The ABPCO Festival of Learning
Connect, Collaborate and Challenge
Bringing the association events community together to promote & encourage excellence, share, learn & collaborate
The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers, (ABPCO) is the UK’s leading professional body for association conference & not-for-profit event organisation. We are excited to announce that the Festival of Learning event will be taking place in person on Tuesday 29 April 2025 at the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham, with a networking supper and event innovation hub the evening prior. Connecting Event Professionals - The Festival of Learning will be attended by over 100 leading PCOs in the UK and a range of industry partners.
Please see the schedule tab for the full action-packed programme
Monday 28th April
Kicking off from 6.30-7pm the ABPCO First-Timers Pre-meet welcomes newcomers. From 7pm onwards, the evening unfolds at The Eastside Rooms, where a Networking Supper and Event Innovation Hub will take place. This session blends networking with an exploration of innovative ideas, bringing participants together to share insights and foster new collaborations. Additional details are available on the event's main page.
Tuesday, 29th April
The second day of the event begins at 9.30am. We kick off with a significant Panel discussion on the 'State of the Industry', chaired by Suzanne Singleton and featuring experts such as Paul Black (Visit Britain), Robert Wright (Davies Tanner), Sandra Eyre (MIA), and Rick Stainton (The Power of Events). This panel will explore current trends and challenges in the events industry.
Following this will be Robert Dunsmore's “Out of the Box” Creative Thinking Session, designed to encourage attendees to think creatively and embrace rapid idea generation for business growth. This interactive session will highlight the importance of innovative thinking for personal and professional development.
Then a panel: Tackling the Talent Crisis. This discussion will address recruitment and retention strategies for the events and hospitality industry, with input from experts such as Pauline Beattie, Candice Kass, Gemma Savage, and Sarah Millington.
The first of our PCO-led quick-fire sessions providing practical insights into specific topics will include:
ISO 20121 Sustainable Event Management (Jessica Penney & David Murray from BSI)
Transforming the Exhibition Floor into a Sponsorship Powerhouse (Zackary Puttock)
Building Our Sustainable Society (BOSS) Programme: Fostering Inclusive Collaboration (Nicole Leida)
After Lunch and Networkingthere will be a short Energiser closely follwoed by a Beyond Compliance: Transforming Events Through Inclusion and Wellbeing panel which will explore ways to embed inclusion and wellbeing into event planning, with speakers like Gabby Austin-Browne, Helen Moon, and Kaylie Hodges.
Our next PCO-led quick-fire sessions will cover:
Circular Economy and Sustainability (Judith Dix & Charlotte Homa)
Meeting Needs (Caroline Windsor)
The Essential Role of Teams in Event Legacy Success (Caroline Mackenzie)
Lessons from the BMFMS 2024 Conference on Professional Growth and Community Engagement (Alice Paines)
Finally, Nick Elston's keynote, How To Forge Ahead: A Lived Experience Mental Health Playbook. This impactful session will share strategies for overcoming mental health struggles, navigating imposter syndrome, and thriving in professional settings. Nick will share real-world techniques drawn from his experiences to help attendees create their own “mental health playbook” to reference in challenging moments.
The event will close with a 4.25pm summary, and the day wraps up at 4.30pm.
Call for submissions for our Innovation hub - Are you a trailblazer in the events tech industry? Do you have a groundbreaking idea, product, or service that could transform the way event professionals work?
The ABPCO Festival of Learning is thrilled to announce the opening of submissions for our Innovation Hub, an interactive showcase space designed to spotlight the most cutting-edge advancements in the events sector.
What We’re Looking For:
We’re seeking innovators, creators, and pioneers who are ready to share their unique solutions with a community of passionate event professionals.
Why Participate?
• Showcase Your Innovation: Gain unparalleled visibility by presenting your product or idea in a hands-on, interactive environment.
• Engage Directly with Event Professionals: Connect face-to-face with decision-makers and leaders in the events industry, gather feedback, and build valuable relationships.
• Fuel Collaboration and Growth: Use this opportunity to network, explore partnerships, and inspire the next big ideas in events.
• Be Part of the Action: The Innovation Hub is an interactive space where creativity thrives and innovation takes centre stage.
How to Get Involved:
- Submit a brief description of your innovation, including its purpose, target audience, and potential impact on the events industry.
