Event Management Students Get an Inside Look at the Industry

ICMS Event Management students have started the Trimester with two opportunities to step inside the events industry, gaining firsthand insight from creative event professionals as well as behind the scenes access to a new Sydney music venue. 

Students from Event Concept & Design and Creating Event Experiences connected with the team at creative experiential agency SUBVRT before heading to The Point, a new waterfront music venue operated by Fuzzy Operations. 

Together, the experiences gave students a look at what happens beyond the classroom, from developing an event concept to turning that concept into a live event. 

Learning from SUBVRT’s creative team

SUBVRT Director Josh Chapman, Chief Brand Officer Sam Aspinall and Creative Director Courtney Covey joined students for a guest lecture in September focused on creative event concepting and experiential design. 

The session explored how a client brief develops into an event concept, and how that concept influences decisions around space, theming, technology, audience engagement and the overall event experience. 

Students also gained an introduction to the role of the Event Designer and the balance between creative ideas and what can realistically be delivered. 

The session was organised by Events Lecturer Ruth Friedmann in collaboration with Event Lecturer Billie Cox, connecting students with professionals working in Sydney’s creative events sector. 

Behind the scenes at The Point

Students visited The Point, a new waterfront music venue operated by Sydney-based music, events and festival organisation Fuzzy Operations.

The behind-the-scenes site visit gave students an opportunity to see event preparation in action, including venue operations, event build, safety considerations and production workflows. 

Students also saw some of the practical challenges involved in preparing a large-scale outdoor event, including the construction of a floating stage on Sydney Harbour. 

Seeing the venue during preparation helped students understand how creative event ideas need to work alongside production requirements, safety considerations, and the practical realities of delivering a live event. 

Taking learning beyond the classroom

The two industry experiences gave students a valuable look at different stages of event delivery, from creative concept development through to production and site operations. 

They also provided opportunities to connect with experienced professionals and see the events industry in action. 

For ICMS Event Management students, these experiences bring classroom learning into a professional context and provide a practical understanding of the work involved in creating and delivering events.