Events Archives - Page 12 of 19

Looking to host a film screening event? Look no further than our multi-award-winning landmark venue in the heart of Birmingham city centre.

Newly Refurbished Auditorium

Our 354 seat Auditorium is the perfect location to host a screening event, originally opening as the first IMAX cinema in Birmingham, this event space is equipped with a 16m x 10m giant screen to give your event the “wow factor”.

We recently invested £350,000 to improve the space further, installing a new 10m x 3m participant stage area beneath the giant screen. To coincide with this, we’ve also upgraded our AV equipment which includes an M32R digital mixing desk, an intelligent LED lighting system and mounted Panasonic PTC-280 cameras controlled remotely for high quality live streaming.

Begin your event in Platform

Directly below the Auditorium and ideal for welcoming guests, our Platform space features a fully licensed bar, AV equipment, catering and an open plan space. This location is a perfect spot to begin the event before your guests head up to the Auditorium for the screening itself. Platform can also be branded to match your companies look and feel, making the event feel unique to you.

Why choose Millennium Point?

Screenings are our bag. That’s why we’re the proud home of the annual Birmingham Film Festival and a favourite among film industry clients like Birmingham Indian Film Festival.
Central location in Birmingham’s Eastside, that’s easy to get to regardless of how you travel.
Award-Winning Service delivered by a high-level professional events team with over 40 years hospitality experience combined. Our team is accredited by HBAA, MIA’s Aim and we are a member of venues of excellence.
We’re COVID secure. You can read our highly praised Client Protection Plan written in-line with the latest UK Government guidelines and Event industry advice here.
We’re affordable and flexible, building your event package around you, your aims, and your budget. Hybrid and virtual packages are now available, offering you even more flexible and a platform to maximise the reach and engagement of your event.
You widen your CSR and support the local region just by booking with us. Commercial profits from our events business and landmark public building go towards our award-winning charitable trust who have invested more than £25m over the past 6 years back into the region through projects which support the growth of science, technology, engineering, maths (STEM) and education.

Book a free tour

Book a free tour of our new and improved Auditorium today and experience your event on our upgraded stage and giant screen. Get in touch by calling 0121 202 2200 or emailing [email protected].

Cocktails and Dirty Dancing hits the big screen

Why not get a feel for our venue and join us for our next film screening event! Get ready to drink cocktails and have a good sing along on Saturday 17^th July as Dirty Dancing hits our big screen. This event is more than just a screening as Wine Events Company guru’s Tony and Ryan, provide movie trivia throughout the event and demonstrate how to make each of the four themed cocktails on our newly refurbished stage. Prior to the screening, there will also be a live band performing hits from Dirty Dancing along with other iconic 80s classics.

There’s only a limited amount of tickets left, priced at £35.95 per person (plus Eventbrite fees), and include four tasty themed cocktails. Due to current government guidelines, tickets can only be booked in blocks of two, three or four. You can find out more about this event by clicking here.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.

Our award winning events and conference venue just got better, with a new £350,000 investment to upgrade our 354 seat Auditorium.

Originally opening as the first IMAX cinema in Birmingham, our Auditorium has been a popular destination for large-scale events, conferences, esports tournaments and screenings, and is one of 17 diverse events spaces available at Millennium Point.

Transformed to new heights

We’re always looking to reach new heights and this investment was a great opportunity to transform the Auditorium to the next level for clients and visitors. We’ve installed a new 10m x 3m participant stage area beneath the 16 m x 10 m giant screen to provide greater space and flexibility for panel events, presentations, and live performances.

Hybrid and Virtual Event Capabilities

We’ve also recently launched our new range of hybrid and virtual event packages. To support this we’ve upgraded our AV equipment which includes an M32R digital mixing desk with 40 input channels and high fidelity audio; an intelligent LED lighting system including a dozen moving wash lights and spot lights; mounted Panasonic PTC-280 cameras controlled remotely for high quality live streaming and a Kramer 8×8 Matrix switcher which allows switching of screen content seamlessly.

