The challenge for workplace events isn’t just about the numbers involved; it’s about engaging the audience by having something to say. This fundamental principle is being rigorously tested and explored through the creation of "Work Beyond Walls," a new two-day event scheduled to take place at Newcastle’s Boiler Shop on September 9th and 10th. The journey to its launch is being meticulously documented in "Work in Motion," a six-part documentary podcast commissioned by Gateshead workspace business Workpattern and presented by Ian Ellison. Episode two of the podcast, titled "Not Embarrassingly Empty," delves into the intricate dynamics of event planning, drawing parallels with established conferences and highlighting the unique hurdles faced by a nascent event in a less densely populated region.
Herb Kim, a veteran of the conference circuit, has been orchestrating the Thinking Digital conference at The Glasshouse in Gateshead since 2008. This event is so highly regarded that Terry McStea, a keen observer of the North East’s event landscape, identifies it as one of only two truly unmissable gatherings in the region. McStea’s sentiment underscores the potential void its cancellation would create: "If for whatever reason Thinking Digital was cancelled, it would leave a huge hole." Yet, Kim’s recollection of the inaugural year paints a far more precarious picture. He describes the first year as "on the knife edge between disaster and success," admitting, "Year one…it was badly undersold." His candid account of the initial aspirations and struggles for the first Thinking Digital conference provided the inspiration for the title of the second episode of "Work in Motion."
The Peril of Empty Seats: A Universal Challenge
Kim’s early experiences resonate with a common anxiety in event management: the struggle to attract attendees, even when the event is free, offers catering, and features a prominent speaker. "Even if your event is free and you have catering and you have, I don’t know, some big name coming, they’ll often still struggle to not even get the place full, but to get the place not embarrassingly empty," Kim observes. This stark reality, captured in the podcast episode, highlights the significant pressure on organizers to not only fill seats but to create an atmosphere that feels vibrant and successful, rather than sparse and underwhelming.
The "Work in Motion" podcast, commissioned by Workpattern, offers a unique behind-the-scenes look at the unfolding narrative of "Work Beyond Walls." Unlike traditional event coverage that focuses on post-event analysis, this documentary series captures the process as it happens, providing an unfiltered glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of event creation. When episode two was recorded, approximately five weeks prior to the event, registrations for "Work Beyond Walls" stood at a modest 51, a stark contrast to founder Paul Glaister’s ambitious target of 500 attendees.
Content is King: The North-South Divide in Event Appeal
Kim’s analysis extends beyond mere attendee numbers, pointing to a critical differentiator between major metropolitan hubs and regional centers. He contrasts the situation in London, where the sheer density of the population can sustain even "fairly mediocre events in terms of content," with the North East. "Down in London, because of the density, just the sheer density of people, that you can have some fairly mediocre events in terms of content, but they still get the footfall," he states. In contrast, he explains, "Two hundred and fifty miles north, the content does need to be good in order to give people a reason" to travel. The challenge, therefore, is twofold: a smaller potential audience pool and a significantly higher bar for content quality to justify the journey.
This elevated expectation places immense pressure on the speakers and content creators on stage. Industry professionals offer diverse perspectives on how to meet this demand. Katie Richardson, who has curated the official talks program at Clerkenwell Design Week for seven years, emphasizes the importance of engaging narratives over product showcases. While she still seeks out recognizable names, her focus is not on the direct promotion of their work. "I don’t want to get someone to stand up and say, here is my chair, this is how I made the chair," she explains. "I’d rather hear the backstory of a designer." Richardson believes that by selecting the right individuals and focusing on relevant themes, such as sustainability, the content naturally gains depth and relevance. "If you bring in a new designer, they’re gonna talk to you about how they’re weaving that into their work or developing their business."
Kim’s own experience with "Thinking Digital" reinforces this. He initially paid for keynote speakers in the first few years of his conference but later discontinued the practice. The feedback, he recalls, was that while the keynotes were good, "they didn’t make the event." Furthermore, the presence of high-profile speakers can create unsustainable expectations for a young event. "If you can get a big name," Kim advises, "make sure they can actually deliver the goods."
