Venuemasters, the academic venues member consortium, says it has been a successful year for its members, with highlights including its Academic Venue Showcase exhibition and its sponsorship of the Academic Venue Awards organised by Conference News.
Natalie Williamson, Venuemasters general manager, says TV shows are drawn to academic venues and this has raised their profile further.
BBC One’s antiques programme, Flog It, presented by Paul Martin, took over the University of Nottingham’s Trent Building in the spring for a weekend to film the flagship show. And, this month, the art deco Great Hall within the iconic People’s Palace at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) will host the inaugural 2017 Academic Venue Awards, 22 November.
The event will provide an opportunity to bring the UK’s top Academic Venues together with event buyers to network, share best practice, highlight progress and celebrate successes.
Commenting on the awards, Jennie Powell, QMUL’s head of events, says: “It’s important that academic venues showcase themselves to the widest possible audience to demystify stereotypes. As these are the first ever academic venue awards, we felt it was important to get them into our venue to show the investment QMUL has made and to shine a spotlight on what the space is capable of to buyers and competitors alike.”
For more information meeting and event spaces at academic venues visit; www.venuemasters.comOrganisers and booking agents are invited to apply to attend the AVAs at QMUL on the afternoon of 22 November. There is a small number of free places still available. Contact CN’s editor if you organise events and are interested in celebrating the best in class and networking with leading academic venues representatives: pcolston@mashmedia.net
