An iconic central landmark of London's great Georgian heritage, with 5 floors of event space and endless opportunities
116 Pall Mall is an iconic central landmark of London’s great Georgian heritage located just minutes from Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus. This magnificently restored Grade I listed building of... Read more
Where Creativity Meets Innovation and Connectivity: An industry-first, modular, versatile and creative event space.
At Sta Studios, we specialise in providing a versatile space that caters to a wide range of event needs. Whether you're hosting an educational workshop for aspiring hair professionals, launch... Read more
A unique event space in the heart of Camden Market. 700 Capacity over three rooms with a 2am licence.
The venue consists of three connected spaces, including the industrial style Warehouse (500 standing, 200 seated), The Club (100 standing, 80 seated), and our Grade 2 listed stables (200 standing, 100... Read more
Luxury and elegant boat hire on the River Thames perfect for corporate events, summer parties and weddings.
Dixie Queen can operate from a selection of piers on the River Thames. The P.S. Dixie Queen is the largest entertainment, conference, and event boat on London's River Thames. Able to carry up t... Read more
Perfume Works, a working vacant warehouse with additional back of house support space
Perfume Works, a working vacant warehouse with additional back of house support space in North London, Perivale. The site features two spacious, pillarless stages, each spanning 9,000 sqft (837 ... Read more
This luxurious 99m2 penthouse suite is topped by a vaulted glass dome with panoramic city views.
Located on the ninth and tenth floors, the duplex Penthouse Ultimate ME+ Suite offers a spectacular personal space with impressive views of the London Eye, Tower Bridge, Houses of Parliament, Trafalga... Read more
Gorgeous blank canvas railway arches
The venue is made of up of two stunning Victorian railway arches, reception bar, main hall and mezzanine level and is a perfect venue to host live streaming and hybrid events, product launches, f... Read more
Our industrial style event space has a private kitchen, private entrance and high ceilings. Flexible space for any event
A large event space suitable for corporate, creative or personal events. Available 24/7 the space has an industrial style with a private kitchen and direct street access. The friendly and accomodating... Read more
A stylish indoor restaurant which features a lovely outdoor terrace, together with a bar and a spacious courtyard.
Camino King's Cross, a highly-praised authentic Spanish restaurant bar, is a wonderful Spanish getaway in Central London. The decor is exquisite and modern with its use of colour and wood, but it ... Read more
A beacon of sophistication in London's West End, offers a distinctive venue for events.
This iconic space transcends typical event locations. With a capacity of up to 1300, Freemason's Hall is a great option for an array of events including; Dinners Awards Conferences Rec... Read more
is a purpose-driven members club, offering four floors of versatile event space in Covent Garden.
At The Conduit, we create unforgettable experiences right in the heart of London. Our dedicated events team can assist you in planning every detail of your event, should it be a private dinner, confer... Read more
110,000 square feet of flexible, bright and design led space in Shoreditch suitable for every event, meeting or shoot.
Over 110,000 square feet situated in the heart of trendy Shoreditch, Shoreditch Exchange offers an unparalleled event experience. Highly versatile and varied spaces - purpose built event spaces, meeti... Read more
A unique and versatile festival-inspired venue beside the London Eye
Between the Bridges is a unique and versatile event space perfect for drink receptions, product launches, summer and Christmas parties, conferences and much more. The venue has four pr... Read more
A spacious brick wood Restaurant and Bar, located in the heart of the city, beautifully decorated in Iberian fashion.
Camino Monument is located in the heart of the City, a short walk from Monument and Bank stations. Our spacious yet cosy space makes a great spot for business drinks and light tapas lunches, or hearty... Read more
The independent arts venue in the heart of Shoreditch.
Stage your event in a five-storey Shoreditch landmark – whatever your ambitions, Rich Mix have a space that will work for you. Located on Bethnal Green Road just a stone’s throw fr... Read more
13 Indoor Venues and 45 Acres of Space. Private function experts from Conferences, to Weddings, to Festivals.
The Hive stands as London's preeminent destination for hosting celebrations, banquets, and events, nestled in the heart of North London. Our opulent venue, reminiscent of the grandeur found in ... Read more
Organising an exhibition is a mammoth task.
A lot goes into the planning, and with so many people involved, the whole thing
can become overwhelming very quickly. Having a management plan – together with
a massive To Do list, is essential for something like this.
Decide on What You Want to Show
You’ll already know the topic of the
exhibition – maybe it’s something that happens every year. At the same time,
it’s best to have a solid theme and to stick with it. While there may be a few
unusual stalls that are skirting the boundaries of the show topic, try and keep
everything as cohesive as possible.
Get Together A List of Sellers That You Love
This is your exhibition, so come up with a list
of stalls that you really want to see there. Stands that you think will draw
the crowds and really encompass what the exhibition is all about. You can personally invite these sellers and
even offer them a discount and extra promotion leading up to your event. After
all, they’ll be promoting to their customers, and big companies will bring the
crowds.
What Need Are You Fulfilling?
Why are you having this exhibition? Maybe
there is nothing else like it in your city, or maybe there has been a higher
demand for certain goods and you want to let people know about all of the
awesome companies there are out there. Maybe your exhibition isn’t about
selling at all, but about informing others. It could even be a career fair.