Additionally, six trusses have been installed around the Auditorium creating 30 more opportunities for clients to add their own lighting equipment to further enhance their event.

Equipped with a new recording studio

The upgrades don’t stop there! We’ve added new studio spaces alongside the upgraded Auditorium, to allow for live streamed performances, meetings and debates.

Flexible Platform space below Auditorium

The Auditorium is supported by our Platform space, located directly below and features a fully licensed bar, AV equipment and provides additional room for networking, dinners, and drinks receptions.

Millennium Point team proud of results

Rebecca Delmore, Commercial Director at Millennium Point said: “Without a doubt the events sector has transformed considerably over the past year, but alongside the challenges that have been faced there are huge opportunities to embrace new technologies and open up events to a much broader and more diverse audience, both on and off-site.

“We’re proud to be able to offer best in class facilities and hospitality for visitors and event organisers to enjoy here at Millennium Point. With this investment in our auditorium we are also supporting and embracing the future of hybrid events to ensure that, wherever audiences are based, they can enjoy a high-quality experience.”

We are now open for bookings

Book a free tour of our new and improved Auditorium today and experience your event on our upgraded stage and giant screen. Get in touch by calling 0121 202 2200 or emailing [email protected].

Have the ’Time of your Life’ this Summer by joining us for ‘Dirty Dancing with Cocktails’ at Millennium Point.

Get ready to drink cocktails and have a good sing along as we team up with the innovative event specialists, The Wine Events Company to bring you the eighties classic Dirty Dancing on the big screen. This event takes place on Saturday 17th July at 7.30pm (doors open at 6:30pm) and you won’t want to miss it!

About the film

Baby (Jennifer Grey) is disappointed when her summer plans deposit her at a sleepy resort in the Catskills with her parents. Her luck turns around, however, when the resort’s dance instructor, Johnny (Patrick Swayze), enlists Baby as his new partner, and the two fall in love. Baby’s father forbids her from seeing Johnny, but she’s determined to help him perform the last big dance of the summer.

Featuring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes, Jack Weston and many more.

Certificate: 15 | Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Experience more than just a film screening

Enjoy a unique experience as Wine Events Company guru’s Tony and Ryan provide movie trivia throughout the event and demonstrate how to make each of the four themed cocktails on our newly refurbished stage.

Ticket Pricing

Tickets are priced at £35.95 per person (plus Eventbrite fees), and include four tasty themed cocktails. Due to government guidelines, tickets are only available to buy in bundles of two, three or four. You can buy more than one block of tickets at a time however, you will only be able to pick seats as per the seating plan. Have the time of your lives and book tickets by clicking below.

Back to the Future with Wine recap

Last Friday attendees were wowed by our unique screening of Back to the Future with Wine. The eighties sci-fi classic was screened in our Auditorium with themed wines served throughout the event. We had some great feedback including one attendee that said “Having never seen Back To The Future properly before, I went into this showing with an open mind. Not only was the film incredible (especially on the huge screen), but the wines paired with the film went down an absolute treat!”

“Tony from The Wine Events Company was also hilarious – playing the characters of Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown, giving the audience insights into specific scenes during the film and also some interesting background knowledge of the wines we were tasting throughout.”

“A fantastic night out for anyone looking for something a little more than your regular cinema screening, that’s for sure!”

Getting to Millennium Point

Millennium Point is in the Eastside of Birmingham City Centre just 5-minutes walk from Moor Street and 15-minutes from Grand Central and the tram. There is also limited parking on-site which means we’re easy to find regardless of how you travel. For more information please click here.

Want to find out more about this event?

If you require further information on this event then please head over to our dedicated landing page by clicking here.

Talking Point: The Future of Events was our well received free, two-hour hybrid conference which took place both online and in person inside Millennium Point’s newly refurbished Auditorium on Wednesday 26^th May, from 2pm – 4pm.

