Live Events Vs Covid-19
12th March 2021
Why Events will bounce back with a bang!
We all remember the good old days. Sipping a fruity cocktail in the sunshine, laughing with your best friend as you lose your shoe in the knee-deep mud at a festival. The dense crowd of people queuing for a drink at the overpriced bar and the bass of the music being so loud it vibrates the dance floor. Let’s not forget the smell of the greasy food trucks lining the streets at the end of a night and that first indulgent bite of the burger you’ve been craving all evening – what a moment to remember.
Or did we take it all for granted? Would we have savoured that last bite if we had known; known that those experiences would be taken away from us for over a year?
Events are changing. It’s no secret that the unavoidable impacts of a global pandemic will reshape events forever. However, the fact that events are the very essence of society, and an integral part of our lives is the very reason why events will bounce back with a bang!
This is not groundbreaking news, the powerful nature of events has been understood for centuries. It will take more than a global pandemic to destroy the power of events.
So what is the next step for Events?
As we enter a new era of the event industry we must recognise what makes events so important to us all; to embrace the inevitable changes but to also hold on to what makes them so special.
There are several reasons why we think events will bounce back with a bang (even if they do look slightly different). They’re the foundation of our culture and will always have a place in our lives.
Covid-19 has been a wake up call for us all – it’s incredibly difficult to be without our loved ones for so long, and what’s a better way to bring everyone together after the pandemic than by hosting the perfect event?
We have always loved events but has Covid-19 taught us not to take them for granted?
The Cultural History behind Events
Events have always been a meaningful and essential part of our society. For years, they provided a strong sense of community and camaraderie.
From summer fates and royal weddings to Halloween and Christmas. These historic and classic celebrations are what makes us British. We look forward to the bank holidays in May and the birthday celebrations with our family and friends.
Wave Hill Ltd conducted a survey in 2019 which had 68% of respondents state that cultural events made them feel part of the community and nearly two-thirds said that these events were good for their personal wellbeing.
No matter what happens we want to mark these occasions. As lockdown 1.0 showed us, Covid-19 was not going to stop us celebrating. For example, to honour ‘VE Day’ we came together with our socially distanced street parties and tea and cake for everyone. A chance to finally say hello to our neighbours again.
There is a reason why events have been the essence of our society for centuries – they make us feel happy. Events bring us all together to celebrate, to be appreciative of all the good that happens in our lives.
The Positive Psychology of Events
In its simplest form, positive psychology is the study of what makes life worth living. Events are an excellent way of making people experience joy and happiness, creating positive experiences and memories which last a lifetime.
The escapism of events can take us away from the mundane routine of reality. A fleeting moment to be fully immersed in a new experience. Our love for events is therefore hardly surprising; which is why when live events suddenly disappeared overnight, society craved for their return.
Future events may look slightly different at first but the unique experiences that they provide are irreplaceable. No matter what happens in the world events can still produce joy and happiness and create memories that are invaluable.
Why Covid-19 has made us love Events even more!
The global pandemic has simplified our perspective on life. It has highlighted the importance of family and friendships, putting the focus on creating positive memories and experiences with our loved ones.
Our need for events has not gone away during lockdown, but instead for some has been amplified. We all understand that events will be different but it’s time to let go of any old thinking and embrace the change.
It is likely that events will require social distancing, take place outside and consist of new technology to allow for hybrid events. This is supported by a recent study conducted by Skiddle in 2020, as 75% of respondents said they would be happy to attend socially distanced music events.
We mustn’t forget the value of the experiences created by events, as this is the reason why events will not be defeated by Covid-19!
The Future of Events
So what does this all mean?
Although the past 12 months have been filled with uncertainty, there is light at the end of the tunnel and hope for future events! We have been given an excellent opportunity to start again, a clean slate for the event industry, the chance to experience new and innovative events.
As the saying goes “it might feel stormy now, but it can’t rain forever!”.
