In pictures: UK's AEV gets its members ‘fit for the future’ at its largest conference to date

Over 260 UK Association of Event Venues (AEV) members gathered for an AEV conference 17 November 2023 at the Queen Elizabeth II centre. The programme provided information, tips, and actions for the future of the industry and beyond. Shonali Devereaux, a presenter and senior university lecturer for events and tourism, welcomed guests and introduced Olympic gold medallist, Ben Hunt-Davis MBE, the event’s keynote speaker. The morning sessions addressed the fitness of the political landscape, and a panel discussion on the roadmap to net zero focussing on change dynamics was chaired by Anna Abdelnoor, isla. AEV’s strategic risk partner, CHC Global presented their threat intelligence update and was followed by a lively and insightful account on the success of bidding for and delivering the Eurovision Song Contest. The day also covered AI, the future of gathering, and events through the eyes of GenZ. Rachel Parker, director, AEV, said, “We are always well supported but even more so this year. Seeing the venue community coming together is always rewarding. It is encouraging to see so many peers participating and enjoying our carefully planned programme and the useful takeaways we are offering to get ‘fit for the future’.” The conference closed with the reveal of next year’s conference date and location, Thursday 14 November 2024 at ICC Birmingham, which will coincide with the event’s 20th birthday celebration. [su_image_carousel source=”media: 2051996,2051997,2051995,2051993,2051989,2051986,2051985,2051994″ limit=”20″ slides_style=”default;” controls_style=”light;” crop=”none” columns=”1″ adaptive=”no” spacing=”yes” align=”center” max_width=”1170″ “max_height_770″ captions=”no” arrows=”yes” dots=”no” link=”” target=”blank” autoplay=”2″ speed=”medium” image_size=”full” outline=”yes” class=“”]