The conference perspectives from across the events sector, as well as provide valuable insights and a platform to debate the road to recovery, current trends, sustainability, and the impact of Covid-19 on customers’ relationships to events and hospitality. The event also gave the public and clients first look at our auditorium since it’s refurbishment which now features a larger stage, lighting and enhanced AV technology alongside the launch of our hybrid and virtual packages. You can watch the replay of the event below:

The first panel, Events & Hospitality: Roadmap to Recovery (2pm-3pm), discussed key trends, innovations and roadblocks to consider over the next 18 months. Panellists include Rebecca Delmore, Commercial Director at Millennium Point alongside Chris Peacock, Head of Events at Conference Care, Jo Parkin, Executive Assistant to the CEO of Alpro and Paul Colston, Managing Editor of the International Portfolio at Mash Media (Exhibition World and Conference & Meetings World).

During the second panel, Going Green: The Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (3pm-4pm), guests will hear a range of views on the growing demand for sustainable events, the challenges and opportunities of hybrid events and the impact of green initiatives such as clean air zones. Panellists include Victoria Webb, Sales Manager at Millennium Point, Andrew Perolls, CEO of Greengage Solutions, Anne Shaw and Chris Peacock, Head of Events at Conference Care.

The event was hosted by events industry veteran Neil Thompson, Founder of popular event professionals network The Delegate Wranglers.

Our virtual and hybrid packages are now live. For any enquiries or for a personalised tour of our venue by a member of our friendly events team, please call 0121 202 2200 or use the online enquiry form here.

Film fans rejoice! We’re back once again with a series of much-loved movie classics in our new and improved giant screen auditorium this summer, complete with special movie-themed cocktails, wine and trivia by our friends and resident film geeks at The Wine & Events Company.

Our Auditorium (formerly the first IMAX cinema in Birmingham), will reopen and screen three classic films this summer – starting with Steven Spielberg’s definitive 80’s classic, Back to the Future on Friday 4th June. Millennium Point events has teamed up with innovative event specialists The Wine Events Company, who will pause the films to provide movie trivia and themed cocktails or wine during the screenings to movie-lovers.

Kicking off we have the 80s sci-fi favourite Back to the Future on Friday 4 June. Cinema-goers can immerse themselves in the time travelling action, as well as indulge in five movie-themed wines. On Saturday 17 July, guests will have the time of their lives, as they watch Dirty Dancing on the big screen, whilst enjoying four themed cocktails. The final screening at our iconic city centre venue will take place on Sunday 8 August, as film-lovers can enjoy the 70s Spielberg classic Jaws and dive into four delicious themed cocktails.

Keeping Movie-Goers Safe

Our multi-award-winning events team at Millennium Point has introduced several hygiene and safety measures to ensure that the screenings are safe for all film fans to enjoy. These include reduced capacity in the Auditorium with allocated seating, hand sanitising stations throughout the venue, a cashless and contactless experience, as well as social distancing measures and PPE for all staff.

Tickets for Back to the Future are priced at £31.95 per person (plus fees) and include five glasses of themed wine. Tickets for Dirty Dancing and Jaws are priced at £35.95 per person (plus fees) and include four delicious film-themed cocktails, which will be served to visitors throughout the film. Tickets can only be bought in groups of two or more to ensure groups don’t mix.

To book tickets for the Millennium Point cinema screenings, please visit:

Back to the Future: millenniumpoint.org.uk/back-to-the-future/
Dirty Dancing: millenniumpoint.org.uk/millennium-point-presents-dirty-dancing-with-cocktails/
Jaws:millenniumpoint.org.uk/millennium-point-presents-jaws-1975-with-cocktails/

We’re very excited to announce our latest partnership with the Wine Events Company, and can’t wait to welcome movie-lovers from across the region back to our big screen this summer to enjoy a truly memorable and immersive experience.

The Auditorium is also available for hire as an events space. For all enquiries, please contact [email protected] or call 0121 202 2200.

There’s only a few days remaining before we bring together a panel of experts to debate the future of events in a post lockdown world.

Talking Point: The Future of Events is a free, two-hour hybrid conference taking place both online and in person at Millennium Point’s newly refurbished Auditorium on Wednesday 26^th May, from 2pm – 4pm.

