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STOP SCROLLING 👏 START VOTING 👏 #DesignMyNight #DesignMyNightAwards

Denver Arts & Venues and City of Denver showed me incredible hospitality a few years back with some tickets to a show (The National!) and a sweet ride/tour in a Tie Dye bus to and from a great restaurant / bar (Illegal Petes - more on that!) so when they post various reports I give it a read and send a little love to their team. They all do amazing work. Red Rocks is an iconic venue, bucket list for most, 10,000 people in a sprawling venue carved into the top of a mountain. Their ushers resembled crossfit superstars. Denver Arts & Venues released an economic impact report on its most famous venue and no shock the economic output is unreal ($717 Million across multiple sectors) what is interesting though is where the venue reinvests in inititatives that reflect its community and into the community. That restaurant I mentioned in the first sentence - has a 'starving artist program' any band or musician rolling through town - for a simple instagram follow+photos they'll give your van & trailer a safe spot to park and feed you for the night. Red Rocks itself reinvests into itself in creative ways as well. A venue that regularly sells out jam bands, Americana artists and others that may not sell well in other markets reinvests in ways that reflect its audience & community. One quick example is in their own sorting and recycling depot. They spent $5.3 Million into their own facility to divert 85% of garbage from landfills and upcycle various products. For perspective on a local level Centre In The Square spent $4.3 Million on washroom renovations. Here's a link to the summary and full report for those interested in that kind of thing! https://lnkd.in/gRf8SdGx

🎶 "I am on the floor tonight, I feel like singing..." Last night, Dobie Gray's anthem reverberated through the packed Wolverhampton Civic Halls as Northern Soul Orchestrated wowed an ecstatic audience. With #BBCRadio6 Music’s Stuart Maconie hosting, the tour launches to ride the wave of its recent success at the #BBCProms. Northern Soul is more than just music; it's a vibrant culture of dance, fashion, and community. Those legendary nights at the #TwistedWheel, #BlackpoolMecca, and #WiganCasino were about coming together, united by a love for soul-stirring tracks—and last night encapsulated that spirit perfectly. But as we revel in the nostalgia, we also ponder a crucial question: Is Northern Soul merely reliving its golden days, or are we witnessing a vibrant regeneration? Here’s how the experience economy and cultural industry could help #KeepTheFaith and the Northern Soul movement alive and thriving? Why not embrace immersive experiences like Netflix's Bridgerton ball or Secret Cinema, Northern Soul events could transport attendees back to the iconic days of its most celebrated venues. Interactive narratives where attendees play roles within a meticulously recreated 1960s and '70s soul scene, coupled with workshops on dance, vinyl DJing, and fashion, can offer a full-sensory journey into the past. This not only blends education with entertainment but also connects participants to the movement's cultural impact more deeply. As Northern Soul continues to fuel passions and fill dance floors, these initiatives could ensure it not only survives but evolves with each spin of the turntable. What other ideas do you think could help propel Northern Soul into the future while respecting its rich heritage? #NorthernSoul #MusicCulture #ExperienceEconomy #CulturalRevival #InnovationInMusic #ImmersiveExperience #KeepTheFaith #WildThoughts #OutOnTheFloor #WiganCasino #Wild #MomentsThatMatter #ThoughtOfTheDay #EventIndustry #Activation #EventActivation

Check out our most recent blog post: The 9 benefits of retractable seating units and how they can transform your venue. https://lnkd.in/gsyQQdju

I attended the D&AD festival last week with TwentyFirstCenturyBrand and I initially came away a little nervous about the state of commercial creativity. Some of the judges shared that the creative was lacking this year. One judge noted ‘I rarely saw something that felt new and disruptive’, another talked about how contrived brand and artist collaborations had become. A few of the talks themselves were so shameless in their self/brand-promotion, I’m pretty sure A.I. had written them. Overall, it felt like the festival was not just a reflection of our uncertain times, but of our paralysing anxiety and fear of the uncertainty. I understand the feeling. I’m scared too. And I know it can be hard to go up on stage and offer a truly new perspective when all the balls are up in the air. The talks that stood out to me though were the ones that highlighted how to take advantage of moments like this. The people and brands who saw the swirl, conflict, and chaos as invitations to imagine something better. Like Lisa Smith from JKR and Leslie Sims from Impossible Foods, who repositioned plant based meat to ‘meat from plants’ and demonstrated how challenging dominant narratives in culture can unlock limitless innovation. Or Sinéad Burke from Tilting The Lens who questioned why ‘accessibility’ is even the end goal for brands attempting to be more inclusive. Why can’t products for people with disabilities function and deliver on craft, beauty, joy? Or the great Peter Saville who acknowledged the everlasting tension between commercial and creative, but urged us all to follow the brief, not the rules. We are undergoing a heightened amount of stress and trauma at the moment. These speakers (and many others) sought to remind us that we are all capable of creating awesome things in times of crisis. They instilled in me a renewed hope for the future of commercial and creative excellence, and I’m very excited to see where we go from here. #twentfirstcenturybrand #brandstrategy #creativeexcellence #marketing #commercialcreativity

Experience the revival. Watch our Outline Festival 2023 report video. After an eight-year hiatus, Outline made a triumphant return. The festival, now set in a sprawling 15-hectare venue along a riverbank, brought together the raw energy of urban culture and the serene embrace of nature. Picture an architectural complex of 1980s unfinished wellness buildings transformed into a haven for art and music. SILA SVETA, as one of the curators, oversaw an open call for avant-garde media artists. In 2023, 18 visionary creators unveiled their works, redefining spaces with projections on trees, 360-degree building illuminations, and more. The main stage is a mesmerizing blend of technology and deconstruction — five transparent LED screens forming dynamic holographic visuals. Discover the case on our website to dive deeper into the creative process: https://lnkd.in/eBMJ7Etf. Outline 2023 wasn’t just a festival; it was a statement. A blend of ecological sustainability and cutting-edge art that resonated deeply with over 120 artists and 7000 attendees. And this is just the beginning.