Events are resilient and will bounce back like never before. The power of positive thinking will help us get through these unprecedented times. Yes, events will look different in the future and may even be unrecognisable at first but when thinking with an open mind, we have been given an incredible opportunity to create a new era of events. What an exciting time to see what could happen – the world is our oyster!
So, are you ready to return to live events?
What are you most looking forward to about the return of live events?
What do you think live events will look like in the future?
Comment down below – we would love to hear your opinion!
I would be interested to see your thoughts on the future of business events eg. Conferences and exhibitions. What do you think these would look like? Taking into consideration companies aim from live events is to make a profit. Do you think this is possible if social distancing is in place and therefore potentially reducing numbers by 50% or more? Do you think hybrid for corporate events is the way forward? Do you think companies will stay fully virtual? It would be great to hear your opinions. I work in the corporate events and have had many conversations with our clients about this and have an idea of their plans.
Hi Katie,
Thank you so much for taking the time to engage with our blog! You highlight some interesting points. Taking business and corporate events into consideration, I think it is possible to run at 50% capacity due to the more controlled nature of the environment, but in terms of profit this can pose more of a challenge. Costs may have to be reduced and prices increased in order to sustain a profit, with a more creative outlook on event logistics to produce an event worth the price. This is also where hybrid events may play a part for the foreseeable future, as it may be possible to create a more cost effective event, while building trust until the client feels safe to fully return to live events. I don’t think events will stay fully virtual as it reduces the opportunity for networking and socialising which as mentioned in the blog, is an essential part for not only corporate events, but events as a whole!
I totally agree that events will bounce back. You only have to look at the demand for tickets for music events, theatre or sporting events to see the public’s desire to go back to doing the things they love. It is human nature to want to socialise and celebrate together. Perhaps there will be an initial trepidation but that will soon be overcome by the enjoyment of finally being back together and sharing new experiences together!
Hi Lucy!
Thank you so much for getting involved in our blog, it’s great to hear your perspective. We definitely agree that it is human nature to want to socialise and be together. Hopefully any fears or worries will fade away once life begins to return to ‘normal’. It is certainly intriguing to see what that new normal may look like!
I certainly think that events will make a big come back, based on the speed of ticket sales for planned events post-lockdown, it is clear that everyone is itching to get back and enjoy any socialisation that is available to them! I think people are prepared for a different type of experience and understand that it may not be quite what we are used to pre-covid.
As a very social person, I am ready to return as soon as we can and am most looking forward to the feeling of freedom, spending quality time with loved ones and enjoying new experiences. I do, however, completely understand the fear factor that some may have with a return that could feel too soon. In this way, social distancing and hybrid events can help to put people at ease. I definitely think we will continue to utilise technology as much as possible and continue with some of the creative solutions that event managers have come up with (such as live streaming etc), as this could even generate additional revenue for events.
Hi Ella,
Thank you so much for your comment! Its great to hear your thoughts on this topic. It’s fantastic to hear that you are keen to return to live events as soon as possible, the feeling of freedom is definitely something I’m sure lots of people have missed. We agree that this is a time where Events Managers must be creative and innovative when producing new events, especially as generating additional revenue is at the top of most businesses priority list. Your comment about the use of new technology and hybrid events is something that we agree with, although it may seem daunting at first it could potentially be the beginning of a new era of the events industry – who knows what is on the horizon?
Great blog some very intresting points. Events will bounce back for sure! People need and want the social interaction, they may not look the same but people will still love them. I think it well help to shape events in a new and exciting way by using technology in an exciting way to help improve events and even help create new technology.
Hi Amy!
Thank you so much for your interaction with our blog, it’s wonderful to hear your perspective. It is great to hear that you are just as excited as we are to see what the future of events will look like! We agree that new technology will be the foundation to rebuild new and innovative events and may even improve how they are produced. We also wonder how the use of new technology may impact other areas of the events industry and what else will change as a consequence of it. The real question is will that be an opportunity for growth or a challenge to overcome?
