Lockdown diaries: the festival programmer

This spring/summer was meant to look very different (a statement that could be applied to literally any person on the planet, I know, but bear with me just so I can give context). After 10+ years working my way up through the arts, and a particularly big year at Cheltenham last year delivering its 70th anniversary edition, I’d negotiated with my company to take a sabbatical this year and take six months out to hike the 2,000+ miles of the Appalachian Trail in the US.