Jessie Parker Named Festival Director of Laneway Following Record-Breaking Year

Jessie Parker has been promoted to Festival Director of Australia’s Laneway Festival, event producer TEG announced this week. The move follows a milestone year for the indie music festival, which marked its 20th anniversary with its most successful season to date.

More than 200,000 fans attended sold-out shows in Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth earlier this year. The 2024 lineup featured high-profile sets from Charli XCX, Clairo, BICEP, Beabadoobee, Olivia Dean, Remi Wolf and Skegss, among others.

Parker, who previously served as General Manager, has been part of the Laneway team since 2011. Over her decade-plus with the event, she’s earned industry-wide respect for her leadership and deep understanding of Laneway’s brand — which has built a global reputation for spotlighting emerging artists and pushing boundaries in music curation.

In her new role, Parker will oversee all facets of the festival, including operations, partnerships and audience development. She will work alongside Laneway co-founders Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio, who report to TEG’s Global Head of Touring, Tim McGregor.

“Jessie has been an integral part of the Laneway family for many years, consistently bringing her talent and dedication to the work behind the scenes,” Rogers and Borazio said in a joint statement. “Her drive to continually enhance and grow the event is truly inspiring — we couldn’t be more thrilled to see her take on this new role.”

Parker expressed gratitude for the opportunity, citing the festival’s strong identity and her longstanding connection to its mission.

“Laneway has always represented incredible music, forward-thinking ideas, and a strong sense of community,” she said. “I’m excited to help guide it into its next chapter.”

Her appointment is effective immediately.

Find more information on TEG here.