A new podcast from The Fair, produced by EventMasters co-founder Addi Merrill
In a world racing towards AI and hyper-efficiency, what happens to the messy, magical chaos of the dancefloor? And if we lose that space, what do we lose with it?
In this new episode of The Fair Podcast, EventMasters co-founder Nick Morgan sits down with cultural strategist and Sweet Gwendoline French Gin co-founder Sarah Feeney to explore the structural challenges facing independent nightlife and why it matters more than ever.
Produced by Addi Merrill, co-founder and brand lead of EventMasters, the conversation cuts through the noise to ask: What are we really risking if we let club spaces disappear?
- Why independent clubs are vanishing while mega-festivals boom
- How licensing, real estate, and planning policy shape who gets to create culture
- The UK vs US divide and what we can learn from both sides
- Why banning phones on the dancefloor isn’t just nostalgia, it’s cultural resistance
- How clubs have long been springboards for Gen Z creatives, from DJs to designers
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"If we care about access to creative careers, we have to care about clubs." – Sarah Feeney
Nick shares stories from his early days on lighting desks to producing 100+ shows a year across the UK, US and Europe and explains how his work now intersects with placemaking, public space, and next-gen creative opportunity.
This is a conversation about access, authenticity, and the power of live experience. If you're working in events, brand, or cultural strategy or thinking about how the next wave of creatives gets their start, this one’s essential listening.
Watch the full podcast: The Soul of Independence — on The Fair’s YouTube
Want to go deeper? Sarah also leads our Subcultures & Audiences Masterclass — an expert-led session on how to build events that connect with niche communities and real audiences.
View the Masterclass
here.
EventMasters is built by the people who operate festivals and shape culture, offering practical tools, real-world training, and insider insight for anyone looking to break into live events.
