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Arena Event Spaces in London

Find an book the most exclusive Arenas in London for your next event

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Arenas are an ideal choice for any large scale event, offering unrivalled potential when it comes to vast capacities and open-plan spaces. We have a wide range of arenas that tick all of the boxes, including one that has hosted some of the world’s biggest live events! Proud to offer you the very best the events scene has to offer, all of the venues featured in this section know a thing or two about hosting a successful gathering, with these flexible and innovative arenas able to be tailored to suit your exact requirements.

Some of the arenas are highly contemporary and cutting-edge in style, whilst others have a richer and more immersive quality, and from large scale public gatherings to live music performances, from large conferences to fashion shows, the possibilities are endless, so take a look at the sheer variety on offer and start planning your next event today.

How to Organise a Literary Event

?Book festivals are becoming more and more popular, with new literary events popping up all over the place. People certainly seem to have the appetite for it, and nothing draws people in like a famous face on a ticket. But how exactly do you go about organising this type of event?


You Need a Name For Yourself


There is no point in trying to host a large literature festival if you don’t have a base to work out of. These programmes work best if they are hosted from an arts centre that already has a reputation for putting on great shows and events. If you’re just starting out, then start small, and ask local writers to do a reading in a local bar, before you slowly start to build yourself up and start selling out arenas.


You Need Funding


The bane of arts organisations everywhere is the dreaded constant need for funding. This is another reason why having a name for yourself is so important. If no one knows who you are, it’s always going to be difficult to get any money to organise a large event.


The Arts Council


The Arts Council is a great source of money to help you to bring your festival to the next level and start encouraging some big names to attend. You’ll need proof of what you’ve done so far; if you’re not able to prove that you are giving back to the community through your work, you’ll never get funding for your festival from the Arts Council.


Sponsors


Getting sponsors is another way to get the budget you need for the festival that you want to hold. Sponsors will support you so long as you advertise them throughout your programmes and signs for the festival; even on your website and social media. Generally, it’s a really good deal, and one of the main sources of income for festivals


Ticket Sales


Of course, ticket sales will get you some of your money back, especially if you have a famous face attending. However, the majority of this money is only going to be guaranteed after the festival and so it can never be relied upon. While it might offset some costs, you need to have plenty in the bank before you start hiring out an arena.


You Need a Programme


Once you have the budget to make it happen, you need to start putting together your programme. Everyday of the festival needs to be as full as possible in order to have plenty of events for people to attend. While you should have a few headliners, you should also have lots of people from your local area to take part. This will cut down a lot on travel costs and hotel bills, plus you’ll be advocating local writers.


You Need a Bookstore


A literary festival just isn’t going to work if no one is there to sell the books. You’ll probably already have good links with your local bookstore, but you need to make sure that they are capable of ordering in everyone’s books and selling them at each event.


You Need a Main Act


If you are really looking to bring in a large audience, you are going to need a large name on the bill. Start asking around early in the year for this. Many acts will book out quickly or have their own book tour going on that will either fit with your dates or it won’t. If your festival has been going on for a few years, you might even get people approaching you if they are doing a tour. If your festival has a certain theme, then only target main acts that are going to fit with that. For example, romance authors or authors of colour. Many big names will have a particular price that you need to pay for them to be involved, and some are steeper than you might think, so be prepared for this alongside hotel and flight costs.


You Need a Venue


Once you have your main act sorted, you’re going to need a venue. If you are expecting large numbers, then you’ll need somewhere with a big capacity alongside a stage and good sound equipment. This will most likely be a lot larger than your local arts centre. Luckily, there are a number of large arenas for hire in London, and some of them are just perfect for a literature festival. It’s important that you view more than one so that you can get the feel of each place and decide if it’s right for you, but make sure and book as soon as you can, as dates won’t hold forever.


You Need to Advertise


You won’t have an audience if you don’t advertise. Paper programmes are still popular, and these should be placed in as many cafes and other arts centres as you can. Promoting online is also essential. Making sure that you have a solid social media strategy in place will mean that everyone knows about your festival. After all, if they don’t know it’s happening, then no one is going to book tickets.


You Need Volunteers


The bedrock of every literature festival is its volunteers. Without them most festivals simply couldn’t afford to pay the amount of staff needed to host a large event. They greet the audience, handle setup, take the tickets, and are generally on hand if anyone needs them. Send your call out with plenty of time so that volunteers can be scheduled for the times that suit them. You will also need a training day for them in order to go through all of their duties as well as the all-important health and safety. It’s a great idea to host a night out after the festival is over so that you can thank them all for their hard work.


Organising a literary event isn’t an easy goal to aspire to, but once you‘re established, you’ll be able to pull in big names and start selling out full-sized arenas. Everyone starts small, but with dedication and passion, you can always grow your festival into something truly great.

FAQs Arena Event Spaces in London

What type of events can you host in an arena?

London is home to plenty of iconic arenas which have played host to some of the biggest sporting events, performances, awards ceremonies and concerts over the years, the most famous being Wembley Stadium. Arenas also provide the perfect setting to host lots of other events too including: • Large scale public gatherings • Conferences • Concerts • Gigs • Sports events • Comedy acts • Award ceremonies • Exhibitions • Product launches • Dinners • Networking events • Literature festivals • Film festivals



Why is an arena a great choice for an event?

Arenas are an ideal choice for any large-scale event due to the fact that they have the space to accommodate vast capacities, plenty open-plan spaces for optimum versatility and all of the technological components you need to host a successful event. And remember, arenas have some of the best sound and lighting equipment compared to other event settings.



Can you hire Wembley Stadium?

Yes, Wembley Stadium has three amazing spaces that are available to hire for a wide range of different occasions. With a capacity of 90,000, Wembley is the biggest stadium in the UK and not only hosts world class events, but also world class award ceremonies, conferences, gala dinners and many other events. Rooms that are available to hire include Bobby Moore, The Great Hall and the Wembley Suite are all available to hire.



What to consider when hiring a stadium for an event?

If you’re thinking about hiring a stadium for an event, you should ensure that you take in the following factors: • Does the venue offer catering? • What are the light and sound equipment like? • Is the arena in a well-connected area? • Is there enough space? • What is the capacity of the venue? • Are staff available to help support your event? • Can the space be adapted to meet the layout of your event? Remember, before you hire any space, for any event, you should always pay the venue a visit and check it out on a first-hand basis.



What is an arena?

An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, which is perfectly equipped to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events, especially large-scale events.



How many people can an arena hold?

The vast majority of arenas can hold at least 40,000 people, with some holding as many as 90,000!



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