EVENT CONTRACTOR

Contractors in Event Management

An organisation can hire an independent contractor to plan, organise and
manage the whole of an event, or just some particular aspects of the event.
For example, the organisation can hire an individual or business to carry out
the event promotion, or install and manage sound systems or provide
catering. Indeed, an organisation can hire a specialist event manager who
may then subcontract work to other individuals or businesses, or work only
with the organisations volunteers to provide leadership, training and
troubleshooting.
Advantages of using a contractor
The main advantage of hiring contractors is the expertise they bring.
Organisation committees may feel that a particular event requires expertise
and/or assets that the organisation does not have. The contractor may also
have access to important contacts that can assist in procuring sponsorship
and funding, vehicles and equipment, promotional services or other important
event components.
Event coordinators control an event from conception to clean up. They meet
with clients to work out event details, plan with the client and their team, scout
and book locations, food, entertainment, staff and cleanup. Event coordinators
make sure the shrimp cocktail stays cold and the hired band stays hot. They
create budgets and stick to them, as well as organize transportation, hire and
wrangle keynote speakers or celebrities, hire A/V teams and equipment, and
generally make sure the event runs smoothly, efficiently and handle any crisis
that may come up.

EXHIBITION DESIGN
Exhibit design (or exhibition design[1]) is the process of developing an
exhibitfrom a concept through to a physical, three-dimensional exhibition. It
is a continually evolving field, drawing on innovative, creative and practical

solutions to the challenge of developing communicative environments that tell

a story in a three-dimensional space.[2]
Exhibit designers (or exhibition designers) use a wide range of technologies
and techniques to develop experiences that will resonate with diverse
audiencesenabling these targeted audiences to access the messages,
stories and objects of an exhibit. There are many different types of exhibit,
ranging from museum exhibitions, to retail and trades show spaces, to
themed attractions, zoos and visitor centers. All types of exhibits aim to
communicate a message through engaging their audiences in meaningful and
compelling interactions.
Exhibit design is a collaborative process, integrating the disciplines
of architecture,

landscape

architecture,

graphic

design,

audiovisual

engineering, digital media, lighting, interior design and content development to

develop an audience experience that interprets information, involves and
engages a user and influences their understanding of a subject. [3] Throughout
the planning and design process, exhibit designers work closely with graphic
designers, content specialists, architects, fabricators, technical specialists,
audiovisual experts, and, in the case of museums and other mission-based
institutions, stakeholders like community members, government agencies and
other partner organizations.
An Exhibition Designer is a professional who creates fixtures and display
stands for events such as large public exhibitions, conferences, trade
shows and temporary displays for business, museums, libraries and galleries.
An exhibition designer's work can include:

Presenting their ideas as sketches, scale plans, computer-generated

visuals and models

Discussing their ideas with clients

Producing final specifications

In smaller companies, overseeing the construction of the components

(usually in workshops) and assembly and installation at the exhibition
venue

Handling orders for supplies

Liaising with technical specialists such as lighting staff

Understanding and interpreting the correct materials and costs involved

in constructing the design

Creating large format artwork for backdrops and stand components

Designing vector based artwork for portable displays such as popup

stands

Exhibition designers are responsible for the design and layout of shows and
exhibitions. These include:

Major public exhibitions like the Ideal Home Show and Chelsea Flower
Show

Trade and industry exhibitions

Air shows and other outdoor events

Conferences

Displays and exhibitions for museums, galleries and local businesses.

Designers need to be aware of the way people move through an exhibition,

and how they view the stands and displays. They need to communicate their
client's concepts and image to visitors as they pass through the exhibition.
An exhibition designer initially works with the client to discuss and clarify the
brief. This covers the themes, ideas or products to be promoted at the show
or exhibition. The designer and client also discuss the budget and timescale
for the work.
Designers then produce plans and prototypes to show the client. This
generally involves the use of computer-aided design (CAD), although
drawings and scale models may also be used.
After the client has approved the designer's proposals, the stands are usually
built in sections in a workshop, ready for transportation to the exhibition or
show. Exhibition designers may have to go to the exhibition or show before it
opens to supervise the installation of stands and displays on site.

