubilee Square, Leicester Cathedral, the Guildhall and Attenborough Arts Centre.

Bringing together artists, suppliers, partners, volunteers and production teams to deliver live events on this scale is always a collaborative effort, and I'm so proud of what we achieved together.

Seeing months of planning transform into five days of vibrant, creative experiences across Leicester city centre is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

A huge thank you to everyone who played a part. I'm already looking forward to working with the team again as we begin planning for An Indian Summer 2027. 🌿✨

#AnIndianSummer #FestivalProducer #leicestercitycenter #SouthAsianArts #culturaleventsuk

@inspirateuk @aisfestival by @_elissagold

I'm incredibly proud to be joining this panel at the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in London tomorrow, on Tuesday 9th June.

Having spent over 25 years working in events, including 16 years in the festival sector, safeguarding has been a constant thread throughout my career.

Balancing safety and security whilst preserving the freedom, joy and connection that make festivals so special is one of the greatest responsibilities event producers carry.

I've spent decades helping to create spaces where people can come together through music, arts and culture, to celebrate, connect, learn, dance and simply be themselves.

Music festivals are meant to be places of freedom, connection and joy. Places that should feel safe.

Protecting those spaces, whilst ensuring they remain welcoming, vibrant and full of life, has never felt more important.

As someone who has dedicated much of my career to creating festival experiences, this conversation feels particularly meaningful.

As the festival industry continues to evolve, there are important conversations and difficult questions that we can no longer afford to avoid. I'm honoured to be joining a panel that will explore these issues from a range of perspectives.

I'm particularly honoured to be sharing the stage with Ofir Amir, Co-Founder and survivor of the Nova Music Festival, Deputy Assistant Police Commissioner Ben Russell, and the phenomenal actor, writer and activist Tracy-Ann Oberman MBE, all of whom bring invaluable experience and perspective to this important discussion.

I look forward to contributing to the conversation, learning from my fellow panellists, and visiting an exhibition that I believe everyone working in live events, festivals and cultural experiences should take the time to see. Through the true stories behind the headlines, it provides a powerful opportunity to reflect on why protecting spaces of music, celebration and community matters so deeply.

#wewilldanceagain by @_elissagold

A bit late to the party posting on here....but....better late than never....

I’m thrilled to be part of @elevate_mentoring this year.

Founded in 2015, Elevate is the world’s largest peer-led mentoring and personal development programme for the events industry, and one of its fastest-growing communities.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of mentoring others, so it feels like a bit of a full-circle moment to now step into the mentee role myself.

After more than two decades in the events industry, I’m a BIG believer that you never stop learning. This feels like the right time to gain new perspective, be challenged, and continue growing, particularly as I explore more work in the immersive and experiential space, expand my creative thinking, and continue my personal and professional development.

I’m really looking forward to the conversations, insight and support that come with it, and to working with my mentor.

Thank you, Elevate, for the opportunity.

#ElevateMentoring #EventprofsUK #Eventprofs #Freelance #growthmindset by @_elissagold

Back in February I joined the team at Inspirate UK as (freelance) Festival Producer for An Indian Summer 2026, and over the past few months I’ve been quietly immersed in the beautiful world they’ve created. ✨

From 1st to 5th July, Leicester city centre will transform into a vibrant celebration of South Asian arts, culture and community, with events taking place across venues and public spaces throughout the city. From Jubilee Square to Leicester Cathedral, intimate talks to large-scale outdoor performances, the event brings together music, theatre, dance, visual arts, food, film and storytelling in a way that feels both deeply rooted and brilliantly contemporary.

This year’s theme, Cycles & Circles, explores the rhythms of life, memory, belonging, renewal and connection. The idea that we move through phases, communities and histories carrying pieces of ourselves with us resonated with me immediately. There’s something incredibly human and universal within that theme.

I’ve always been deeply enamoured by South Asian culture, its richness, warmth, creativity, colour, hospitality and sense of togetherness, so being invited into this world and working alongside such a welcoming, passionate and genuinely lovely team has been a real joy.

Very excited for what’s to come over the next few weeks as the event begins to take shape across the city. Leicester is going to feel pretty magical this summer. 💫 by @_elissagold

Over the past month I had the pleasure of working alongside the team behind @jewishculturemonth in organising their VIP launch event, which took place last weekend at the incredible Freud Museum in London.

Jewish Culture Month is a huge celebration of British Jewish life, creativity and culture, with more than 100 events taking place across the UK spanning food, comedy, art, music, fashion, architecture and more. A coming together of voices, stories and traditions on a scale not seen before.

As someone who is culturally Jewish, it felt especially meaningful to be part of an evening celebrating our heritage, creativity and contribution to British cultural life. From the conversations in the garden to the warmth in the room, it was one of those events that reminded me how powerful culture and community can be when people come together.

What also hit home was the visible security presence throughout the event, not only from the incredible CST, but also the police. There was something deeply moving, and sobering, about celebrating Jewish culture and joy whilst being reminded of the very real safety concerns that continue to exist for our community. The fact that events like this (not to mention Jewish businesses, synagogues, schools...yes schools!) require that level of protection says a great deal about the current climate, but also about the importance of continuing to show up, celebrate openly and create spaces for connection, culture and visibility.

Huge congratulations to everyone involved in bringing this event to life. by @_elissagold