Arts stages are labour of love for Tania

Jonathan Barnes

NO-one will watch more performances at this year's Latitude than Tania Harrison.

“I lost about 8lbs last year, running from one tent to another,” said the festival's arts curator.

“It's like a diet weight loss plan - book a festival, and then run around like a loony!”

Tania, who works with Melvin Benn at Festival Republic, is responsible for booking all the arts stages at the four-day event.

“I'm constantly thinking of what is interesting and what is relevant,” she said. “The world is constantly raising subjects that people have an interest or a passion about.”

This year, for example, she's hoping to bring MPs down to Henham Park to join a debate about the furore over Parliamentary expenses.

Her main concern is the right mix of artists, comedians, poets, dancers, actors, writers and film-makers. “I go to shows all the time,” she says. “I probably see at least five shows a week and the collaborations we do take a long time to put together. I get through everything. I look at everything sent; some things are amazing, some aren't. But it's great fun to put together. And when Latitude finishes, I start again for next year.”