At Open Sessions, speakers share their career-defining moments and advice for getting started in a creative field. It is also an opportunity to make new connections and meet like-minded people.

At Open Session #11, guest speakers Matt Barker and Markus Saarländer were in conversation with Lighthouse CEO & Artistic Director Alli Beddoes and Sarah Brownlow from Lighthouse Young Creatives. They discussed Matt’s involvement with the band Four Tet’s stage production, as well as their wider careers in the music industry.

Matt Barker

Graduating with a BA Hons in Critical Fine Art Practice from the University of Brighton, Barker’s first music industry job was graphic design, creating artwork, for bands, labels and festivals, later working as a Promoter Rep for concerts. This lead to a role as Four Tet’s Tour Manager and Production Manager. Baker devised a custom light show for Four Tet’s 2 night residency at renowned London venue Alexandra Palace in May 2019, which became an immersive custom light show, in the round, with a 3 dimensional sound system.

Barker works on 150+ shows a year, with artists such as Khalid (UK EU Arena tour), Justin Bieber (Cardiff Millennium Stadium), Bastille (multiple arena tours, Orchestra theatre shows etc), Simply Red (Arena Tour), Steps (Arena Tour), McFly, Busted (Arena Tour), Tom Misch, Rex Orange County, FKA Twigs, Maggie Rogers, Bonobo and of course, lots and lots of Four Tet shows.

Markus Saarländer

Originally from Germany, Markus is the founder of Dino Audio and Berlin-Brighton, a Berlin style underground club night that has been making waves for the last five years. Berlin has enjoyed a successful radio show on Codesouth.FM for the whole of 2016 and moving over to Trickstar Radio in January 2017.

Spending his early DJ years playing Trance, House and Tech House in around Manchester, Markus extended his portfolio with gigs elsewhere in the UK and Europe including slots at well known beach bars in Ibiza. Moving to Brighton in 2011, Markus secured residencies at Hed Kandi and Brighton Pride. Other recent highlights have included support at the Arch for Groove Armada, Booka Shade and John 00 Fleming’s JOOF Editions shows.

Formally Viral, now Lighthouse Young Creatives, is a project for 16-25 year olds who want to work in the creative and digital industries, but who don’t have the opportunities, facilities and connections they need. The project is for young people from diverse backgrounds, including those not in work or training.

Over six months the young people receive production training, business development, mentoring, showcasing opportunities and peer-to-peer support. The project focuses on a range of disciplines including music, film, photography and design.

Viral Open Sessions are presented by Lighthouse with support from Re-Imagine Europe, co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union and are part of the Viral programme.