Insight: Issue 105 | 28 Sept

It’s been a funny old week, innit?

A radical mini-budget from the new PM, a brand new king, a new Star Wars series, and most incredible of all, triumph for the Scottish men’s football team.

Yep, what a time to be alive. But what about the events sector we hear you holler? Never fear, we’re on the case. In this week’s roundup, we have:

Industry reacts to chancellor’s growth plan; What the industry must do before engaging with Whitehall and Westminster; Event Tech Live announces agenda for first ExCeL edition; Glasgow’s new and inspiring tech event launches innovative programme; Roger Waters’ immersive show is an ‘integrated piece of art’.

Industry reacts to chancellor’s growth plan

Firstly – the pound has tanked, inflation close to 10% and interest rates are set to rise to an all time high….but beam and IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) have cautiously welcomed the changes outlined in chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s Growth Plan Statement.

“The Chancellor’s Growth Plan Statement contains many new measures that will be beneficial to all beam members. As a business, we welcome these initiatives, notably the previously announced energy cap, and the cancellation of increases in Corporation Tax, National Insurance and alcoholic drink duties,” said Simon Richards, treasurer of beam and managing director of Convenus.

Considering the sector as a whole, despite the return of in-person events, Richard says the industry is still recovering from the pandemic. “Members are struggling with higher costs and are finding it difficult to repay bounce back loans,” he added.

Find out more here.

What the industry must do before engaging with Whitehall and Westminster

As Liz Truss settles into life as the head of government, the new Prime Minister faces a to-do list longer and more challenging than at any other time in recent years.

It’s fair to say that the events sector is highly unlikely to be on that list. It’s also doubtful that many other sectors will feature either, with the emphasis for the remainder of this Parliament will be on the energy / cost of living crisis and the war in Ukraine.

So, how is it that an industry valued at £84bn less than two years ago seems to be off this list, especially when it was so heavily engaged across all aspects of government during the pandemic?

In a fascinating blog post, Robert Wright, managing director or Davies Tanner, argues that to truly engage with the government and influence policy decisions that can create a more successful events sector, there are three main issues that the events sector needs to address quickly:

– What is the events industry
– What do we want as an industry
– Who are we as an industry?

Read more of the detail here.

Event Tech Live announces agenda for first ExCeL edition

The ETL London 2022 agenda has been announced and organisers are tipping it to be the best yet.

With speakers already confirmed from Slack, ITV, NHS Confederation, Easyfairs, Google Research and The Ops Nest there is a broad variety of content for all attendees.

The agenda kicks off virtually at 10am (GMT) on Tuesday 15th November and transitions to in-person at ExCeL London on Wednesday 16th & Thursday 17th.

Adam Parry, Co-Founder at Event Tech Live, comments: “Event Tech Live London is now in its 9th year and has gone from strength to strength. This year’s agenda needed to be special and I think we’ve achieved just that with a range of speakers from different businesses and backgrounds covering topics from sustainability to community.”

Take a look at the full agenda HERE.

Glasgow’s new and inspiring tech event launches innovative programme

Digital DNA Glasgow 2022, the innovative new tech event that will be hosted at the SEC on Wednesday 28 September, has announced an exciting schedule of events.

The one-day event, which is set to be a hub of innovation and collaboration for Scotland’s tech, digital and creative industries, has confirmed an inspirational line-up of more than 30 talks and 55 industry thought-leading speakers who will cover topics including space tech and fintech, as well as the creative and gaming industries.

One of the opening speeches will come from Peter Chernyshov and Russell Dalgleish who will be discussing the challenges facing Ukrainian Tech Companies and the support provided by Scotland.

Digital DNA CEO Simon Bailie said: “We’re delighted to unveil the programme for Scotland’s first-ever Digital DNA event, which is bursting with talent from so many facets of the tech sector. With more than 30 talks and 55 speakers presenting throughout the day, this one-day event will be a platform for the tech ecosystem in the region to gather, share ideas, hear from thought leaders and really demonstrate the potential and diversity of the Scottish digital scene. The event is free to attend and we hope to welcome many tech and creative enthusiasts through the SEC doors at the end of the month.”

The event is backed by the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council, who recognise the importance of supporting and accelerating a vibrant technology ecosystem in the city and beyond.

Roger Waters’ immersive show is an ‘integrated piece of art’

Finally, there’s never a dull moment when ex Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters is around. Parking his puzzling Urkraine comments for the moment, his current ‘This Is Not as Drill’ world tour has been labelled as an ‘integrated piece of art’, which these photos beautifully illustrate.

The cross shape of the stage is mirrored by a 12-surface, 650 sq m Leyard LED screen suspended above it, ensuring video content can be seen from every seat.

Jeremy Lloyd, co-director of technical production practice, Wonder Works, says: “With the screen, audio and lighting suspended from the roof, this heavy rig required a lot of advance planning. The 650 sq m Leyard LED screen was chosen because it is lightweight enough to reduce the overall rigging load, while staying true to the overall design concept. The result is a truly immersive 360° canvas for Roger Waters’ outspoken storytelling.”

And that’s yer lot for this week valiant Event Profs, see y’all next week for more fun and games.