In our series, ‘Leading in Live Entertainment,’ Ticketmaster proudly showcases women making strides in the industry to celebrate Women’s History Month. Today, meet Rebecca Esteves, Revenue & Commerce Manager at the Brighton Centre. Rebecca’s story embodies dedication and innovation. Join us as we uncover her career journey, passion, and insights into live entertainment, and explore how her leadership is shaping the future of the industry.
What did you dream of doing when you were younger?
I’ve always been a huge music fan and wanted to be a late-night radio DJ introducing people to emerging and exciting artists; spent a year or so volunteering at local stations to gain experience and trawling the local grassroots music venues for new acts. I got a job stewarding at the Brighton Centre to fund my passion and well, the rest, as they say, is history.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the industry?
The best people I’ve worked with in the industry are those who have worked hard and climbed the ladder, rather than been helicoptered in – so graft, and graft hard, you need to be prepared to fail sometimes but so long as you learn from those mistakes, you’ll be alright. Look after your mental health, get enough sleep and always set personal boundaries. Know what you absolutely don’t want to or won’t do but don’t say no to opportunity, even if it seems terrifying, out of your comfort zone or not a path you originally considered, as experience is key, and experience gives you empathy to those around you.
What main change would you like to see for young girls in the next generation?
That we work hard enough *now* to ensure that questions like this no longer need to have gender attached to them.
How would you like to contribute to the evolution of the live entertainment industry and what impact do you hope to leave behind as your legacy?
I’m fiercely passionate about access to live entertainment for all and would like to continue to be an agent for change; seeing the industry remove barriers for anyone who wants to attend, perform or work in it, and eventually moving towards a model of celebration and equity.
Some of my proudest moments at work have been delivering new initiatives for our Deaf and disabled customers, including our Gold Award with Attitude is Everything in 2016 and programming assisted performances as standard in any multi-date run. We opened our Toilets for Everyone nearly 10 years ago which put the Brighton Centre ahead of the curve in terms of gender identity.
I’ve recently published a 3-year business plan for the Brighton Centre around Equality & Diversity in Marketing & Programming; I want to see more female, BME, LGBTQIA+ and disabled artists perform at the venue and to welcome new audience members who previously haven’t felt we’re right for them. This doesn’t always, sadly, mean arena sized touring artists and I’m currently in stage 1 of the project, working with local contacts to discuss opportunities that utilise our auditoriums flexibility and shorthall option (1,500 – 2,000 cap) and our new space, The Wing, which will offer an arts hub onsite for exhibitions, festivals and performance (450 seated, 700 standing), and launching a new 360, data-driven, marketing plan in the spring to start to build those audiences.
All in all, a venue that dares to be different, welcomes and respects everyone, continues to punch way above its weight within the industry and reflects the communities that use it is my aim for the coming years, and hopefully will continue on as my legacy.
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