This was a great blog and you make some excellent points. I work in a corporate events agency and so have adapted to the world of virtual over the last year and foreseeable future. As much as we want to return fully to in-person events, I cannot see this happening anytime soon. Virtual will always have its place due to many reasons and therefore we will see that hybrid events are going to be the answer going forward. What are your thoughts on this please? What reasons do you think virtual will help us to get back to in person events? What events do you think will return first? Do you think hybrid events are here to stay forever now?
Hi Milly,
Thank you for getting involved with our blog, its great to get an industry point of view. We agree that it may take time to fully return to in-person events, and this will be a gradual process. Due to the success of virtual and hybrid events there has definitely been a shift in the market, and events will look different in the coming months and years. It is a great way to reach a wider audience, as attendees don’t necessarily have to travel to attend events, however there is nothing quite like the excitement, engagement and social side of an in-person event. We believe that hybrid events will provide a stepping stone to the return of live events, but may also hold a place in the future to reach wider audiences.
I Believe live events will return to their normal state after a short period of hassle at the start, i think August is a good time to predict a total return to normal life due to most artists (Not festivals) are booking full tours around this time.
The problem with the festival circuit of 2021 is that they sold out their festivals the week before the amount of insurance was decide for them, meaning that the 2021 festival period can be cancelled more easily compared to a normal year at less cost to the insurance companies. This leads me to believe that festivals this year will go ahead but aren’t as ‘soild’ as everyone thinks.
Apart from that my work in the reopening of the live sector leads me to believe everything will be normal by August, Despite what out of touch people might have you think.
Hi Mark!
Thank you for your response to our blog, it is great to hear your opinions. We definitely agree with your comments about the return of festivals in August. The return to live events is a slow process and will take time. It is important to strike a fine balance between being optimistic and realistic when thinking about returning to Live Events after Covid-19. Safety is the main priority when considering a return date for live events but hopefully with the roll out of vaccines going well, it is looking hopeful that festivals will still go ahead in August.
Events will be back in their original form sooner than most think but in the medium term as we return to a time before Covid organisations and events organisers must continue to adapt as they have been to provide the best quality events possible whether that be entirely virtual , in a hybrid form or as a fully fledged in person event.
The industry can and will recover but it cannot afford to be put of action much longer which is why they moment it is safe to do so we will be back with a bang. I can taste the dark fruits already!! Great article
Hi Kane!
Thank you so much for your engagement in our article. Its great to hear your enthusiasm about the return of live events. You are absolutely right about the economic challenges that the events industry has had to face during the last year and we are positive that events managers are eager to return. Hopefully as soon as we are all able to return to live events, they will bounce back with a bang and we will be reminded of how important they are to us all!
I can’t wait to get back to live events, they are my bread and butter, the one thing keeping me going through this lockdown is knowing I’ll be sat in a muddy field with a can in hand during this summer.
I’m most looking forward to being with my mates belting some lewis capaldi tunes at the top of our lungs.
I reckon we could see the return of some “platform parties” as you will, the socially distanced festival might make a return this summer for those a bit cautious about going straight back to normal, but I would not rule out normal gigs and festivals this year!
Hi Louie!
We love hearing your positive thoughts on the future of live events and that it creating a motivation for you in the long run since we believe in positive psychology. You make an interesting point about the fact that you think normal non-social distancing events might also return, we can only see what the future holds for us.
I am very excited for the return of the live events industry! I love going to concerts and festivals with friends, as there’s nothing quite like the energy of a crowd. I think it will certainly come back with a bang as people will be rushing to buy tickets to see all the acts they’ve missed over the past year. I also think it’s great that it looks like artists and events organisations will be able to generate revenue once again, after being hit so hard during the pandemic. However, I am of course aware the fun can only begin again once governments deem it safe for events to be put on.