Communicating and working with lighting experts and other specialist

designers before an exhibition or show, or on site, is sometimes part of the job
- especially on a major project.
Some exhibition designers work alone, handling all aspects of a project.
Others work as part of a design team.
The work can involve considerable financial responsibility - drawing up
accurate quotations for clients, and keeping projects within budget.

Skills and personal qualities

An exhibition designer should:

Be imaginative and creative

Have technical drawing skills

Have an eye for shape and colour

Be able to think in three dimensions

Have good communication skills

Be able to use computer-based design programs

Keep up to date with current design trends

Be positive and clear in promoting and explaining ideas

Work well under pressure, sometimes to very tight deadlines

Know about business and accounting procedures

Be aware of relevant health and safety issues.

Interests
It is important to:

Have a keen interest in art and design

Be interested in using computers, and keeping up to date as new

software becomes available.

Getting in
The increasing number of corporate events, along with the growth in the
heritage industry, has created a strong demand for exhibition designers.

The main employers are specialist exhibition design practices. The largest of
these employ several hundred designers; others are small practices with a
handful of staff. There are some jobs with the in-house design teams of large
organisations, such as museums. Some retailers, particularly those with large
displays of furniture and household goods, employ exhibition designers. There
are also opportunities with interior design practices, which sometimes have
exhibition design departments.

Self-employment is possible, but it is usual to gain experience with an

established practice first.

Entry for young people

The main way into this work is by taking a relevant honours degree. There are
a few degree courses in exhibition design. Other relevant degree subjects
include interior design, interior architecture, three-dimensional design and
spatial design.
Applicants for degree courses need a portfolio of design work, plus at least
two A levels/three H grades and five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), or equivalent
qualifications. Most students complete a year's general foundation course in
art and design before starting their degree course, to help develop their

portfolio. This may not be necessary for applicants with a vocational

qualification in art and design.
It is also possible to get into exhibition design by taking a Foundation degree
or BTEC/SQA Higher National Diploma (HND) in a relevant subject. For HND
courses, applicants need one A level/H grade and four GCSEs/S grades (AC/1-3), or equivalent qualifications. The requirements for Foundation degrees
vary - check with individual colleges. Students with HNDs or Foundation
degrees may be able to progress to the final year of a degree course.
British Display Society (BDS) qualifications in visual promotion, including an
Advanced Diploma in Exhibition Design, are offered at a small number of
colleges. Currently, East Berkshire College, Hugh Baird College of
Technology, Mathew Boulton College of Further and Higher Education and
West Herts College are running courses for BDS awards. Check entry
requirements with colleges.
There are also postgraduate courses in three-dimensional design which could
provide a route in for people with degrees in graphic design or other design
disciplines.

An alternative route can be to join an exhibition design practice at a junior

level, doing practical work such as stand building and model making, and to
progress - possibly taking a formal qualification later on.

Entry for adults

Mature students are usually welcome on design courses. They may not need
any formal qualifications if they have a good portfolio of work. Art and design
Access courses are offered at a number of institutions.

Some people enter exhibition design after gaining experience in another type
of design work.

EVENT MANAGEMENT
The event manager is the person who plans and executes the event, taking
responsibility for the creative, technical and logistical elements. This includes
overall event design, brand building, marketing and communication
strategy, audio-visual production,

scriptwriting,

logistics,

budgeting,

negotiation and client service.

EVENT ORGANIZER
Event organizers are responsible for the production of events from conception
through to completion. Events can include:

Exhibitions and fairs;

Festivals;

Conferences;

Promotions and product launches;

Fundraising and social events.

They work in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors and can work for
event management companies, in-house for an organisation or freelance.
The role of event organizer is hands-on and often involves working as part of
a team. Event organizers must be able to complete a wide range of activities
requiring clear communication, excellent organisational skills and attention to
detail. They must work well under pressure, ensuring the smooth and efficient
running of an event.