- Share your vision for an engaging, interactive showcase at the Innovation Hub.
- Include any technical or logistical requirements for your display.
Key Dates:
• Submission Deadline: 31st Jan 2025
• Selections Announced: 10th Feb 2025
• ABPCO Festival of Learning: The tech showcase will feature during the networking supper at the ABPCO Festival of Learning – on Monday 28th April at the Eastside Rooms. The price for the showcase is £750 ex VAT (free to ABPCO members who have bought a member delegate ticket), and includes a 2 minute ‘open mic elevator pitch’ to all of the delegates, and an opportunity to bring a stand/kiosk for the evening so that the PCOs can get hands on and ask you questions, also a delegate ticket for the full event. See the schedule for more information.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the ABPCO Festival of Learning and leave a lasting impression on the future of events.
Fill in your submission at the bottom of this page
If you have any queries email Heather Lishman on heatherlishman@abpco.org.
Interested in sponsorship?
This annual gathering attracts industry leaders, association professionals, and key decision-makers, offering a unique platform to enhance your brand's visibility, engage with influential stakeholders, and contribute to the future of professional conferences and events.
Align your brand with innovation and excellence at the ABPCO Festival of Learning!
We would like to thank ACC Liverpool for being our Student Support Sponsor again this year - we will have 5 places for event management students to attend the Festival fully supported. If you are interested please send a 1 min video explaining why you should be one of those students, to heatherlishman@abpco.org by the 1st Feb 25.
We would also like to thank Cvent our event app sponsor, Harrogate Convention Centre for sponsoring our refreshments and Eastside Rooms for sponsoring the Networking Supper. We are delighted that Carbon Consultancy will once again be sponsoring our carbon report, and we will share the findings with the wider ABPCO community after the event.
We still have a few sponsorship opportunities left, and would be delighted to speak to you about these.
See the SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES here
Interested in the event tech innovation hub - please fill in the form below.
Name required
Email requiredInvalid email
Invalid phone
Website required
Brief description of your innovation, including its purpose, target audience, and potential impacts on the events industry required
Share your vision, for an engaging, interactive showcase at the Innovation Hub. required
Include any technical or logistical requirements for your display. required
Monday 28th April
2pm-4pm - ABPCO Executive meeting (this may be off-site)
6.30-7pm - ABPCO first-timers - join us for a pre-meet and introductions
From 7pm - At the Eastside Rooms - join us for a newtworking supper and event innovation hub (full details available on the main page of the event)
Tuesday 29th April
9.30 – Welcome from Jo Powel, MC and the ABPCO chairs
9.50 – Venue and sponsor welcome
10.00 – Panel - 'State of the industry', chaired by Suzanne with Paul Black (Visit Britain) , Robert Wright (Davies Tanner), Sandra Eyre (MIA) and Rick Stainton (the Power of Events)
10.40 – Robert Dunsmore – out of the box – creative thinking session. A learning experience to prove out of the box thinking is for everyone, the beauty and utility of new ideas and how rapid idea generation is good for business.
11.15 – Break
11.45 – Tackling the Talent Crisis: Recruitment and Retention Strategies for the Events and Hospitality Industry – panel discussion with Pauline Beattie, Candice Kass, Gemma Savage and Sarah Millington
12.25 – PCO led quick-fire sessions
- Delivering an event certified to ISO 20121 sustainable event management – Influencing for Impact - Jessica Penney and David Murray from BSI
- Silent Success: How We Transformed the Exhibition Floor into a Sponsorship Powerhouse - Zackary Puttock, Association of Anaesthetists
- Building our sustainable society (BOSS) programme: Fostering inclusive collaboration – Nicole Leida, MCI UK
1pm – Lunch and networking
2pm – Energiser
2.10 pm – Beyond compliance – transforming Events through inclusion and wellbeing – panel; Gabby Austin-Browne, Helen Moon and Kaylie Hodges
2.40pm – PCO led quick-fire sessions
- Circular steps, carbon savings: How the circular economy hotspot 2024 cut carbon and boosted sustainability – Judith Dix (Conf Care) and Charlotte Homa (Freshwater)
- Meeting Needs - an update from Caroline Windsor, TFI Lodestar
- Stronger Together: The Essential Role of Teams in Event Legacy Success – Caroline Mackenzie – the Hip Preservation Society
- Fostering Professional Growth and Community Engagement: Lessons from the BMFMS 2024 Conference – Alice Paines, Outsourced Events
3.25pm – coffee break
3.45 - How To Forge Ahead - A Lived Experience Mental Health Playbook! Nick Elston - this keynote is a unique opportunity to learn real-world techniques grounded in lived experience. Nick will be sharing strategies that have worked for him and many others to overcome mental health struggles, navigate imposter syndrome, and thrive. Through storytelling and practical takeaways, Nick aims to empower attendees to develop their own “mental health playbook” they can turn to in challenging times.
