C&IT Festival of Forums logo
Article Published 28/04/2022
On the 26 - 29 July 2022, Glasgow's SEC will host its inaugural C&IT Festival of Forums, a four-day experience bringing creativity and ideas to shape the future of events.
C&IT's Editor, Calum Di Lieto provides an overview of the event and discusses what attendees can expect as well as the potential lasting impacts for Scotland.
Calum, can you tell us more about the C&IT Festival of Forums?
Attendees of the Festival of Forums experience all the great things they would expect from a normal C&IT Forum, plus so much more.
It's the first time that industry groups (agencies, corporates, associations) will have a chance to network and share content and experiences in a forum environment - meaning relationships can be formed outside of the normal silos.
Importantly, the format, content and experiences are going to embrace a more 'festival feel' - meaning more interactive content, more experiences, and more excitement.
Why did you choose Scotland as the host destination for the inaugural forum?
As with any of our Forums we need to work closely with a trusted convention bureau, a team that understands our ethos and is as passionate about delivering a high-end experience as we are, and VisitScotland Business Events definitely meets this brief.
But also, Glasgow as a destination is perfectly placed to attract not only our London-based audiences, but also those in the north who are often overlooked when it comes to industry events.
The SEC is the perfect campus for the type of event we are looking to deliver owing to its close-knit collection of venues and hotels and its proximity to the rest of the city.
Why did C&IT decide to festivalise the forums?
Since the pandemic there has been a greater understanding of what it means to deliver a live event, versus a digital on-demand content stream. Therefore, we want to heavily lean on creating a live experience that event planners won't want to miss by creating more experiences, more collaborative content and more networking opportunities. This can't be achieved on-screen. All of which equates to a festivalisation of our forums.
What are you hoping to achieve from this event? What are the outcomes and lasting impacts?
This is our inaugural Festival of Forums and we want to launch big. The ripple effect will result in what we hope to be an essential week, every year, in the MICE calendar.
Also, we want to leave a legacy in Glasgow and in Scotland, one that shows that on the back of COP26 and our large gathering of industry leaders and decision makers, the destination is top choice for MICE events with sustainability at their heart.
Registrations are open to attend as a buyer or industry! Apply here to attend as a buyer and if you would like to attend as an industry partner, please email Katherine Nelles or Theresa Ring.