I think the future of what events look like will be interesting to see. I think it will be a very gradual process, possibly starting with reduced capacities, required Covid testing/vaccination prior, and certain other requirements/restrictions to ensure safety, which will slowly ease over time. I think it’s great to be optimistic and hopeful for a return in August, but we have to also be prepared for potential cancellations of big events, dependent on how circumstances change and progress.
Hi Tristan,
We appreciate your comment and glad to hear you are excited to return to live events! We can agree that there is nothing like the feeling of being in a crowd that is full of energy, as you mentioned we can all hope that live events can run with the full support of the government in the future. You make a brilliant point about the many steps to consider such as testing and tracking once events start running again.
Feeling positive and believing will definitely be beneficial, especially when summer isn’t far away!
Great thoughts, Thank you!
Great article! I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for live events to come back. And I’m certain they’ll be back in very emphatic fashion, I think after a year of the world dealing with the effects of Covid-19 we’ll be more than ready for events whenever they can be put on safely. As you said in the article the impact of covid will certainly last forever, and unfortunately due to the nature of live events they’ll definitely bare the brunt of it at first. So it’s possible events as we knew them before March 2020 may take a bit longer to return, but I’m sure everyone will be more than happy to attend a socially distanced event. I know I will! Wherever there’s sun and a few drinks this summer I’ll be there! It’s far been far too long!
Thank you Jack for your comment. We agree that the world is definitely ready for live events to return in a safe format and we are as well! We closely looked at the Covid-19 impacts on events and can understand that the start of live events may not go as smoothly as pre-Covid. Although, the emotions that events create will stay just as positive and as you mentioned, there will be a high demand to attend events as soon as we are able to.
No matter how events come back I’m looking forward to it. I’d literally give anything to be in a sunny field again listening to my favourite acts and sharing cups of water with strangers all packed in a tent like we used to. miss being able to do stuff like this with my friends.
Hi Elliot,
It is great to hear your perspective on this issue! We definitely share your enthusiasm for returning to live events. Even though they may look slightly different at first, it won’t stop us from wanting to return to live events as soon as we are able to do so.
Great blog, I can’t wait for events to return! I’m most looking forward to the atmosphere that is created at events that attracted like-minded people and the feeling of community you get from that. After being cut off from most socialisation for so long, it’ll be great for things to feel like they’re finally going back to normal.
As for the future of events, I think initially some people might be very hesitant to attend anything until it’s proven there’s no added risk. There will need to be extra medical staff and security as a lot more people may become overwhelmed by crowds that they’re not used to. By next year it’ll likely be back to ‘normal’ and events will be more prepared for dealing with this kind of crisis if it were to happen again.
Hi Emily!
Thank you for your engagement on our article! It is great to hear your opinions. We definitely agree with your comment about the longing to return to live events after more than a year. Being able to socialise and be around our loved ones is a moment that lots of people are counting down the days for. Your point about extra medical staff and security at live events is spot on, we agree that procedures will have to change and adapt to the new way of life in order to work successfully. However, hopefully we will all get used to the ‘new normal’ and appreciate having a bit more freedom.
Great blog, I sense the is an appetite for people to get out and enjoy events as soon as they can. However, there may be some initial hesitancy in some quarters, I suspect a significant challenge will be addressing the pandemic specific health & safety and public liability concerns that authorities and insurers will be worrying about. I hope we are able to quickly return to a time when these are seen as a low risk on any event risk assessment.
Hi Shawn
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. We agree that there is definitely an appetite for people to get back to live events. It’s an interesting point you make about the insurance and it would be curious to know whether any events won’t take place for that reason, perhaps a few events need to take place to show that it is safe to help with those issues.
I can see there’s going to be a post covid boom of everyone (including myself) scrambling to get a ticket to any event let alone the more high profile ones as many are raring for the opportunity to get that escapism that comes with a live events.
