Meet the team

Genevieve Christie
CEO

Genevieve Christie was a founder director of First Light Festival CIC before becoming CEO in 2022, leading on strategy, programming, place-making impact and overseeing the development and operation of East Point Pavilion.

Previously Genevieve was a founder director of Full Circle Editions an award-winning publisher for the East of England and is Director of literary arts charity FlipSide . Previously she worked in television production for more than 20 years, training at the BBC, then working at London Weekend Television as an associate producer on a raft of factual programmes before becoming a freelance producer/writer and co-forming independent production company Carey St Productions.  In collaboration with John Christie she has commissioned many co-productions between UK and international broadcasters. Genevieve has a keen interest in education and served for 13 years as a trustee and chair of trustees of a single academy trust and actively works with the Lowestoft Cultural Education Partnership.  Genevieve started working in Lowestoft in 2015 and currently sits on its Cultural Leadership Group and Place Board; she is also a board member of University of East Anglia AHRC IAA Delivery Board and sits on the Norfolk and Suffolk Culture Board.

First Light Festival C.I.C. Board

First Light Festival CIC is a not for profit organisation established in 2018 and run by a board of directors skilled in creative arts, science, branding and finance

Wayne Hemingway

Wayne Hemingway MBE of HemingwayDesign is a designer and the co-founder of First Light Festival. In 2016 HemingwayDesign embarked on a project to produce a Vision for Lowestoft South Beach, with the aim to rejuvenate the seafront and help enliven the town’s leisure and tourist attractions. In 2017, following a year of in-depth consultation with local stakeholders, creative minds (including co-founder Genevieve Christie), and community groups, the Vision for Lowestoft South Beach was published. The Vision included the idea of a festival to celebrate the magnificent beach and promenade.  

Wayne also sits on the board of a number of festival focused Community Interest Companies and National Portfolio Organisations https://www.hemingwaydesign.co.uk/work/placemaking-events

Clare Matterson

Clare Matterson is a founder-director of First Light Festival CIC and chair of the Board of Directors.

In 2022 Clare was appointed as Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Previously, she was the Executive Director of Engagement for the Natural History Museum for four years responsible for public programmes, commercial, communications, digital and international activities. Prior to that she worked for 17 years at the Wellcome Trust as Director of Strategy and Director of Culture and Society, where she led many initiatives, co-founding Wellcome Collection, establishing the UK’s National STEM Learning Centre and initiating ‘Our Planet Our Health’.  Clare has a Zoology degree from the University of Oxford and is the Vice Chair of EAT a science-based global platform for food system transformation. She was awarded the Queen’s honour, CBE for services to public engagement with science.

Sarah Kemp

Sarah is a Trustee and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. She is a member of the of the National Committee for Music Education in Schools in Italy, under the Ministry of Education. She has previously been a Trustee and Chair of the Audit Committee of the Horniman Museum and Gardens, Trustee of the Spitalfields Festival and Feoffee of Chethams Hospital and Library.

Sarah stepped down as Chief Executive of Trinity College London in 2021. Before joining Trinity College London, Sarah’s roles included Director of Finance and Business Affairs at the Royal Opera House; Managing Director of Explore International, a subsidiary of National Geographic Television and Film; Managing Director of the Hulton Archive, a subsidiary of Getty Images and General Manager and Publishing Finance Director of music publishers Boosey & Hawkes plc. She gained early management experience at Unilever plc and Glaxo Pharmaceuticals.

First Light Festival C.I.C. Steering Group

First Light Festival CIC Steering Group comprises Lowestoft community groups and stakeholders, with cultural and education partners including students from Lowestoft Sixth Form College. The Group steers our approach for greater inclusivity and community relationships and influences programming, accessibility and logistics amongst other key areas.