Whatever it is, you need to know exactly why you’re doing this and what it is you
hope to achieve. Having an objective in mind will help you stay on course.
Choose Your Venue
The type of exhibition you are hosting will
have a major impact on the venue you choose, so consider the feel you are
looking for the day. You’ll also need a rough idea of how many stands you are
looking, and the number of people you are expecting to attend. Location is
always key, as you don’t want to be far away from where you expect the majority
of your crowd to come from. Luckily, there are loads of exhibition spaces to
hire in London, so you can have your pick. Make sure that there are plenty of parking spaces
and easy access for stall holders to set up.
What Set Up Are You Using?
Shell Scheme
A shell scheme is where all of the spaces
are enclosed. They have a walled area at the back and names are on boards about
each shell. This set-up is good if stallholders don’t need too much room and
they offer a little more privacy.
Open Space
Keeping it open is more popular for more
creative exhibitions, as it allows the crowds to see everything easier. The
stallholders can set up however they want to within the space that’s been
allocated.
Promote Early
Fill all of the available spaces at your
venue. If you have spaces free, then you are not making the most out of your
location. Think carefully about what you are offering and how much you are
charging sellers per space. If this is a brand-new exhibition, it’s best to
keep prices a little lower to encourage people to sign up.
The same goes for ticket prices. You need
to price competitively in order to draw in the crowds. Think about the
different types of competitions you can hold for free tickets to the event –
this will help you to promote it. Open tickets to public as soon as possible so
you can capitalise on the amount of time you have.
Promote yourself online
Without an online presence, your exhibition
may fall flat. This is how the majority of people hear about events now, so
while getting flyers out is important, don’t neglect social media. Have a firm
marketing plan in place and don’t fall behind on it – this will help pave the
road to a great exhibition!
Top Tips
Leading up to the opening, there’s a lot
for you to think about. Here’s some top tips to follow for when it gets to
crunch time.
Choose Your Staff Carefully
It’s best to have some pros on the front
lines who can deal with people wanting to buy tickets on the door. They should
be able to answer questions about the exhibition and direct people to where
they want to go.
Early Bird Tickets
For those that book early, having an early
bird price is a good reward, as well as an incentive for others to buy. This
will also save queues on the day if people have already purchased tickets.
Goody Bags on Arrival
This is a great idea to make everyone feel
welcome. You can advertise some of the stalls, as well as promote your
sponsors. Include a map of the exhibition and a few treats and everyone will
have a bag to hold their shopping and any leaflets they get!
Have A Crowd Control System
Certain times of the day are going to be
busy, so you’ll need to know what to do with the crowds. Have separate doors
for entrance and exit and employ a one-way system if it gets too bad.
Don’t Forget About Seats
Everyone needs a sit down once in a while,
and after doing a lap of an exhibition it’s a must! Make sure you have adequate
seating, so people can have a rest.
Food and Drink
If there’s no food or drink area, people
will leave, so it’s important that they are catered to. Exhibition halls can
get warm so keep an eye on the AC and provide free water if it’s a particularly
warm day.
Running an exhibition is a big ask for
anyone, but with the right support behind you and a rock-solid plan, you’re
sure to get it right. The satisfaction you’ll feel when you see what a success
it’s been is second to none, so make sure you take some time to savour your
achievement!
Exhibition venues range from large spaces like the Excel Centre, to small, intimate galleries in Soho and Fitzrovia. The style of event you’ll be having will dictate what kind of exhibition venue you need to hire in London. Have a think about how many people you’ll be inviting, whether they’ll be mostly standing or sitting for the evening, and then how much space you’ll need to exhibit. Whether you’re organising a product launch, an art show or an expo, you’ll find the right space for your event on Canvas.
The cost of hiring an exhibition venue in London will depend on how large the venue is, where it is, and what facilities and amenities you will need from the venue and venue manager for your event. If you’re organising a large-scale exhibition, consider asking the venue manager how much it would cost for them to staff the event. Especially when it comes to technical staff, you could save a lot of stress hiring staff who are familiar with the event space and the equipment rather than bringing in your own team. It may be a little more expensive, but it will probably save you a lot of trouble on the day!
Depending on what you have in mind for your exhibition, there’s almost an unlimited number of amazing venues for hire in London. Before you start looking for the perfect space, consider what atmosphere and style you want your event to be. When you imagine your next exhibition, is it a small and intimate evening gathering, or is large-scale event than runs for days or even weeks? This will give you a place to start when it comes to finding the right venue, and it’s always useful to know how many people you’re hoping will come.
Galleries are really versatile spaces, and often have very experienced and passionate venue managers at the helm. If you know you’d like to organise an event at a gallery but you’re not exactly sure what kind, they are the best person to ask. They’ll be able to let you know about previous events that have worked really well in their space, and will be able to advise on how to make yours even better. Small galleries work well for cosy and private affairs, and large galleries are perfect for corporate events.
Each gallery will have it’s own price to hire it as a gallery space or a party venue, so make sure you tell the venue manager what kind of event you’re planning so they can give you the best price. It’s worth checking in with them about whether you can move any art or sculptures for the event and asking about their insurance coverage. If one of the art pieces is inadvertently damaged, it’s best to know upfront what would happen next.