Mostly looking forward to experiencing a live event with my mates and making new memories. Lots of people have felt that they’ve missed out on over a year of their young lives and want to make up for that.
I imagine events will return to normal in terms of regulations and practices but I would really like to see more financial saftey nets for the artists we love to see.
Hi Hamish,
It is fantastic to hear your perspective on this issue. You make an excellent point about the escapism that comes from attending live events, we certainly agree, it is one of the main reasons why we all love events. We also support your comment about looking forward to creating new memories with our friends and loved ones, events are the perfect place to create memories that last a lifetime. We definitely believe that in order for events to survive they may need to adapt to the new way of life post-covid which also suggests there is an opportunity to change other aspects within the events industry. As you mentioned, one area that needs to be improved is making a better financial safety net for artists that we love to see. This could potentially help artists in the future to be more secure which is a win-win for everyone involved.
I can’t wait to get the feeling of excitement when you are travelling to the event, it’s almost the best bit! Some great things in this blog that I totally reasonable with!
Hi Lauren,
Thank you so much for engaging with our article. It is great to hear your opinion! We definitely agree with your comment about the anticipation of events. Nothing can beat that excited feeling you get when you are on your way to an event, especially if you have been waiting to go for months! Hopefully we can experience those feelings again very soon.
Like many other the comments, I most definitely agree the events industry will reignite post-covid, there is nothing that can replace the human interaction and like you say – ‘a fleeting moment to be fully immersed in…’ Also really interesting point on how the pandemic has made us appreciate the smaller things and what we took for granted prior to the pandemic blessing us with its presence! Overall really interesting read!
Hi Isabel!
Thank you so much for engaging in our article. You make some really interesting points! We certainly agree that there is nothing that can replace the human interaction that takes place at live events. It is definitely something that will not be taken for granted when we eventually return to live events. We’re so glad you found this article an interesting read and hopefully we can return to live events as soon as possible and appreciate how much they add to our lives.
Really interesting post, with lots of food for thought. I think pricing – in all manners – will be an intriguing consideration as events return to ‘normal’. It’s highly anticipated that costs for organisers will be higher, so presumably it’s inevitable that the businesses/exhibitors will have to absorb these costs, but do they then set higher prices for their products. Whilst an argument could be made that the consumer will be ‘desperate’ for products as they haven’t had access to him for many months, let’s not forget that the pandemic has affected the disposable income for many families. With the lack of social interaction over the last 12 months too, will spending at events be as high or will events be deemed a fun excuse to solely socialise?
Hi Steve
Thank you for your response. That is a very good point you have made but one thing that may have come into affect is force majeure which may have led to contracts staying the same so costs for some events may not increase. However, as Shawn has mentioned, the insurance premium for events is likely to go up which could stop events from taking place all together. For some demographics, I agree that they may now not be able to afford to attend events which may be an unforeseen consequence. I do however think younger people will try to attend any event regardless of the price due to the craving that they have for them so it may be worth event organisers targeting this group.
For me I can’t wait for events to go back to normal. Although people may be cautious at first I think a lot of people can’t wait to be able to socialise and be around groups of people again which you can’t get from virtual events. The events industry has definitely gone through a very tough time, but have faith it will bounce back quickly.
Hi Laura!
Thank you so much for engaging in our article, it is fantastic to get your perspective. We certainly agree with your comment about the event industry going through lots of challenges over the last year but we also have faith that they will bounce back better than ever! You make an excellent point about how virtual events cannot always produce the same experiences that face to face events can, which also supports the idea that as soon as we are able to, live events will return.
I definitely agree that events will bounce back and I think they will likely be more popular than ever! It’ll be interesting to see what regulations will remain in place post-COVID when everything opens up again. Really great read!
Hi Juliet!
Thank you so much for your comment, it is great to hear your perspective! We definitely agree that once the Covid restrictions are lifted that lots of people will be rushing back to live events. You make an excellent point about the possibility for new regulations to help keep people safe at live events and it will be interesting to see how events may look different because of that.
