The Covid pandemic has had a big impact on the way we do public events. Not all has been negative.
Yes, the lockdown saw many planned public events cancelled or postponed. But as the world slowly adapted to the physical restrictions placed on us, we began to make the most of the virtual spaces that gave us a bit of freedom. Public lectures, events and conferences went digital and even now, as society has opened up, the benefits of this new space has changed the way we think about and plan public events.
In a time when many are becoming increasingly concerned about our impact on climate change, holding low carbon or even carbon-neutral events are a definite plus.
There are lots of pros to holding events online. Going virtual opens the door to an expanded international audience, with people attending from all over the globe. Online events mean that location is no longer a barrier to attending. Whichever region or country you are based in, all you need is an internet connection and an entry link.
On the flip side, this ease of entry and attendance can also reduce our investment in an event. There’s something about the intentionality of physically leaving your house, planning means of transport, and entering an actual building that makes you more invested in what you have made such an effort to see or do. When you can enter a lecture while sitting in your pyjamas in your living room it might be quite easy to allow yourself to watch with one eye and scroll through social media with the other. It hasn’t cost you much effort to attend so it feels like you’ve lost little if you switch off or disengage.
Virtual events don’t require the hire of a venue or paying for catering and they also are better for the environment as no one has to travel to attend. In a time when many are becoming increasingly concerned about our impact on climate change, holding low carbon or even carbon-neutral events are a definite plus.
Despite all these benefits to online events it is clear to see that, post-Lockdown, there continues to be a big appetite for people to get together in person. No-one is an island, after all, and there are many positives to interacting with other attendees in a more tangible environment than the internet currently offers. Casual conversations that lead to unexpected and productive tangents are much easier to fall into when you are in the same room as the person you’re speaking to.
The future definitely looks hybrid – events combining physical and virtual aspects. A public lecture on campus that is live-streamed online or available to watch later on the website; a conference where delegates hold sessions from several geographical areas and share with colleagues gathered physically in venues all over the country or globe.
Hybrid events combine the benefits of physical and virtual meeting spaces: merging wider audience reach, travel-free international collaborations, and easy accessibility with in-person interactions and spontaneity. And as new platforms continue to emerge to fill this new market, the audience experience for these hybrid events can only get better.
Shirley Morgan, Conference & Events Manager
If you're looking to plan your next virtual, hybrid or in-person event, contact us today and find out more about our online and live-streaming capabilities.
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