Typical work activities

The role of event organizer varies depending on the organisation and type of
event involved. Activities often include:

researching markets to identify opportunities for events;

Liaising with clients to ascertain their precise event requirements;

Producing detailed proposals for events (e.g. Timelines, venues,

suppliers, legal obligations, staffing and budgets);

Agreeing to and managing a budget;

Securing and booking a suitable venue or location;

Ensuring insurance, legal, health and safety obligations are adhered to;

Coordinating

venue

management,

caterers,

stand

designers,

contractors and equipment hire;

Organising facilities for car parking, traffic control, security, first aid,
hospitality and the media;

Identifying and securing speakers or special guests;

Planning room layouts and the entertainment programme, scheduling

workshops and demonstrations;

Coordinating staffing requirements and staff briefings;

Selling

sponsorship/stand/exhibition

space

to

potential

exhibitors/partners;

Preparing delegate packs and papers;

Liaising with marketing and pr colleagues to promote the event;

Liaising with clients and designers to create a brand for the event and
organising the production of tickets, posters, catalogues and sales
brochures;

Coordinating suppliers, handling client queries and troubleshooting on

the day of the event to ensure that all runs smoothly;

Overseeing the dismantling and removal of the event and clearing the
venue efficiently;

Post-event evaluation (including data entry and analysis and producing

reports for event stakeholders).

Event organizers are the people that plan and organise events of various
kinds, from industry exhibitions, academic conferences, business seminars
and careers fairs, to product launches, gigs, film festivals, fashion shows and
charity fundraising events.
Primarily employed by events management companies, event organizers tend
to work with a range of clients across the public sector, private sector and
third sector. However, some event organizers may work in-house for large
multinational corporations, while others work on a freelance basis.
If you enter this profession, youre likely to take on a vast range of
responsibilities to make sure that the events you organise are the best they
can possibly be. Your aim will be to organise everything in the most efficient
and cost-effective way, while still ensuring that the event has the necessary
wow factor.
Firstly, youll be liaising with your client to understand their wants, needs and
special requests for the event. Following this consultation period, youll be
conceptualising, planning and organising events from start to finish in
accordance with your clients requirements.
To make sure everything runs smoothly, youll be selecting venues, preparing
them for the event and setting everything up. Furthermore, youll be managing
staff and hiring volunteers, as well as coordinating various suppliers to provide
the event with all the necessary bits and pieces, such as security, lighting,
displays, sound equipment, stages, parking, toilets, food and drink.
Youll be in charge of designing the layout and schedule of the event,
commissioning companies to produce event guides, tickets and pamphlets
and carrying out marketing activities to promote the event with the help of PR
professionals and marketing executives.
The budget for the event will also be your responsibility and youll be the goto guy or girl if any problems or complications happen on the day. When
youre not actively working on projects, you may also be tasked with carrying
out market research, identifying business opportunities and making
presentations to clients in order to win new contracts.

What are the key roles of an event organizer?

Event organizers are in charge of all parts of an event. They co-ordinate all
aspects, from the beginning right through to the end, overseeing all the details
and ensuring everything gets completed on time and on budget. While there
is a great variety between the different types of events and the different tasks
an event organizer will need to do, there are some parts which are almost
always the same. Take a look at our overview to find out the key roles of an
event organizer.

Getting the prep work in place

An event organizer cant start to run an event, without getting all of the
groundwork set. So, what are the main things they need to do:

Planning: Meeting with the client and getting a firm idea of their
requirements from the event.

Researching: Identifying all the potential opportunities for an event,

including location, catering and equipment. Then, from this research,
producing detailed proposals for the event

Budgeting: Agreeing with the client an appropriate budget and ensuring

that this is effectively managed. Check out our tips to increase your
event budget.

Putting the plan into action

This part of the role of an event organizer is all about turning the initial
conversations and making the event happen for the client. It is where they
take the brief and turn it onto an event.