Really interesting read- I definitely think the events industry will come back after COVID quite quickly.
Hi Grace,
Thank you for your comment and for getting involved. Yes, hopefully, we all miss events and we can’t wait until the day they return!
A really interesting perspective on the position of the events industry post covid.
I would definitely agree that a bounce back is inevitably going to occur, as there is definitely a unanimous sentiment that people feel ‘trapped’ from a life in lockdown. I, for one, agree and I’m definitely itching to go to all of the events that have been postponed multiple times over the past year.
Hi Spencer,
Thank you for responding to our article, it is great to hear your opinions! We definitely agree that lots of people are desperate to return to ‘normal life’ after lockdown and especially keen to begin going to all of the events that they have unfortunately missed due to Covid. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer!
Me and my friends have all talked about how excited we are to get back to going to events, and how much we underestimated how good they were for giving everyone a real reason to get together and relax.
The return of live events definitely feels like a return to proper normality for a lot of people I know. They were one of the first things to go and one of the biggest things people have missed, so them finally coming back feels like things are improving and we can get back to real socialising and having fun.
Future events will definitely have some changes for safety and people are more conscious of hygeine now, but I think a lot of people especially younger ones will be happy to go back as close as possible to how things used to be. For a lot of people the mental health toll has been large enough to outweigh any slight risks of getting out and seeing people again.
Hi Ben, it’s great to hear that you and your friends are excited to rejoin the culture of live events. You are absolutely right that we didn’t even realize the massive positive effect events gave us until we lost them for this year. We all miss the social aspect of it! Interesting point about people being conscious of hygiene these days, this is a new challenge event managers can possibly deal with when organizing an event. And thank you for pointing out the theme of mental health, it is important to talk about and acknowledge!
An excellent read and I fully agree that we had perhaps taken things for granted pre-Covid, with this last year showing us exactly just how many events we’ve missed out on.
As history shows, following the Spanish Flu pandemic post WWI, we then had the roaring twenties, with people desperate to get socialising again. Hopefully the 2020’s will be a similar story!
Hello Robbie,
Thank you for your comment and for your involvement. Your history knowledge of the Spanish flu is a great point. Bring on a ‘roaring 2020’s’!
I can’t wait for the chance to socialise again! Your blog reminded me just how exciting it is to have an event to look forward to! Remote events have kept us all in touch during this difficult time but we can’t wait to celebrate face to face. We have birthdays to mark, weddings to celebrate and a huge number of summer events to enjoy! Now we have the hope of the vaccine, the use of masks and plentiful hygiene stations mean that we are confident to enjoy outdoor events and before long indoor events. Great blog!
Hi Suzanne,
Thank you very much for taking the time to read our blog and share your thoughts. We are glad to hear that our blog reminded you of how amazing events are and we are delighted to hear that you are feeling ready to return to the events world. We have so many celebrations to catch up with. Once 2021 is up and going and like you said covid safety measures in place, we will be having a very busy year finally seeing friends and family once again!
Great article!! I 100% agree events will make a huge come back and as someone with a huge interest in the performing arts industry I am very much looking forward to that day! I actually went to a Stereophonics concert literally the day before Wales entered full lockdown and I remember the atmosphere being something else! Nothing can beat that feeling and I know mentally it will make a huge difference for me and lots of my friends-as long as everything goes ahead in the right way – slow but steady – I can’t wait!!!
Hi Chloe,
Thank you for getting involved. Looking back at videos of events and the atmosphere they create can put you in such a good mood. Hopefully once a few events have proven that it is safe then there will be even more for us to experience. I know we can’t wait either!
