BA (Hons) Media and Communications students Priscila Pinto Chacin, Sophie Malin and Katryna Robles recently attended the Isle of Wight Festival, gaining first-hand industry as photographers and journalists at one of the UK’s biggest festivals, through experience through access arranged by entertainment PR firm Outside Organisation and This Feeling promoter, Mikey Jonns.
Here is their take on the weekend.
**
The 2026 Isle of Wight Festival was a memorable weekend of music, sunshine and unforgettable live performances.
Getting the opportunity to work alongside national and regional media at the festival provided invaluable experience.
To get to the Isle of Wight, we took a train to Southampton before catching the ferry to East Cowes. Even at the ferry terminal, the festival atmosphere had already begun, with staff covered in glitter and DJs playing tunes for festival-goers in the queue. You could sense the excitement in the salty air. The journey was exhausting, but worth every minute.
The long summer weekend was filled with an incredible and diverse line-up of artists where this year’s headliners included Lewis Capaldi, Calvin Harris and The Cure. Each act brought a different crowd, all coming together to enjoy the festival atmosphere.
As a team, we experienced what it is like to work at a major festival. As student media representatives, we were lucky enough to be given press, photo, and backstage passes for the Main Stage and This Feeling stage, where we interviewed and photographed bands like Harbours, Cheap Suits, and Unit 17 and made industry connections with many up-and-coming artists, while also soaking up the energy of the crowd.
From household names to smaller up-and-coming bands, there was an act for everyone. Lewis Capaldi performed a very emotional show; Calvin Harris had every person in the crowd dancing while The Cure connected with fans old and new playing a nostalgic set.
Running from stage to stage, we were excited to catch as many artists performing as we could. Every day was different and fast-paced, from working to PR timeslots to meeting real deadlines meaning we left Seaclose Park feeling more confident and ready to step into the industry, with valuable hands-on experience under our belts.
As for our personal favourites moments of the weekend; Priscila had raved about finally getting to see Calvin Harris, whose set did not disappoint, performing smash hits including Outside and Summer.
Sophie was excited about photographing headliners such as Lewis Capaldi, The Cure, and Calvin Harris, as well as smaller acts including Luvcat, The Last Dinner Party, and Good Neighbours.
Katryna said seeing The Sex Pistols with Frank Carter live and pop icon Rick Astley roaming through the media tent were high points, while interviewing artists as Liam C and bands like Montello, Bendricks and The Great Leslie Band, was a once-in-a -lifetime opportunity. We would like to especially thank Mikey Jonns from This Feeling who was so supportive throughout the weekend.
This opportunity gave us valuable insight into our future careers as Media and Communications students. Getting a taste of working in the industry was nothing short of incredible, and it was refreshing to see how artists, media teams and festival staff balanced hard work with the enjoyment of such a major live event.
We also learned more about each other, how we work best under pressure, and how our individual career goals connect with the wider media industry. Most importantly, the experience helped us build confidence, develop practical skills and gain a clearer understanding of what it means to work professionally in a fast-paced festival environment.
It has taken us a week to get over the festival and journey home but will we return next year? You bet!
**
Eloise Neuschatz and Rylyn Jostes were also part of the team and Eloise’s review of the weekend was also published in The Sun Newspaper.
**
Apply now for September 2026 entry for BA (Hons) Media and Communications