Student events go digital

Innovation was demanded of Second Year BA(Hons) Creative Events Management students when presenting projects for their Live Digital Event module in December.

The traditional obstacles around creating and delivering a live event would have to be overcome, with students also tasked with adapting their projects to the challenges of a global pandemic. However, Lucy Ford, who helped deliver the VIP (Very Inconvenient Pandemic) event, believes that delivering a live event digitally has improved her skillset.

The current pandemic has shown us that we can connect people from all over the globe. Operating digitally allows people from all around the world to attend events from the comfort of their own home. Attendees don't have to waste time and money travelling to events, and it's also better for the environment."

Lucy's event brought students together for a night of live music, gave a platform for three aspiring artists to showcase their talents and donated all of its proceeds to Young People Cornwall. The process demanded a lot from her team.

"Having to hold most of our team meetings over Zoom has definitely made me recognise how important it is to keep a team organised. Planning VIP really developed my organisation and communication skills. I've also learnt how important it is to be adaptable as an event manager – I never would've thought that I'd have to plan an event in a global pandemic!"

Attendances to digitally produced live events have soared during the pandemic. Planning projects virtually will help equip students with the skills they need once they've graduated. Given the scope and quality of the events produced, course leader Matt Kirby was full of praise for his students.

"It was fantastic to see our second-year students' ingenuity and planning finally 'going live'. They should be very proud of their events; from a virtual Christmas Festival to two evenings showcasing Falmouth music, these students have shown great resilience during a challenging time. They've been able to realise their ambitious event visions, maintained their composure under pressure and certainly built a bridge or two with the Cornish community."

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