The Element of Surprise: Elevating the Event Experience
Darren Richardson, the creative director whose agency conceptualized the name "Work Beyond Walls," proposes a third key ingredient for success: the unexpected. He uses graphic designer turned public artist Morag Myerscough as an example of an unconventional yet impactful choice. "It’s like, why is Morag there?" he muses. "It’s finding the right people who’ve got interesting perspectives that can elevate it out of a simple expo that has a bit of furniture stuck in a room, that takes it to something that has an opinion on the world." This approach suggests that truly memorable events offer more than just a collection of exhibits; they provide a platform for insightful discourse and unique viewpoints that resonate with attendees on a deeper level.
Navigating the Partnership Paradox
Underlying these content-focused strategies is a fundamental structural challenge identified by Richardson: the "closed loop" of event funding and attendance. "It’s a bit of a closed loop, isn’t it? You have to show the brands that you’re gonna get your visitors," he states. This means that securing brand partnerships, a crucial revenue stream for many events, often depends on demonstrating a pre-existing audience or a clear path to attracting one.
Intriguingly, "Work Beyond Walls" appears to have approached this dynamic in reverse. As of the recording of the podcast episode, Paul Glaister had secured over 23 brand partners before achieving significant public registration numbers. This suggests that the business development aspect, which often takes years to mature, is already largely established. However, the seemingly simpler task of persuading people to attend a free event in their local region remains the bottleneck, with registrations stalled at 51.
Building a "Sticky" Event: The Clerkenwell Model and Beyond
Dave James, founder of Blokka studio, offers compelling evidence that the attendee engagement piece is winnable, even on a smaller scale. His initiative, ClerkenWales, launched four years ago in a converted chapel in Cardiff. It has since grown from supporting six or seven manufacturers to exhibiting 23, with a waiting list and, critically, tangible business generated from the event. Despite this success, James recalls an early lesson from an exhibitor that still resonates: "if you want 20 people to show up, you need to sell about 40 to 60 tickets." This highlights the persistent need to over-communicate and over-promote to achieve desired attendance figures.
The term that unites successful events like Clerkenwell, and which is a key aspiration for "Work Beyond Walls," is "sticky." This concept describes an event that transcends a mere transient experience, transforming into a space where attendees are inclined to settle in, engage, and linger. Will Easton, the very first person to register for "Work Beyond Walls" upon hearing about it, articulates a clear benchmark for success. "If it feels like I am going into an immersive exhibition at a gallery or a museum," he says, "then within seconds I’ll know it’s worked." Conversely, he views the presence of "a name badge on somebody’s branded polo shirt" as a sign of failure, suggesting a more corporate, less experiential atmosphere.
The Unrelenting Push: Sustaining Momentum Until the End
With five weeks remaining until "Work Beyond Walls" opens its doors, Terry McStea offers perhaps the most pragmatic, albeit unglamorous, advice to Paul Glaister. It’s a strategy that focuses on relentless promotion. "To not stop promoting it right until the day before. Don’t let up," McStea advises. His rationale is simple: "making it look so incredible that they’d be crazy to miss out." This underscores the enduring importance of consistent marketing efforts in driving attendance and building anticipation, regardless of the event’s perceived quality or its pre-existing partnerships.
The narrative of "Work Beyond Walls" and its journey towards achieving its attendance goals is an ongoing story, with further developments to be explored in subsequent episodes of the "Work in Motion" podcast. The success of this ambitious new event in Newcastle will ultimately hinge on its ability to translate strong brand backing into genuine public interest, a challenge that continues to define the landscape of event management.
Work in Motion from Workpattern, series one: The inside story of Work Beyond Walls is available now wherever you get your podcasts, written and presented by Ian Ellison and produced by Dave Crackles. Episode two, Not Embarrassingly Empty, also features Workplace Insight’s own Mark Eltringham. Work Beyond Walls takes place at the Boiler Shop in Newcastle on 9 and 10 September; registration is free at workbeyondwalls.uk.
Ian Ellison is one of the UK’s foremost commentators on workplace and facilities management issues.
