There is no doubt that the last few years have been the most challenging for the industry , for business , and for people with lives and livelihoods challenged constantly .
The impact to businesses and individuals is far from clear and will take some time to be uncovered , but at the time of writing the signs are most probably the strongest yet , at least for the UK market . Various pieces of research and feedback from trade and consumer shows have demonstrated both pent up demand and a strong long term future for the oldest form of marketing – live events .
Recovery on a global stage will take a while , there will be bumps in the road , and I have no doubt the industry will come back stronger , and more efficient than before , with a greater sense of purpose and improved proof points for our customers .
With such a fast-paced and uncertain backdrop since the onset of the pandemic back in March 2020 , we were reminded at the AEV Conference last November from the keynote , Chris Paton who told us ‘ no plan survives first contact with the enemy ’. However , we had to plan , we had to push forward with solutions , we had to create a framework to push for both the restarting and the reopening of the sector .
We were involved in lots of concepts , ideas and initiatives during the pandemic – many opportunities appeared and then disappeared just as quickly , but one thing stood out to me , namely All Secure . Not only has this stood the
Collaboration in the face of adversity
Chief executive officer of the Association of Event Organisers , Chris Skeith OBE , says that with teamwork everything and anything is possible
test of an ever-changing time – it is still the go-to document today .
A group of organisers created in essence an open source framework which was shared globally . Within AEO , AEV and ESSA our various working groups embraced the framework to create a blueprint , guidance and a pilot event , with such collaboration and speed that I ’ ve never witnessed before .
At the heart of any association is its members , and our numerous events , products and services are designed by and for them . The working groups have delivered some amazing things over
Chris Skeith
the years , like the Talent Hub , HeadsUp , and during the pandemic including Project Confidence , the D & I Hub , and of course All Secure .
In record time , experts from different companies and across stakeholder groups created and adapted All Secure – guidance which was not only government-
approved but it was linked and hosted on government websites . This is only part of the picture – within days a full-blown pilot exhibition and conference for 300 had been conceived , created and delivered by this smorgasbord of people working as a unit together for the first time , working on a single event for the greater good of the whole industry .
Their single aim was to show we could create safe , scaleable , dynamic events which they did , feedback from officials was incredibly positive , and this I believe helped to obtain an earlier reopening date which ( whilst unfortunately was revoked as we entered another nationwide lockdown ) showed the art of what is possible when the best of the best from the organiser , venue and supplier community come together to tackle industrywide issues .
We are very fortunate across the associations to have many of those same people looking at future challenges such as sustainability , the race to net zero , and diversity and inclusion . Whilst a plan may never survive its first contact with the enemy , the team behind the plan adapt and change it to achieve the objective .
As we move forward existing and new challenges will emerge , but with the experiences gleaned from the most challenging of times , with teamwork and collaboration of the highest order , we stand to serve and look forward to tackling these going forward . Everything and anything is possible . EN
March — 57