The conference will feature perspectives from across the sector, as well as provide valuable insights and a platform to debate the road to recovery, current trends, sustainability, and the impact of Covid-19 on customers’ relationships to events and hospitality. It will also give the public a first look at our auditorium since it’s £350,000 refurbishment which now features a larger stage, lighting and enhanced AV technology alongside the launch of our hybrid and virtual packages.

The first panel, Events & Hospitality: Roadmap to Recovery (2pm-3pm), will discuss key trends, innovations and roadblocks to consider over the next 18 months. Panellists include Rebecca Delmore, Commercial Director at Millennium Point alongside Chris Peacock, Head of Events at Conference Care, Jo Parkin, Executive Assistant to the CEO of Alpro and Paul Colston, Managing Editor of the International Portfolio at Mash Media (Exhibition World and Conference & Meetings World), and Holly Andrews, Head of Producers at DRP Group.

During the second panel, Going Green: The Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (3pm-4pm), guests will hear a range of views on the growing demand for sustainable events, the challenges and opportunities of hybrid events and the impact of green initiatives such as clean air zones. Panellists include Victoria Webb, Sales Manager at Millennium Point, Andrew Perolls, CEO of Greengage Solutions, Anne Shaw, and Chris Peacock, Head of Events at Conference Care.

We’ve reached a pivotal moment for the events industry, as venues are finally able to reopen, and the government’s pilot events for larger audiences are underway.

Our conference will provide the opportunity for guests from across the events sector to come together, both in person and virtually, to share insight on the challenges and opportunities that lie in store over the year ahead. We’ve had a fantastic response so far and we’re looking forward to what promises to be a lively and engaging series of debates.

Tickets to Talking Point: The Future of Events are free and available for either physical attendance or viewing online via a live stream. To find out more and book tickets, visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/talking-point/.

Neil Thompson, Founder and Managing Director of The Delegate Wranglers will be the host of Talking Point: The Future of Events.

With just under 4 weeks to go until Talking Point: The Future of Events, we are delighted to announce that Neil Thompson, Founder and Managing Director of The Delegate Wranglers, will lead the discussions at Millennium Point’s critical hybrid conference examining the events and hospitality industry’s road to recovery over the next 12 – 18 months. We are excited to see what unique insights Neil brings to the discussions over the two panels with his more than 22 years experience in events and hospitality industry, having organised and managed events across the globe.

He founded The Delegate Wranglers Facebook group in 2014, which brings together professional conference organisers and events industry suppliers. The Delegate Wranglers has become a platform where more than 21,000 members worldwide share information, ask questions, advertise industry positions and services and provide advice and support.

Neil comments: “The pandemic has hit our industry hard and we’ve lost a lot of good people and businesses over the past 12 months. I’m thrilled to be heading up Talking Point, which is going to give event professionals and bookers meaningful insight into into important topics such as the latest trends, consumer attitudes and current obstacles we face in the immediate future of our industry with.”

Get your free ticket to Talking Point: The Future of Events

Talking Point: The Future of Events runs from 2pm – 4pm on Wednesday 26th May. It’s two panels will cover vital topics relevant to the industry including the latest trends, the rise of hybrid and virtual conference solutions, the importance of sustainability, corporate social responsibility and what the roadmap to recovery will be for events and hospitality.

The panels comprise local leaders across key industries including Chris Peacock, Co-Founder of Conference Care; Michael Anderson, Director of Projects at West Midlands Metro and Andrew Perolls, CEO of Greengage Solutions – with more to be announced over the coming weeks. Rebecca Delmore, Commercial Director and Victoria Webb, Sales Manager both at Millennium Point, will also join the panels to give insight into the current position of being an events and conference venue.

This will be an opportunity for agents, event bookers and professionals to see how a hybrid event at Millennium Point works as well join in a vital conversation around kickstarting the events and hospitality industry across the UK. This event is free to attend both online and in person. The event will be broadcast live across our digital channels and will be available for replay on our Youtube following it’s conclusion.

To reserve your ticket, or for further information, visit the dedicated page here.

