Kaitlyn Lee

In high school, I had the opportunity to complete a Certificate III in Tourism through TAFE SA’s VET program. I knew I wanted to do something in events or tourism or both but wasn’t sure what. I learned of University SA’s brand new Bachelor of Creative Industries with a major in Festivals at the University of South Australia open day in 2019 and I was sold. This was the degree made for me!

Through the University of South Australia’s partnership with Festival City Adelaide, as students we had many opportunities to hear from Adelaide’s festival leaders. It is through this partnership that I was introduced to the world of WOMADelaide via an internship with the stalls team. I loved every second of this internship and fell in love with WOMADelaide and the stalls area.

The growing food truck culture has always been a passion of mine, previously interning with RSPCA SA’s Million Paws Walk managing the food and retail stalls, and with OzAsia. In 2023, I joined WOMADelaide as the Stalls Assistant, and am now the Stalls Coordinator. This year, we have over 120 food, retail, and display stalls, and I have been responsible for everything from selection to pre- and post-festival since May 2023. It has been the biggest whirlwind and learning curve of my life, and I have loved every second of it! Nothing could have prepared me for the scale and range of the work I’d be doing, but it is truly everything I could have dreamed of when I started my degree.

For anyone looking to explore a career in festivals, I have this advice: always be ready to take on any challenge with enthusiasm and seize every opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge. You never know what it could lead to!

Pronouns: She/Her

Content supplied by: Kaitlyn Lee

Edited for clarity by: Dahlia Opala

Photography by: Thomas McCammon

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