Tramlines’ main stage to be renamed in honour of former director Sarah Nulty

Sarah Nulty - who had been involved in every Tramlines since 2009 and was director from 2013-2018 - died aged 36 just three weeks before the festival was to celebrate its 10th anniversary last July.

Last year, sales from the backstage Nulty’s Bar and ‘Be More Nulty’ t-shirts worn by hundreds of festivalgoers and band members resulted in £30,000 being raised for Weston Park Cancer Charity and Cavendish Cancer Care.

And this year, the festival’s main stage will be renamed after Sarah to continue the event’s commitment to honouring her legacy.

Festival organiser Danielle Gigg said: “Sarah was the driving force behind the festival, so it felt completely fitting to rename the main stage in her honour and as a memorial for everything she's done for us.

“We will continue to raise money for Weston Park Cancer Charity and Cavendish Cancer Care who both helped her so much.”

Sarah first came to Sheffield as a student in 1999, working at the Gatecrasher and Bed nightclubs before going on to manage various venues and live events around the city.

Speaking in the wake of her death last year, Sarah’s friend and colleague Alex Deadman said she had dedicated her whole career to the Sheffield music industry.

He said: “Her tenacity, vision and unbreakable work ethic are the reasons that the festival can celebrate its tenth anniversary.

“Sarah turned her hand to every aspect of the running the event over the years, she was the life and soul of Tramlines and no job was too small, but no responsibility too great.

“We would like to celebrate Sarah’s huge talent and the profound impact that she has had on the lives of so many people over the years.”

After her death, Sarah posthumously received several awards including the outstanding contribution award at the AIF Independent Festival Awards, the outstanding contribution to festivals award at the UK Festival Awards and a civic award from the former Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Magid Magid.

A memorial plaque was also unveiled on the original site of Tramlines’ main stage on Devonshire Green in Sheffield city centre and the ‘Sarah Nulty Women In Festivals Award’ was established by the UK Festival Awards in 2018 to recognise the achievements of women in the festival industry.

Nulty’s Bar will this year again be fundraising for Cavendish and Weston Park, both of whom provided vital care and support for Sarah and her family during her illness.

And ‘Be More Nulty’ t-shirts and merchandise, designed by Sheffield artist Tom J Newell in association with Dropdead Clothing, will be on sale again in new rainbow-coloured designs.

Tramlines 2019 takes place at Hillsborough Park from July 19 to 21 with headline acts including Two Door Cinema Club, Courteeners and Nile Rogers and Chic.

As well as at the official onsite festival stalls, Be More Nulty merchandise can be purchased online at http://bit.ly/BeMoreNulty-Merch from the Dropdead website.