APRIL | FEATURE
EPS helps forge collaboration
The Access All Areas conference at the Event Production Show 2022 saw leading live event professionals from across the industry unite to debate pressing concerns and the many opportunities available to our industry
Words : Christopher Barrett
From working collectively to tackle challenges including soaring costs , supply chain issues , sustainability goals and attracting new event professionals , to embracing new tech and new ways of working to evolve event offerings , the 10 Access All Areas main stage panel sessions at EPS proved to be a fount of knowledge .
In all , the conference at ExCel London hosted 50 senior event professionals including London Marathon Events director Hugh Brasher , Wimbledon Championships operations director Michelle Dite , AEG Europe chief operating officer John Langford , Kilimanjaro Live director and Ed Sheeran UK promoter Steve Tilley , AIF CEO Paul Reed , End of the Road festival MD Lauren Down , Vision Nine festival director Kevin Moore , PGA European Tour championship director Mark Casey , S & C Productions head of partnerships Chris Jammer , Kilimanjaro Live COO Zac Fox , We Are The Fair CEO Nick Morgan and Ascot Head of venue operations Joanna Wales .
Asked about consumer confidence , as the pandemic ’ s grip loosens , and whether the ’ 20s will be “ roaring ” as hoped , Tilley said that he expects it to take until the mid 2020s for the industry to fully bounce back and work through the challenges it currently faces .
He said the cost increases currently impacting the industry means that the profit margin at some events , such as Kilimanjaro ’ s Belladrum Festival , have
EPS conference involved 50 senior event professionals
been dramatically reduced and that it was a matter of pressing ahead with events and maintaining a long term perspective .
Tilley noted that the further acceptance of digital tech solutions , such as mobile ticketing , during the pandemic helped enable the promoter to enhance its digital-only , tout-proof , tech for the forthcoming Ed Sheeran tour , while Dite said the Wimbledon Championship went fully digital with ticketing for the first time in 2021 .
Brasher said the focus on digital delivery , and the creation of virtual participation platforms for the London Marathon last year , removed constraints and made it far more inclusive . He said London Marathon Events is working on plans to enhance the hybrid event offering going forwards , and its goal is to get one million children across the UK involved in this year ’ s Mini Marathon .
Smyle and One Industry One Voice ( OIOV ) founder Rick Stainton said the industry shouldn ’ t be afraid of embracing the metaverse , virtual and augmented reality technology , as a way of expanding the reach of events and evolving the offering in the decade ahead .
The fact the industry is working more collaboratively than ever was universally seen as a positive . Stainton said the next chapter for industry collaboration initiative OIOV was to create a data-led communications hub for the industry .
Dite said the industry has a collective responsibility to ensure the decade is successful for jobs , people , welfare and
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