Over the past few decades, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important part of many businesses worldwide. Like many things, the coronavirus pandemic caused businesses to take a step back and question their purpose, value and impact. This in turn has increased the development of CSR initiatives, with more and more businesses feeling the pressure from employees and consumers to operate with a stronger social conscience. This blog will look at what CSR is and four reasons why you should care.

WHAT’S CSR?

In general terms, CSR is the responsibility of an organisation for the impacts of its decisions on society and the environment above and beyond its legal obligations, through transparent and ethical behaviour. Previously, CSR was more common among the biggest brands as a way of addressing the impact their practices had on the environment but over recent decades, it has become more commonplace due to factors such as shifting public interests in environmental and ethical issues and legal changes which have made some aspects of CSR compulsory.

A prominent local example of CSR in action is with Cadbury’s. George and Richard Cadbury created the model village of Bourneville for their workers in Southwest Birmingham. This was born out of their desire to create better working conditions and quality of life for their workers compared to squalid conditions that were common at the time. Today, Cadbury’s CSR has evolved into the Cadbury Foundation which delivers regular projects and donations to local communities.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

Other than it being a nice way of giving back there are several reasons why CSR is important and if you don’t already think about it then you should.

CSR ATTRACTS TALENT

Having a strong CSR is a gateway to attracting fresh talent, passionate about working for you. With Millennials making up around half of the workforce and Generation Z taking their first strides, CSR has never been more of a hook for attracting fresh talent. One report suggests that 82% of millennials consider CSR efforts of an organisation when deciding where to work. It goes on to suggest that 70% are actually willing to take a pay cut to work for a company with strong social values. This trend is likely only to increase as more of Gen Z and beyond enter the workforce.

CSR CAN REDUCE EMPLOYEE TURNOVER

On the same notion, companies who actively engage their people in CSR projects reduce their employee turnover by about half. This helps employees feel that their work has purpose beyond their role, serves as a source of motivation and raises morale. In turn, this equates to more job satisfaction which is a major factor in retaining your workforce.

CSR CAN INCREASE REVENUE

Companies who invest in a social purpose have 4-6% higher market value and 20% more revenue compared to those who don’t according to a study in 2015 reported by The Telegraph. As collective social consciousness soars, so does a cultural shift occur and the demand from consumers for more ethical practises and CSR from businesses. CSR raises your profile and makes your company more attractive to consumers and investors. We only need to look at the rise in ethically driven SMEs over the past few years to see this in effect. It also shows that consumers are willing to pay a bit extra when they know the products and business are ethically driven.

Similarly, in a B2B space, business’ and investors are more likely to choose businesses with strong CSR profiles for the simple fact that it increases their own. Many of our clients here at Millennium Point cite our strong commitment to investing our profits into STEM education projects and initiatives – more of which you can read about here.

CSR IS A GREAT BRAND TOOL

In the same article, The Telegraph reported that a quarter (25%) of a company’s market value is it’s reputation. Brand is an important part of any business and CSR is an excellent way of elevating it. CSR gives another layer of engagement with your customers, which means more touch points for you to grab their attention and get their buy-in. In fact, 76% of the general population believe business leaders should take a lead on social and environmental issues — that’s 76% of the population who you could be engaging with right now with your CSR projects.

Engagement aside, it raises the overall perception of your brand. Businesses who show that they are taking an active role in tackling environmental and social issues are seen as more respectable and more human. This legitimises your brand and leads to more recognition and brand loyalty.

MILLENNIUM POINT’S CSR

Profits from our commercial activity as a multi-award-winning venue and landmark public building are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. This investment approximates to around £5m annually on projects, events and initiatives which promote the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. That means a percentage of any event booking or ticket purchase you make goes towards improving education locally. Read more about some of the projects we have funded here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION ON CSR

Get your free ticket to our own hybrid conference Talking Point: The Future of Events from 2pm – 4pm on Wednesday 26th May. This two-hour event consists of two panels that will examine the impact of the pandemic and what the next 12-18 months has in store for the events industry – topics include CSR, sustainability and current trends. You can join online or in-person to see how a hybrid event at Millennium Point works as well as join in a vital conversation around kickstarting the events and hospitality industry across the UK.

