Hannah Clissold graduated with a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) in 2010 and has worked in the arts and festivals ever since. After various roles on the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane, Hannah returned to the coast in 2016 and is now the Director of Horizon Festival.

What is Horizon Festival?

Horizon Festival is the Sunshine Coast’s leading multi-arts festival, and sits within the broader creative arts unit of the Sunshine Coast Council. Over 10 days and nights each year we present visual art, music, theatre, dance, ceremony and performance. At its core, the festival celebrates place. But, more importantly, we honour the Traditional Custodians of the Country on which we stand — the Kabi Kabi Peoples and Jinibara Peoples.

In my role, I wear many hats. I oversee everything from the program to removing rubbish. I work with an amazing, small team who collaboratively bring the festival to life each year. I love creating an opportunity for our community to engage with the arts in their region, which wasn't at the forefront when I was growing up on the coast.

How I got into the arts

I had no idea where or what I was going to do after university. I started studying science, went overseas and ended up doing a business degree majoring in HR and marketing, which I use every day in my role.

It wasn’t until my final year of uni and meeting a dear friend that I landed on an idea. In our research project for Advanced Research Methods, one of my fellow students and friends was Tom Hauritz. Tom’s dad was the founder and director of the Woodford Folk Festival.

Rather than spend my summer at the beach, I decided to volunteer at Woodford to try and put some of my university skills into real life. From there, I was offered a role in reception and ticketing and that was the start of my career with the festival and the arts.

Slight side step

Career journeys are not often a straight line though. Side steps can be a valuable experience in getting clear on what is or isn't the right fit. At the end of uni, I had applied for a few internships with large organisations, including mining company BHP Billiton, never thinking I would get one. I had just started work at the Woodford Folk Festival and to my shock I got a call to say I had received one of five HR internships with BHP. And if I accepted, I had to be ready to leave in a week to Blackwater, about eight hours drive north west from the Sunshine Coast.

Having grown up in central Queensland I had no issue with moving for a few months, but was totally torn on whether I should stay at Woodford in an entry role working with like-minded people, or bite the bullet and see where this massive opportunity (which paid really well) could take me.

So, I met with the Bill Hauritz, who is one of the wisest people I have ever met, and he said, "if you don’t go, you’ll never know", so I went.

Two days later, after going through inductions and getting my uniforms, I was swimming laps at the Blackwater Pool and had an epiphany. I called Tom and said "do you think, if my job hasn’t been filled, I could come back? This is not for me". He suggested I call Bill. So I did, and 48 hours later I was back on reception at the Woodford offices.

I moved into programming at Woodford not long after the first festival I worked at, and was the Program Administrator for The Dreaming, Planting and Woodford Folk Festival’s for the next three years. I attribute a lot to my early Woodford days, and returned as the Programme Manager later in my career.

I also worked at the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), and on reflection, it was the job of a lifetime. I was working under the awe-inspiring Tony Ellwood - who is currently the Director of the National Gallery in Victoria - in amazing buildings and growing my career in the arts as the Development Officer. Living and working in Brisbane really opened my eyes.

Staying connected with my uni

The relationships I formed right from the start at UniSC have stuck with me throughout my career and personal life.

When I started with Horizon Festival in 2019 as the Partnerships Manager, the uni was a clear target for me to connect with for the festival, not only in terms of programming, but to provide opportunities to students for work integrated learning.

We currently partner with the UniSC Art Gallery and work closely with the Discipline Lead for Design Dr Leah Barclay in presenting collaborative works and the Horizon Seekers program. This program provides opportunities for two UniSC students to take on roles in the festival that go towards their degrees.

As a major institution and educator in the region, I think it is so important to maintain and grow the festival’s relationship with the uni - it's a win-win for the students, for me as a graduate to keep my connection alive, and of course for the festival.