‘Disruption’ and its impact on events the key theme of 2018 Eventing the Future Conference

Mindful of increasing events industry competition, the 2018 Eventing the Future Conference will next week explore ‘disruption’ and its  impact on arts, business, cultural and sport events.

Being held in Christchurch on 6th and 7th August, the organisers of the 2018 Eventing the Future Conference (ETF2018) explain “with our geographical isolation, and lack of access to international exposure, New Zealand event professionals are often distant from what is happening globally until the trends hit.”

Citing the demise of some of New Zealand’s established community events, the organisers emphasise the need for the sector to be aware of the “changing world and disruptive changes”.

With the theme Disruptors, Opportunities and Differentiators, ETF2018 is presenting  international speakers, content and examples of application to the New Zealand events sector, preparing and informing event professionals and event services for changing business models.

ETF2018 keynote speaker, Kaila Colbin is an entrepreneur, published writer, communications expert and the founder of numerous companies.

Hailing from the USA but now making New Zealed home, Colbin spearheaded the hugely successful SingularityU New Zealand and Australia Summits, introducing more than 2,000 people to exponential technologies and their impact on humanity.

Colbin is widely recognised as a forward thinker and an innovative voice in web trends and global online communities.  She has developed a particular expertise in provoking disruptive thinking and in bringing together disparate ideas about humanity. Her opening keynote session will give an overview of the major disruptors creating exponential change in our business and community environments

Colbin is a co-founder and Chair of the non-profit Ministry of Awesome, the starting point for early-stage entrepreneurs in Christchurch; the Curator and Licensee for TEDx Christchurch in New Zealand and TEDx ScottBase in Antarctica; Chair of the New York-based culinary school Natural Gourmet Institute; Deputy Chair of CORE Education; and a Director of ChristchurchNZ.

EFT2018’s second keynote, Tahira Endean, is another professional who will add global event experience around disruption and new opportunities specific to the events sector. 

The organisers of the ETF2018 have also looked at how to change the more traditional conference format to have greater engagement and participation of delegates.

The organisers add “we will be going all out to make ETF2018 the best conference yet by making much more of the conference interactive and participant driven, and by bringing guest presenters and keynotes closer to you in sessions where you get to participate, share and construct ideas.”

Partners at ETF 2018 include Canterbury Christchurch Tourism, Sport NZ and Audience Alive.

For more information on Eventing the Future click here to view the event details in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Images: The SingularityU New Zealand conference (top) and Kaila Colbin (below).