A Cumbrian photographer has created a book celebrating over 30 years of Glastonbury festival.
Stuart Roy Clarke, 61, recently got the go ahead to produce the book from the festival’s showrunners, who said they were delighted to be involved.
Under it’s current working title, “Glastonbury Beloved We Are Gathered Here Today” is set to be available for purchase from April 2023.
Stuart first moved to Cumbria in the summer of 1985 after he hitchhiked to the Lakes and felt he didn’t want to leave, now, he lives just outside of Penrith.
The 61-year-old photographer has been photographing festivals since he left university, and has covered everything from Kendal Calling to Leeds Fest, but his undeniable favourite is Glastonbury.
He describes Glastonbury as the ultimate festival that feels as though it is every festival in the UK put together.
Stuart said: “It’s the number one event on the whole planet, it’s absolutely incredible.”
“There’s a magic to Glastonbury, even my 87 year old mum wants to go, it captures everyone’s imagination.”
Despite photographing some of the biggest names in music history such as Paul McCartney, for Stuart, the real joy to be found in a festival is amidst the thousands of tents and excited event goers.
He added: “I have been on the stage before big artists come on and right in the pit looking up at their nostrils, but to me its all about the acts, and the general atmosphere is my favourite act of the festival.”
Out of the hundreds of festivals Stuart has photographed, ‘Girl In A Sleeping Bag’ is his favourite image and it has quite the tale behind it.
Stuart said: “People always ask me, ‘who was she?’ and I always say, look, I don’t know! She was a complete stranger, she just turned and smiled sort of coyly and disappeared.
“I’m amazed in the age of social media that there has never been an email, it’s 35 years later and none’s ever said ‘I know who she is’, it would be great to find her.”
Stuart’s book on Glastonbury is anticipated to cost around £50. It will be published in North America and will be available for import into the UK.
Stuart is also well known for his football photography, and once had a semi-permanent exhibition, ‘The Homes of Football’ in Ambleside that ran from 1997 to 2011.
