Sydney's Event Showcase - Promises A Sensory Special Event

With less than three weeks until opening, the team behind Sydney's Event Showcase 2012 released numerous new show features today, as they ramp up their strategy to engage event buyers to the show floor.


Event Director Rowan Marchingo has tapped into his event production expertise to design and deliver an exhibition experience that will stimulate the five senses.  


"Sydney's Event Showcase 2012 will become what it promotes, a special event that delivers serious business returns for all involved. 


"We've ramped up the on-the-show floor experiences this year to showcase the best ideas and inspiration for those who manage, buy and deliver events of all shapes and sizes. 


"This year's Showcase will be an exhibition like no other," said Mr Marchingo. 
Visitor's taste buds will take delight in the brand new feature - Interactive Kitchen - where team building gurus Cheeky Food Group, Taste Food Tours and many others will lead a communal cooking class, whilst the best caterers in town will share samples of their food creations via the roving Bite Tastings. 


Visitors will be encouraged to touch and feel all the new products at the 180 exhibitor stands, and get up close and personal with industry influencers at the Party After Dark - the networking night of nights, this year to be held at Cargo Bar. For the first time ever, visitors will be able to purchase tickets to attend the event industry networking event of the year. 


The Entertainment Showcase has completely transformed the corporate entertainment on show at the exhibition. With famous Australian headliners on the bill, visitors will hear and see the ultimate in event entertainment. Additional entertainers will be also roving the isles adding an element of surprise to the Showcase. 


An interactive and informative smart phone app will be available for exhibitors and visitors to the show. Provided by ShowGizmo, it will include the full details of all the exhibitors on board, and calendarise all events occurring at the show. 


Visitors will hear from international keynote speakers Andrea Michaels and Corbin Ball at the all new, exciting program: Australia's Event Master Class Seminars, which will bring a whole host of domestic and international industry leaders together for the first time. 


Central - the heartbeat of the Showcase is still 'the place to be'. Keynote speakers from Australia's Event Master Class Seminars will congregate here to talk one-on-one with those wanting more insights into their knowledge and skills. 


A full schedule of events is available at the website
Registration is free; however it is strongly advised to register online before the Expo to avoid the queues at the door.
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See the Events Connect site for additonal Info

Sydney To Get Its Own Contemporary Art Fair

These vast supermarkets for selling art are ever more popular: the past two months alone have seen the inaugural New York edition of the London-based Frieze in May; Art HK in Hong Kong just two weeks later; and Art Basel in Switzerland, the grandest modern and contemporary fair of them all, earlier this month. Galleries that took part in all three describe the gruelling sequence as a “marathon”.

For galleries wanting to tap into the growing Australian market, the marathon is about to get even longer. The first edition of the biennial Sydney Contemporary will take place next year, from April 12-14. It will start modestly, according to British founder Tim Etchells, who runs an event management company in Australia. He expects about 70 galleries, mostly from Australia and New Zealand, with a sprinkling of international ones from countries such as Indonesia and Singapore.

“We’d like to get some of the high-end galleries in Sydney like Roslyn Oxley [whose programme focuses on artists from the Asia-Pacific region] and Anna Schwartz [who represents British artists Antony Gormley and Yinka Shonibare, among others] – so far we’ve had a pretty positive response,” says Etchells.

But the goal is to develop the event to attract more international galleries and collectors within a few years. “We’ll try and make it really fun with lots of ancillary programming,” says Etchells. He adds that interest in contemporary art is growing in the city.

“The opening of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s new wing in March was a huge event, and the Art Gallery of New South Wales [which opened new galleries last year to show the contemporary collection of textile magnate John Kaldor] is very successful.”

Etchells has form when it comes to launching art fairs in new markets, with his biggest success to date being in Hong Kong. In 2007 he started Art HK after a chance meeting with an art dealer friend in Sydney. Four years later he sold a 60 per cent stake in the fair to Messe Schweiz, the Swiss company that runs Art Basel and its sister fair in Miami Beach. Messe Schweiz’s annual report for 2011 reveals that the price paid to Etchell and his partners was CHF6.6m.

Sydney's Mega-Events Migrating to Sydney Olympic Park

With the upcoming closure of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre (SCEC), many of Sydney’s larger events have already announced their re-location to Sydney Olympic Park.

This week two major events, the 2014 and 2016 Sydney-based Australian International Motor Show and the 2014 Rotary International Convention have releases statements about the relocation.

Yesterday (18 June) Minister for Tourism and Major Events, George Souris, announced that Rotary International has confirmed its 2014 Rotary International Convention event will remain in Sydney, and will re-locate to Sydney Olympic Park.

After winning the initial bid in 2006, Sydney was required to resubmit an extensive proposal showcasing Sydney Olympic Park as the host venue, due to the closure of SCEC from the end of this year for an extensive three- year expansion and redevelopment of the Sydney International Convention and Exhibition Precinct (SICEEP).

The 2014 Rotary International Convention will be held in June and is expected to attract up to 18,000 delegates who will spend 72,000 delegate days in Sydney and deliver an economic impact of $60.5 million to the state.

“This is a great example of NSW’s flexibility and agility when it comes to hosting world-class events. Government and the private sector have rallied together to make sure that the promised Rotary 2014 event will be delivered seamlessly, despite the required venue change,” said Souris.