To reserve your ticket, or for further information, visit the dedicated page here.

Virtual events exploded onto the scene in 2020. What was largely a a niche format, almost overnight, became an essential platform as event professionals worldwide pivoted to virtual events in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic. While events in the UK are set to make a return on 17th May, virtual events are not going anywhere soon, with many speculating that they are here to stay. As Millennium Point Events recently unveiled our own virtual events packages, this blog will give you a bit more insight into why going virtual could be the perfect solution for your event.

WHAT’S A VIRTUAL EVENT?

A virtual event occurs completely online, with attendees interacting in a virtual environment over the internet rather than meeting in a physical space. A virtual event could be anything from a business meeting to an awards ceremony, conference or showcase. They occur on a variety of platforms, from being broadcast on YouTube, Vimeo or Facebook Live to dedicated software platforms.

BENEFITS OF CHOOSING A VIRTUAL EVENT

It’s the safest option against Covid-19

This one is obvious but an incredibly important benefit. Hosting a virtual event means no physical attendance, therefore no concerns over managing large groups of people. It also eliminates concerns for delegates and attendees over their health and wellbeing. Similarly, hosting a virtual event means that it wont be affected by lockdowns or changing restrictions so therefore much less likely to be cancelled or postponed.

Even now with restrictions easing, we can’t predict what is round the corner – hosting a virtual event eliminates any uncertainties around the ebbs and flows of covid restrictions which is why many big brands, such as E3, are opting to remain virtual for the time being.

Linking entities. Network, networking, social media, internet communication abstract. A small network connected to a larger network. in paper linked together by cotton with a black tint

Increases your audience through accessibility

Despite what you may think, virtual events are actually likely to register higher participation figures than their in-person counterparts. The reason for this is simply because it’s more accessible. With an online event there are no travel times, attendees can drop in and out as they please, they don’t have to socialise and are not committed to staying for the full event. It’s also more accessible and inclusive, allowing people with personal or logistical challenges to be included. Lastly, a virtual event eliminates geographical barriers which means people around the world can now access your event increasing the reach significantly. In short, hosting a virtual event is a lot more flexible, convenient and accessible for attendees compared to a physical event, which widens appeal and opens up a larger audience.

Male hand putting money coin stack growing business, saving money concept.

Reduced expenses

Virtual events are generally more cost efficient than physical events. In most cases, you have no operational costs or overheads such as venue hire, staff and catering. In other cases, such as a virtual award ceremony, you might need a studio space prior to film some content but while there will be some overheads these will be considerably less. Similarly, there will be no travel costs for your attendees and participants, which in turn lead to a more appealing event.

Behaviour Analytics

Being 100% online gives you the opportunity to track, capture and make the most of attendee data in ways that would be more difficult to achieve in a physical event. Virtual platforms offer deep data analytics such as attendees, views, reactions, engagement, drop offs during the event – all of this type of data allows you to determine your users interest and behaviour during your events and after. These analytics can also be used as a hook for prospective attendees, sponsors and partners who can use the data to find who requires follow-up after the event based on their interactions.

More value for exhibitors and sponsors

In 2020, reports found that exhibitors and sponsors felt they gained more value out of virtual events. As mentioned above, virtual events tend to have more attendees and deeper analytics. Exhibitors/Sponsors can connect with participants virtually at any time, showcase & promote their services through virtual social communities, and no longer worry about empty event booths at the physical venue. Less of travels, more of valuable, effective interactions.

Feed your pipeline

All of the content can be recorded – from the action on screen to the live chat. Compared to a physical event this gives you a lot more opportunity to feed your marketing pipeline after the event. You can break the recording into bitesize segments for social media, share the full event and capture new audience members and you can also use it as an example when pitching to new sponsors to give them an idea of what to expect.

HOW TO HOST YOUR VIRTUAL EVENT

We hope this has given you a lot to think about when planning your next event. Whether you’ve planned a virtual event before or not, it’s easy to get started.