4.25 – Summing up
4.30 - Close
Prices
Please find a list of tickets for this event below.
| Ticket |
Price |
|
Any ABPCO member
|
£100.00 |
|
Any PCO non-member
|
£150.00 |
|
Non-member suppliers
|
£245.00 |
|
Students
|
£50.00 |
Attendees
The following delegates are already attending this event.
Mrs Sarah Clayton
CUBO
Mrs Sammy Connell
NASUWT - The Teachers' Union
Ms Karina Kendrick
Academic Venue Solutions
Mrs Rachael Lee
Academic Venue Solutions
Mrs Tracey Norcup
Valor Hospitality Partners
| Name |
Organisation |
| Ms Jessica Mason-Rawle |
The ICC |
Delegate Terms and Conditions
Delegate Terms and Conditions
Cancellation or postponement of event
In the unlikely circumstance that ABPCO has to cancel the event, we will refund the full cost of any pre-paid registration fees. ABPCO shall not be liable for reimbursing the cost of travel or accommodation arrangements booked by those attending an ABPCO event.
In the event of a postponement, all tickets will automatically be valid for the new date, or transferable to someone else in the same ticket pricing bracket. Refunds will be available if you are unable to make the new event date.
ABPCO reserve the right to change the event venue within 10 miles of the advertised venue.
Cancellation of attendance at an event
Please let us know if you cannot attend an ABPCO event as soon as possible by emailing heatherlishman@abpco.org
Where a fee has been charged, you will be reimbursed as follows:
- For cancellations on or prior to 28 March 2024, a 50% refund will be given.
- For cancellations received on or between 28 March 2024 and 28 April 2024, no refund will be given, but name substitutions can be made at any time.
To cancel a booking email heatherlishman@abpco.org
Name changes
Tickets are transferable: it will be possible to amend the name on your ticket to a colleague within the same ticket pricing bracket at any time.
To arrange for a name change contact heatherlishman@abpco.org
Payments and payment methods
From 19 April 2024 onwards, only credit card payments will be accepted for new bookings. If we have not received payment to cover the total cost of all bookings under your contact details on or before 19 April 2024, we reserve the right to refuse entry to the event.
Force Majeure
For the purposes of these terms and conditions, "force majeure" means any cause beyond our reasonable control including, but not limited to, war, acts of terrorism, governmental requirements, acts of local or central government or other competent authorities, acts of God and industrial disputes.
We will not be liable to you for failure to perform any obligation under these terms and conditions or in relation to your booking to the extent that the failure is caused by force majeure.
Conditions of attendance
You must comply with instructions and directions given by staff, ABPCO and stewards and agents of the venue (where relevant) and any applicable policies and procedures of which you are notified.
We reserve the right to refuse access to, or remove any delegate from any ABPCO event who, in our reasonable opinion has, or is likely to affect the experience of the other delegates, in our reasonable opinion is acting under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or who uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or who behaves in a manner which may cause a breach of the peace.
ABPCO is dedicated to creating and maintaining a positive event experience where everyone is treated with dignity, courtesy and respect.
Any discriminatory language and imagery are not appropriate at any ABPCO event, including in presentation material. Violation of these rules could result in exclusion from the event without a refund.
ABPCO are committed to and actively encourage diversity and promote inclusion and accessibility at our events.
We value the participation of each individual and want everybody to have an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. All communication and behaviour should therefore be appropriate for a professional audience.
By attending an ABPCO event, you’re agreeing to respect and be kind to everybody, regardless of their gender, race, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other aspect of what they look like, where they come from or who they are.
For further information and our full code of conduct please visit our website here.