Health & Safety: Making sure that all legal responsibilities and health
and safety considerations are adhered to by all members of the team

Booking: Ensuring that a suitable location is secured for the event and
that all the key speakers and special guests are available to attend

Scheduling:

Putting

together

programme

of

workshops,

demonstrations or entertainment for the event

Organising: Getting all the right people together at the right time and
taking overall responsibility for what needs to happen

Liaising: Keeping everyone involved with the event informed and up-todate with all the latest developments. This includes everyone from the
clients and the marketers promoting the event right through to the
designers making the tickets for the events

Tidying up and taking stock at the end

Even after the event is over, the role of an event organizer still goes on.

Cleaning-up: Taking everything apart once the event is over and

organising the clean-up

Evaluation: Look back over the event and see what went well and what
can be improved.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
What is Project Management?
More specifically, what is a project? Its a temporary group activity designed to
produce a unique product, service or result.
A project is temporary in that it has a defined beginning and end in time, and
therefore defined scope and resources.

And a project is unique in that it is not a routine operation, but a specific set
of operations designed to accomplish a singular goal. So a project team often
includes people who dont usually work together sometimes from different
organizations and across multiple geographies.
The development of software for an improved business process, the
construction of a building or bridge, the relief effort after a natural disaster, the
expansion of sales into a new geographic market all are projects.
And all must be expertly managed to deliver the on-time, on-budget results,
learning and integration that organizations need.

Project management, then, is the application of knowledge, skills and

techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently. Its a strategic
competency for organizations, enabling them to tie project results to business
goals and thus, better compete in their markets.
Project management processes fall into five groups:

Initiating

Planning

Executing

Monitoring and Controlling

Closing

WHAT DO PROJECT MANAGERS DO?

Project managers are the people in charge of a specific project or projects
within a company. As the project manager, your job is to plan, budget, oversee
and document all aspects of the specific project you are working on. Project
managers may work closely with upper management to make sure that the
scope and direction of each project is on schedule, as well as other

departments for support. Project managers might work by themselves, or be

in charge of a team to get the job done.
JOB SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

Leadership Skills: You will have to keep your employees motivated,

resolve conflicts and make hard decisions for your employees.

Time Management: You will be working with employees, customers and

management, often spinning multiple plates at once.

Math and Budgeting: Project managers are expected to keep and

maintain a budget in almost every field. You will need to be confident in
using math skills to make sure you know where your company's money is
going.

Analytical Skills: You will also need analytical skills to be able to solve
problems that may come up during a typical work day. You will be
analyzing data and making decisions that affect the project on a regular
basis.

QUALITY CHECKING
Quality control specialists ensure that products manufactured by their
employer meet certain quality standards and are safe to sell.
EVENT QUALITY ASSURANCE
Performing arts organizations, bands, event producers and promoters should
have a Quality Assurance Plan. This plan is intended to provide an umbrella
for continous improvement for improving quality of all processes in all
departments. Continous process improvement reduces waste and eliminates
event activities that do not add value. This allows your people and the
processes to operate at increased levels of efficiency and effectiveness.
A quality management plan should contain a process improvement plan,
quality metrics, performance information, auditing and technical performance
measures, project deliverable status, schedule progress and costs incurred as
well as quality control measurements.

Event Quality Assurance is a process where an event which being produced

has had the plan certified as safe and complying with all standards and
regulations, and also allows for all decisions to be made including how you go
about booking talent, scheduling the show times, programming talent and
speakers.
Event Quality Assurance goals will meet or exceed the requirements of the
governing laws of your City, County, Province/Territory and Federal
Regulations.
Stage Managers, Production Managers and Technical Directors need a
Quality Assurance Plan to make sure they have competent staff to run the
show.
In summary an event system of quality assurance for the events industry
should ensure that:

Events are designed and developed in a way that takes into account all

pertinent health and safety rules and regulations

Event Managerial responsibilities are clearly specified
Equipment, systems and procedures are adequate
Production and Control Operations are clearly specified
The written and approved plan, and event is executed on target
There is a procedure for self inspection and quality audit that regularly
appraises the effectiveness and applicability of the quality assurance

system
You hire the right performers, book the right venue