I really enjoyed reading this, your enthusiasm is infectious and I felt like I was re-living some of my own experiences! Loving how you remind us that there’s something really fundamental about group celebrations. Looking forward to seeing festivals and concerts on the horizon very soon 🙂 Interested to hear what you think will happen to ticket prices if spaces are more limited…
Hi Jules
Thank you for your feedback! That’s exactly how it felt writing it, remember events that you have been to in the past, it makes you miss them even more. I would hope that event organisers don’t put ticket prices up as it could have a negative impact on the long term image for the event. Also, as Steve had mentioned in his comment, some people may not have as much disposable income so even if spaces are limited then they would be shutting down the opportunity for everybody to try and get a ticket.
Great article which has been based on research and insights! It’s important for event organisers to understand and present these insights to potential sponsors, showing them that their event is where the target audience will be and it being a worthy investment.
I’m excited for the atmosphere and buzz that live events brings return, and think the future of events will have both a physical and virtual offering to reach more people worldwide.
Hello Tim,
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. It’s excellent to hear your point from a sponsorship perspective, we believe that this year-long event break will have allowed event organisers to really get creative and hopefully be able to pitch up some vibrant and fresh event ideas.
We totally agree, the virtual world has opened up so many doors to an event world that had not yet been discovered and it will definitely be an asset to the industry.
Really interesting and Intriguing blog!
Straight away grasped my attention and enticed me to want to read more!
Right now all people want is social interaction and for things to get back to normal. No matter the changes, event attendees will primarily focus on being able to be with their friends and experience something they have been missing in their lives since Covid-19 has been around.
We want excitement and something to look forward to back in our lives.
Even though there might be significant changes I don’t believe they could create a real big impact on the outcomes for individuals.
COVID-19 is something that many of us have gotten used to and it’s now part of our daily lives and routines. The safety aspects of events is definitely something that needs great consideration from the organisational part in order for attendees to feel safe, but I believe that this is something many people have had time to prepare for and examine the potential risks, therefore I don’t see any reason why events will bounce back.
Very impressed!
Hi Gemma,
Thank you so much for interacting with our blog, its great to hear how excited you are about the return of live events! I love your comment about the significant changes we may see, and how you don’t believe these will effect the event outcomes for attendees too much. This is promising to here, and I agree that we have all adjusted to Covid-19 being in our lives, and hopefully these restrictions will gradually start to fade away.
In terms of the safety aspects you are right in saying they will pay a major role in getting us all back to events safely, but that paired with a fantastic vaccination programme will hopefully allow for a bright future for live events!
Great article! So good to see some positivity around the importance of events to culture and wellbeing – definitely ready for a return to live events if they can be safe.
I’m most looking forward to playing, but also to seeing everyone I spend my summers with after a year off! Top of my list of things to do will be to grab a beer and whatever festival I’m at, sit at one of the crossover points between stages (where they usually put bars and food) and just watch everyone soaking up the absolute vibe that is a UK festival.
I believe live events will look largely the same in the future, but more people will be able to ‘see’ them. Improvements and awareness around accessibility, hygiene, technology and sustainability have allowed some pretty big leaps over the last 12 months – with XR doing an awful lot of advancing. I’m hoping these technologies with democratise the access to culture further, opening up arts and music to everyone around the world in a variety of contexts.
Thank you Andrew for your comment! Happy to hear that you are ready to go back to events and even more interesting to hear you’ll be a part in them as a musician!
Very new and exciting thoughts about technologies and how it will further be working with live events, this is useful for us to know and is definitely mind opening.
Great hearing from you!
Great insight. The organisers of medical conferences and congresses, like others, had to adapt quickly to the Covid situation. Their first attempts were rather ‘clunky’ and 2-dimensional however, 12 months later it’s a different experience. Going forward, ‘hybrid’ conferences will add a new dimension to these events making them accessible to delegates that would otherwise not be able to attend, which can only be a good thing. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and I look forward to working with the organisers of this new breed of events.
Hi Jon,
Thank you for reading our blog and sharing your experiences in the working world with events and covid-19. The hybrid event world has so much to offer and we also look forward to see how the event industry grows in the next few months to come.