VANFEST coordinator Matt Clifton has collected a major industry award, winning the national Rising Star category at the Australian Hotels Association Excellence Awards.
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The award is the latest in a long list of accolades, which also includes the 2016 NSW Business Chamber Young Entrepreneur Award.
Matt, who with his father Grant Clifton launched music festival VANFEST in Forbes and continues as its coordinator, said the award was humbling.
“I’m not doing what I do for awards, I’m doing it because I love it,” Matt said. “But it is a good feeling to have other people in the industry recognise that.”
Matt has a couple of key venues in Sydney: Donny’s with its industrial warehouse chic in the city and In Situ, a cafe and bar closer to the beach.
He designed and built Donny’s, drawing inspiration from the years he spent in New York as well as the Tullamore farm he grew up on.
He’s also had approval for a new venue, Bridge and Tunnel.
Matt hopes the industry honour will open doors to keep sharing his story.
“A few years ago I was looking up to someone else – only a few years older than me – and they inspired me,” he said. “I hope my story will inspire someone else.”
The VANFEST coordinator is really excited about how this year’s major music event is shaping up with just six weeks to go until the showground lights up for opening night.
“It’s going to be the biggest yet, we have people coming from 897 towns from Cairns to Adelaide and the Northern Territory,” he said.
So far 3455 weekend passes have been sold and all local accommodation is now booked.
There are 17 ARIA award nominations on the set list, including exciting artist Amy Shark who has been nominated for six awards including best female artist, song of the year and album of the year.
More artists were added to the line-up on Thursday including Home and Away and Underbelly actor, Mark Furze, alt pop foursome Tigertown, Dj Akouo, Luke Millon and Discovery.
With VANFEST now leased by Forbes Shire Council, acting general manager Max Kershaw is thrilled Forbes will benefit from Matt’s 12 years’ experience in hospitality and event management.
“This recent award cements Matt’s reputation as a forward thinking specialist in this industry and this national acknowledgment will have flow-on effects to Forbes’ reputation,” Mr Kershaw said.