“This is a spectacular result for our visitor economy, with the event delivering an estimated economic impact of $60.5 million. It is also a strong demonstration that Sydney is well and truly open for business – even during the SICEEP development period.”

Business Events Sydney’s (BESydney) CEO Lyn Lewis-Smith said, “We are thrilled to hear that the international Rotary delegation will still be coming to Sydney in 2014. Such a mega-event is an amazing opportunity to demonstrate the skill and adaptability of our industry.”

“BESydney worked hand in hand with the NSW Government and Sydney Olympic Park Authority on venue options. We showcased the flexibility, diversity and passion that ‘Team Sydney’ had to offer the Rotary event in 2014. This has delivered a fantastic outcome for Sydney, NSW and Australia’s global reputation,” she added.

The 2012 Australian International Motor Show in October will remain at SCEC.

“Whilst the SCEC has been our home for twenty three shows, we are very much looking forward to the opportunities presented to us and exhibitors alike at Sydney Showground,” said Australian International Motor Show, event director, Russ Tyrie.

“The Sydney Olympic Park venue will enable the Motor Show to grow and become a more diverse event, with the expansive outdoor areas giving exhibitors more room and the chance to host both on and off stand activities – the possibilities are practically endless.”

“SCEC has been a wonderful venue for Motor Shows in Sydney over the years, hosting hundreds of model reveals with almost five million visitors streaming through its doors to see the best that the Australian automotive industry has to offer,” said Tyrie.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how the plans shape up for its redevelopment; but rest assured, the 2012 Australian International Motor Show at SCEC promises to be a fantastic send-off to a great venue.”

Sydney Secures More International Conferences

Business Events Sydney has kicked off the new financial year with the announcement that three major conferences have been confirmed for Sydney in 2012.

The conferences are predicted to bring in almost $4M to the local economy.

The following is an overview of each event.

Robotics Science and Systems (RSS)

Date: 2012
Delegates: 400 over 5 days
Estimated value: $1.7 million

RSS brings together researchers working on algorithmic or mathematical foundations of robotics, robotics applications, and the analysis of robotic systems. These conferences have consistently provided high-quality, topically focused forums for researchers at the forefront of robotic development. 2012 will be the first time the conference is held in the Asia Pacific Region. Previous conferences have been held in USA, Spain and Switzerland.

Business Events Sydney (BESydney) met with the client in October 2010 as they had a long involvement with the conference.

A demonstration of support from industry and government was a specific requirement for the bid submission, which was presented at the conference in June 2011.

In early July 2011 it was decided by the RSS advisory board that Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) would host the 2012 Conference.

BESydney will assist with local arrangements. The University of Sydney is the proposed venue for the 2012 conference.

International Symposium on Mobile Mapping Technology (MMT) 2012

Date: 2015
Delegates: 400 over 4 days
Estimated value: $1.3 million

The event focuses on Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. This is the art, science, and technology of obtaining reliable information from noncontact imaging and other sensor systems about the Earth and its environment, and other physical objects and processes.

This opportunity was identified by Business Events Sydney (BESydney) Ambassador, Paul Harcombe. BESydney presented the bid at the 2011 conference in Poland. The bid document and presentation included information on the University of New South Wales (UNSW) as a venue and destination information about Sydney and Australia. The committee decided against Sydney for 2013, but selected the destination for the 2015 event. This is the first time that the committee has decided on the destination of two consecutive MMT Symposiums at the same time.

The recent success of the Sydney XXIV International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Congress in 2010 was a huge selling point for the committee, as FIG is a major sponsor of MMT. The event also links nicely into Australia's strengths in the spatial sciences field.

The client will host the event at UNSW and the university will provide management support. They will not tender for a PCO.

15th International Conference on Advances in Materials and Processing Technologies (AMPT)

Date: 2012
Delegates: 300 over 4 days
Estimated value: $954,000

The Advances in Materials and Processing Technologies (AMPT) conference series was founded in 1993 in Ireland. Held annually, the conference provides a chance for academics, researchers, and engineers to meet and exchange innovative ideas and information on all aspects of materials, material processing technologies, manufacturing and computer aided engineering and nanotechnologies. 2012 will be the first time that this event is held in Australia.

Business Events Sydney (BESydney) identified this lead in April 2007 and, with the help of the UK/Europe office, in 2009 approached the International Steering Committee for further information.

In May 2011, Sydney's bid to host AMPT 2012 was submitted to the International Steering Committee. The submission included a draft budget by a Gold Stakeholder PCO, and proposed University of Wollongong as the conference venue.

In June 2011, the International Steering Committee voted and announced that Sydney will host the 2012 conference. Competing countries included Poland, Tunisia, Egypt and United Arab Emirates.

Promotion of AMPT 2012 will begin in July at the 2011 conference in Istanbul. The PCO selection process will commence after this year's event.

National Medicines Policy Conference 2012

Date: 2012
Delegates: 300 over 4 days
Estimated value: $579,600

This event was first held in Sydney in 1995 and will return in 2012. The conference will be co-hosted by the World Health Organisation, in particular through two of its regional offices, Western Pacific and South East Asia.

In March 2011, the client contacted Business Events Sydney (BESydney) for venue information. Gold Coast and Brisbane were also being considered as possible host destinations for 2012.

BESydney submitted Sydney's proposal to host the event in early April 2011, and was selected as the destination for 2012.