From “not a clue” to running shows: how Abi Skelton found her place in production
There was a point when Abi Skelton had no idea what she wanted to do.
Coming out of A Levels, she knew what she enjoyed: gaming, esports, media and maths. What she didn’t know was where those interests could take her.
Then she discovered production.
An open day at Confetti in Nottingham introduced her to a grandMA3 lighting console, and something clicked. She followed what interested her, changed courses at university and eventually moved into lighting.
Fast-forward to today and Abi has spent her summer on festival tours with The Vaccines and Sugababes, including headline shows and travelling internationally.
One of her biggest pinch-me moments so far? Solo operating shows in Belgium and the UK.
“It is amazing to see my programming come to life and also be the person controlling it on the day.”
It’s quite a journey for someone who started out simply trying to piece together the things she enjoyed.
The recognition that changed how she saw herself
Winning a Breakthrough Talent Award became an important point in that journey.
For Abi, the impact wasn’t simply having an award to her name. It gave her greater confidence in herself and more visibility within the industry.
She says it helped her stop constantly looking towards what she needed to do next and instead take a moment to recognise what she had already achieved.
“It meant so much knowing that my hard work had been seen and recognised and that big industry leaders would see it too. It was amazing to get a chance to celebrate the journey so far.”
The award has also brought opportunities to network, introduced Abi to people she otherwise wouldn’t have met and given her a platform to talk about the things that matter to her.
And she’s learned just how important those relationships can be.
“I wish I knew how many roles and aspects there are of this industry,” she says.
She’s also learned that networking is incredibly important, something that comes through strongly in her advice to anyone just starting out.
Still learning. Still moving forward.
Despite everything she’s already achieved, Abi isn’t treating winning an award as an arrival point.
She’s still learning.
Right now, that includes developing her networking knowledge in greater depth, learning Resolume and video control from a console, and getting to grips with the new features in MA3 2.4.
She’s also graduating this year, bringing the last three years of study to a close while continuing to work across live shows and festivals.
Her advice to someone at the beginning of that journey?
“Follow what you enjoy as this is more than just a job, it really is a lifestyle. And don’t miss out on learning networking as it is EVERYWHERE and will only show up more and more.”
Could you be next?
The Breakthrough Talent Awards exist to recognise emerging talent making their mark across entertainment production, including people who might not yet realise just how much they’ve already achieved.
And this year, you don’t need to wait for somebody else to put your name forward.
You can nominate yourself.
So, if you’ve been learning, progressing, taking opportunities, pushing yourself or doing work you’re genuinely proud of, don’t automatically assume an award is for somebody further ahead.
Abi’s story started with not having a clue what she wanted to do.
Look where following that first spark has taken her.
Breakthrough Talent Awards 2026 nominations are now open.