Here at Millennium Point, we have both virtual and hybrid event packages available that are both affordable and top quality. Start exploring how adding a virtual element to your event can benefit you today by getting in touch with our multi-award winning events team.

WATCH A HYBRID EVENT IN ACTION

Get your free ticket to our own hybrid conference Talking Point: The Future of Events from 2pm – 4pm on Wednesday 26th May. This two-hour event consists of two panels that will examine what the next 12-18 months has in store for the events industry. You can join online or in-person to see how a hybrid event at Millennium Point works as well as join in a vital conversation around kickstarting the events and hospitality industry across the UK.

To reserve your ticket, or for further information, visit the dedicated page here.

Hybrid events are becoming an increasingly attractive spin on traditional events. Outside of the benefits during the current pandemic, there is also a lot to be said about how they can enhance your event and return on investment. As we launch our own hybrid event packages, this blog will give you a bit more insight into why you should consider making your next event a hybrid event.

What’s a Hybrid Event?

Hybrid events allow people to attend an event in person AND online. This allows for greater audience numbers as additional attendees can join virtually and enjoy the same content as the physical attendees. Hybrid events allow the same interaction within an event such as Q&A, whether your watching in person or virtually.

Benefits of choosing a hybrid event

It Makes Your Event More Resilient to Covid-19

Getting the obvious point out of the way, a hybrid event helps you to navigate the restrictions of the pandemic significantly. It means you can have reduced physical capacity compliant with social distancing and safety measures without losing out on your potential audience – because you can make up for it with online attendance.

It also means you’re not losing attendees who don’t feel comfortable turning up to a physical event because they can still join online from the safety of their own home.

Lastly, your event is more resilient to cancellation because you would already have a virtual element. This means that you can quickly and easily move the physical elements online with minimal impact on the overall scope of your event.

Increased Reach & Attendance

Hybrid events allow you to increase your reach and gain more attendees in several ways. Firstly, it allows people who otherwise could not travel to your event to attend. It makes it more accessible to people with disabilities who may have had challenges attending in person. It also allows people to duck in and out at their convenience, which makes it more appealing to attend rather than just outright needing to commit for the whole event.

Additionally, there will always be people who want to come but can’t for one reason or another. This negates that problem by not only letting them attend live online but catch up with it after the fact. This latter point also means you can reach new audiences even after your event has passed by posting it online, it also gives audiences a flavour of what kind of events you run when promoting your next one.

With a hybrid event, you lower the barrier to entry for both demographics – those who want to attend but can’t, those who are unsure if it’s worth their time, and those who initially miss the event.

Higher Engagement With Your Audiences

Adding a virtual element to your live event opens up more engagement opportunities than would be possible at a strictly physical event. Virtual audiences can actively participate on their devices, from liking and sharing the stream to participating in Q&As, activities or conducting live polls.

Improved Return on Investment

Hybrid events offer an increased return on investment due to the increased reach and scalability of your event. With an online element, you’re likely getting more attendance and more views of your content. An enormous benefit comes from the data and the insights it shows.

Beyond doing simply a headcount, you know the participation numbers, plus how they engaged and when they dropped out of the session. You also gain information on your attendees’ interests through matchmaking data and session participation, which can help you improve your optimise the content of future events.

Lastly, this makes sponsorship a lot more attractive because you have tangible metrics for your sponsors and a wider platform for them to promote their business via online engagement.

How to host your hybrid event

We hope this has given you a lot to think about when planning your next event. Whether you’ve planned a hybrid event before or not, it’s easy to get started.

Here at Millennium Point, we have a hybrid event package that is both affordable and top quality. Start exploring how choosing a hybrid event can benefit you today by getting in touch with our multi-award winning events team.

Watch a Hybrid Event in Action

Get your free ticket to our own hybrid conference Talking Point: The Future of Events from 2pm – 4pm on Wednesday 26th May. This two-hour event consists of two panels that will examine what the next 12-18 months has in store for the events industry. You can join online or in-person to see how a hybrid event at Millennium Point works as well as join in a vital conversation around kickstarting the events and hospitality industry across the UK.

To reserve your ticket, or for further information, visit the dedicated page here.