We have heard you, and have extended the deadline for nominations for this year's Creative Edinburgh Awards to 9am Tuesday 10 September. That means it's not too late to nominate yourself or someone else for one of ten Awards Categories! The Creative Edinburgh Awards aren't about size or grandeur, we want to hear about everything and everyone that deserves recognition from Edinburgh's creative community. This year we're introducing two NEW Awards - The Development Award Tracking career progress isn't always straightforward, especially for individual practitioners or those within small creative organisations. This Award recognises the remarkable journey of personal and professional development that often goes unnoticed. Whether you’ve taken bold steps to start a new project, changed career paths, or encountered significant barriers, we want to hear about your journey. Celebrating how you’ve embraced challenges, learned from failures, and ultimately achieved creative fulfilment. This award celebrates the resilience and persistence that fuels creative practitioners. The Festivals Award Edinburgh is home to globally famed festivals. As the city comes to life with cultural experiences, we want to acknowledge the teams and collaborations that make festivals possible. This Award celebrates festivals that showcase exceptional creativity, inclusivity, and community engagement. Open to festivals of all sizes and genres, whether working with huge resources, or a small team, your work deserves to be recognised. Want to find out more about how to nominate for the Awards? Reach out, we're happy to help! https://lnkd.in/eUmFm3xq

Who doesn't love festivals? Well, actually, quite a lot of people! But we certainly do, and what we enjoy even more is creating these vibrant spaces in which people can unite and celebrate. Here are some of our most iconic projects to date: 1. Brixton Roof Top: In collaboration with our partners, we transformed a multi-story car park in Brixton into a 1000-person capacity pop-up event space. During summer, it became Brixton Beach, a Miami-themed beach party haven. In winter, it morphed into the North Pole Saloon, an alpine forest refuge. Not bad for a concrete block in the city! 🌴❄️ 2. The Danish Quarter with Live Nation and Carlsberg: We designed, built, and delivered ‘The Danish Quarter’ for Carlsberg. This standout activation not only wowed festival-goers but also contributed to the community. The wood from this project was repurposed for local school projects and even a kids' treehouse at a local nursery! 🍻 3. The Pepsi Tower: Now in its fourth year, this iconic stage has been a staple at Wireless Festival, Leeds Festival, and Reading Festival. This epic structure is built with sustainability in mind, reusing materials each year. Keep an eye out for it at Summer 2024 festivals! 🌟 4. Bulmers Colourena - 13,000 people partied within the awesome Bulmers Colourena activation! 🌈 At Better Green Productions, we're passionate about creating memorable, sustainable event environments. Let's build better together! 🌱 #PepsiTower #SustainableEvents #FestivalStage #BrixtonRooftop #PopUpEvents #UrbanTransformation #DanishQuarter #Carlsberg #CommunityImpact #BetterGreenProductions #FestivalEnvironments #Sustainability

It's that time again/// We are returning to Hillel Plaza, Flatbush Junction with DANCING ON THE PLAZA 2024 to drop the beats of drumming and dance. Titled UNBROKEN this year’s focus offers an immersive experience on Caribbean Masquerade! The B41 Bus Stop format, introduced in 2023 as a pre-event installation, has proven to be a resounding success. We incorporated residents into the event and It resonated with the community’s heartbeat producing spontaneous engagement moments within the neighborhood. This immersive approach ensures that DANCING ON THE PLAZA is a communal experience, that fosters a sense of relevance and belonging among the attendees. As the primary producer of this community engagement, I want you to share two important points. 1. This event is a collaboration with the Flatbush Junction Nostrand Business Improvement District (BID) 2. Our mission with this initiative is to enhance cultural arts competency, emphasizing its function and benefits to the community. Community well-being is critical. Designed for connecting people, DANCING ON THE PLAZA enables engagement that harnesses and integrates cultural arts in various contexts. From the depth of our stories to the curiosity of people who desire to learn new things, cultural practices are powerful anecdotes. My goal as the producer is to raise awareness of existing community resources and assets that respond to a much broader spectrum of needs that cultural arts help address. By participating in this initiative, we are contributing to a landscape that embraces diversity and inclusion, ultimately making a significant impact on community well-being. #artsandculture #communityengagement #diversityequityinclusion #culturalarts #caribbeanamericans #sponsor #partnershipsmatter #nichemarketing

Festival Fusion: Marketing with Meaning As marketers, we're always seeking authentic ways to connect with our audience. One powerful avenue? Embracing cultural celebrations like Holi and Easter. Festivals are more than just dates on a calendar—they're moments of unity, joy, and reflection. By weaving these themes into our marketing campaigns, we can foster meaningful connections with our audience. For example, during Holi, a festival of colors and togetherness, we can highlight the beauty of diversity and inclusivity in our brand messaging. Similarly, Easter offers opportunities to celebrate themes of renewal, growth, and family bonding. However, it's essential to approach festival-themed marketing with cultural sensitivity and respect. Avoid appropriating traditions and instead focus on genuine storytelling that resonates with your audience's values. Let's embrace the spirit of celebration and connection this season, using festivals as a catalyst for meaningful engagement and brand building. What's your take on incorporating cultural celebrations into marketing? Share your thoughts below! #Marketing #Diversity #Inclusion #CulturalSensitivity #BrandBuilding #Holi #Easter #festivals