Brief

To commemorate its remarkable 200th anniversary, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) planned a prestigious and formal celebration event, designed to honour and reflect on two centuries of outstanding academic achievement. The university aimed to create an experience that seamlessly blended sophisticated staging with distinctive branding, ensuring that the significance of this milestone was communicated with both elegance and impact.

Every element of the event – from the décor and lighting to the layout and visual identity, was carefully curated to provide an immersive environment that would engage attendees, foster a sense of pride and community, and celebrate the university’s rich history, enduring legacy, and ongoing commitment to excellence in education. The overall vision was to craft a welcoming, inspiring, and memorable occasion that truly reflected the magnitude of MMU’s bicentennial milestone.

Solution

Sterling Event Group have worked closely with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) on several events and were asked to deliver a suitable solution to celebrate their milestone year. The entrance area featured a 50m red carpet leading into the main venue. A projection was also added of MMU’s distinct logo on the building wall, reinforcing brand identity. We then washed the spaces in ambient blue lighting, giving a sophisticated and on-brand feel to the entranceway. The main staging area was designed for a panel discussion, presentation, and keynote speaker, and we utilised vintage lights as a key backdrop for this space.

Result

The event resulted in a stunning display as it utilized all the screens around the room. The lighting design throughout the venue enhanced the overall atmosphere, effectively reinforcing the festival theme and contributing to the event’s impressive visual impact. From the moment attendees approached the building, the strategic use of the music, lighting and red carpet immersed them into the event experience.

Tech Spec

Allen & Heath 24 channel digital mixing desk with stage box.

Wireless Mic system which consists of 1x Handheld & 2 x Lapel fully licensed.

Professional D&B Audio system for even dispersion of audio. The system included 4x Point Source speakers, 2x front fills and 2x subs.

Lighting control desk for monitoring levels of lighting

4x dimmable Pickle Patt lighting for stage package, 6x Wash lights for stage and room ambience and 16x smart bats with wireless control for brand lighting.

Uplighting window frames.

5m wide stage x 2.4m deep finished with black carpet and fascia.

Drape installed around the space creating a baffle and door portal for entrance

1 x 86 inch screen used as main display, 2x 55″ with ability to play back content of main and backup powerpoint aswell as a dedicated macbook pro to playback video content