How can event design create a sense of community and belonging?

Some of the most successful events that I've attended and supported our clients to host have been events that have had a clear purpose. This has been communicated right from the start by releasing the event date. Another important element is making your attendees feel part of a community. Ensure that within this event there are plenty of opportunities for your attendees to network and build on that community aspect, it will pay dividends with responses and sign ups for future events.

In hosting hundreds of events, I've found that a shared interest can really bring people together. When everyone knows that everyone else has at least one thing in common, it creates an easy point of connection with new people. This became obvious to me in business networking events, but I've since taken it to music events too. Creating a theme and making sure everyone knows that "Hey, anyone here is also interested in this theme. You can feel safe going up to a stranger and starting a conversation based on that."

1. Design the event space in a way that encourages interaction and fosters connections among attendees. 2. Incorporate activities and experiences that promote participation and collaboration. This can include group discussions, team-building exercises, e.t.c 3. Provide structured networking sessions or facilitated introductions to help attendees connect with like-minded individuals. 4. Design the event to be inclusive and welcoming to all attendees. Consider factors such as accessibility, diverse representation in speakers or panelists, and creating a safe space where everyone feels valued and respected. 5. Leverage technology to create online communities before, during, and after the event.

The venue plays a role in community buy-in for your event. A well-loved space where attendees have had positive experiences impacts attendance and commitment whereas a space surrounded in controversy or strife may bring feelings of uncertainty. On the contrary, having uplifting events with social and emotional impact can influence and invest in the space thereby adding value and increasing belonging.

One of the essential parts of hosting a memorable event (for all the right reasons) is the venue you host our event in. Whether that is the virtual platform you use to host your event, or the physical event space. How your attendees feel, how easy is the space to navigate, what sense do they feel when they walk through the door, or enter the virtual space. These elements are extremely valuable for the success of your event. How do you envisage you want your attendees to feel? Make sure your event space can deliver that and more.

This is totally true. To follow up on this, I’ll ask a couple of questions. - Are corporate events hosted outside? Why are they not? - Why do both the largest concerts and sports games share the same types of venues (stadiums)? - Why are board meetings always hosted in similar types of environments? If you think about it, we know what the goals of our event are, and by using the correct kind of environment, we can take that event further.

Creating specific opportunities for interaction is key to creating a sense of community through live events. Getting the performer, speaker, or host to specifically invite people to interact with one another is usually the nudge that is needed. It seems like a simple thing, but people are often looking for an excuse to connect at events, but they are too anxious to do so. Setting that tone for the whole room can nudge people into that first interaction that then takes off from there.

Being intentional about diversity matters. In most of the events I host, we have a focus on a specific demographic or interest group. We make it clear, "This event is for them, but it is open to anyone." Focused, but inclusive. It sometimes can take extra effort to find diverse perspectives to put up on stage too. People that don't feel like the "default" for that kind of event often need invited personally to feel comfortable showing up. Then, as a host, it's important to make sure to introduce them to people while there and make them feel included.

One of the most essential parts and in many cases what people miss is the post event feedback process. This is your attendees final impression of the event. This is your opportunity to analyse what worked, what needs improvement and if people would return. It's so important not to skip this step!

Event design can foster community and belonging by creating inclusive spaces, encouraging networking and collaboration, incorporating community-driven content and activities, maintaining consistent branding, utilizing interactive technology, emphasizing diversity and inclusion, recognizing participant contributions, and facilitating ongoing engagement beyond the event.