KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
The Event Production Show ’ s mainstage conference will see leaders from across the entire live events industry unite to collectively tackle pain points , embrace opportunities , and exchange insights .
While leading service and product suppliers show off their wares throughout the huge ExCel London exhibition hall during EPS , at the main stage conference there will be an opportunity to sit down , rest your legs , and feed your mind as you hear from some of the industry ’ s most influential figures .
Notting Hill Carnival director Mathew Phillip , London Marathon Events event experience director Joanna Wales , VisitScotland director of events Paul Bush OBE , Edinburgh International Festival director of audiences Kate Carter and AEG Global Partnerships executive VP Paul Samuels are among the many leading event professionals due to speak at the Event Production Show ( EPS ) 2024 conference .
Curated and presented by Access All Areas , the conference will provide an opportunity for event professionals from every corner of the industry , and at any stage of their career , to debate key issues as the industry prepares for a huge summer of sports , music and cultural events .
In 2023 there was no shortage of highlights , not least Liverpool ’ s hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest , the
UCI Cycling World Championships in Scotland , and Burna Boy becoming the first African artist to headline a UK stadium . The year ahead looks equally strong with huge events planned , not least stadium tours by the likes of Taylor Swift , Foo Fighters , P ! nk and Bruce Springsteen , the Summer Olympics in Paris , UEFA EURO 2024 tournament in Germany , and the UEFA Champions League Final at Wembley Stadium .
The appetite for major live events clearly remains strong but the outlook for some grassroots festivals , venues and artists is far from bright . According to the Association of Independent Festivals ( AIF ), some 36 festivals closed last year , with the Music Venue Trust reporting the closure of around 100 grassroots venues during the same timeframe . Soaring costs across production , artist fees , labour , infrastructure , and transport are making staging live events an even trickier business than usual .
The opening EPS conference session , branded The Pain Killers , will see a panel of leading events operators discuss the key pain points that arose in the 2023 season and what is required to resolve them . Among the many topics that