Awarded in 2021, these certifications demonstrate the Company’s commitment and proactive attitude to improving business performance and identifying, evaluating and mitigating risks, which provides a safe working environment for everyone.
We were thrilled to hear we have received funding thanks to the government’s #CultureRecoveryFund so that we can continue to be here for you and #HereForCulture right now in the virtual world and very soon at in-person events too.
Culture creates jobs, supports livelihoods, and brings joy to everyone. The UK leads the world in the creative industries and we can all feel pride in that.
Now, in these challenging times, it’s our turn to show our support for culture. With an unprecedented investment through the Culture Recovery Fund, the government is #HereForCulture so it can weather the storm of coronavirus and come back stronger.
And we are #HereForCulture too.
#HereForCulture is a movement that unites the public, government and cultural organisations in support of our fantastic cinemas, theatres, music venues, museums, galleries and heritage.
With more and more culture being curated online, there is no better time to support and enjoy all the new and exciting ways culture is available to us.
By being #HereForCulture, we aren’t just supporting the people in the industry, we’re also supporting communities across the country.
After COVID kicked occupancy rates off a cliff, INNSiDE Manchester was among the first hotels to lead the transformation of disused event spaces into production studios. The Meliá hotel partnered with AV supplier Sterling Event Group to install a stage floor ringed with multiple cameras and a professional audio and lighting system, backed by a HD laser projection screen alongside two 65-inch LCDs for branded content, all controlled by a live stream production suite.
“We used to host live conferences with 300 delegates in the space,” says Scott Brown, INNSiDE’s Cluster Director of Sales in the north. “We can now host that as a virtual event with just 30 people on-site, but another 300 attendees dialling in remotely.
“It wouldn’t be practical for us to house tens of thousands of pounds of kit on an ongoing basis. But because of the size of the space, and the fact we don’t foresee hosting large-scale events for the next six months, it works for us right now while AV suppliers are sat with unused kit in their warehouses. Meliá already offers a hybrid solution, but the difference with INNSiDE Live is it alleviates a lot of the setup and breakdown expenses, making it a really cost-effective solution for clients.”
A year into the pandemic and organisers are increasingly conscious of broadcast quality. Performing Artistes is one of the many agencies racing to invest in professional studio equipment in response to the mounting dissatisfaction of virtual attendees, fed up with low quality webcam footage: “It’s about creating the right impression for your audience,” says Director JJ Jackson. “Having your keynote slumped behind your webcam – with at best a bookshelf and at worst your washing drying in the background – is no longer good enough, especially if clients are paying thousands of pounds. Events agencies have to invest in a decent webcam, lighting and backdrops at the very least, and ideally a multi-camera setup with a little mixer so you can slickly switch between them. We’ve invested in professional lighting and high-definition cameras in our office – it’s a great halfway house between expensive studio rental and having speakers present at home.”
However, Richard Bowden, MD of Sterling Event Group, argues it’s not necessarily the equipment that counts, but the expertise behind it: “There’s a place for in-house studio setups, using venue furniture in a nice location with very simple production. But in the live events market, conferences attended by hundreds of delegates would always see the expertise of a professional AV company – and it shouldn’t be any different with virtual events.
“It’s not just about investing in a broadcast-quality cameras; there are hundreds of pieces of kit behind the scenes that all work together to deliver a virtual event. Having that equipment infrastructure in a safe, suitable place and a core team who know how to use it allows you to deliver events that look more like a television production and less like a Zoom call.”
Kevan Holland, Co-founder of Trident Hospitality Consultancy believes one of the biggest challenges in proper AV investment for virtual events is a lack of knowledge across the industry: “Some of the AV companies who are putting the platforms together are coming across with so much jargon that it’s hard to sell their product onto clients. Our members who work with AV companies to offer hybrid events solutions report their clients are reluctant to pay thousands of pounds to connect 100 people via a platform, when Zoom is virtually free – they don’t actually understand the logistics of how virtual works. It’s fine if you’re a big association, but for the average small to medium size company, it’s hard to swallow some of the costs.”
Trident member Vicky Webb, Venue and Events Manager at Millennium Point, says it has been a priority to ensure her events team are trained to understand the technical aspects of virtual events: “It’s our job to match people with the right solution. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a techie – that’s why I have an AV technician on hand. Clients often don’t understand what they want and it’s up to us to have the knowledge as a sales team to direct them towards what they need and help them understand the cost implications.”
“Not every client is going to have the budget associated with a primetime TV show,” accepts Richard. “How we think about screen content is different for virtual events. AV teams can remotely manage events and achieve some of those production values digitally, combining webcam feeds with professional graphics and pre-recorded content.”
As to exactly what’s possibly right now, Richard is witnessing change on a weekly basis as the pandemic pushes virtual event AV to its limits: “The whole industry is developing so rapidly right now, seeking the advice of a professional production company who can share the pros and cons of using different platforms has never been more valuable. If your platform isn’t right or the interaction doesn’t work in the way that you were hoping, it could mean the difference between a successful event and a PR disaster.”
Manchester based Sterling Event Group have launched their new Sterling Studio website to showcase their range of solutions for the organisers of virtual events.
In the temporary absence of live events, Manchester based audio-visual production company Sterling Event Group have continued to invest in virtual technologies and have launched a new website dedicated to its virtual event services.
Launching originally in March 2020, Sterling Studio has now been expanded to include a multitude of studio spaces and virtual event services. Proving a popular choice for the organisers of virtual events, the 5 physical studio spaces, along with 3 purpose-built fully remote Virtual Control Centres (whereby events can be managed 100% remotely) are currently in high-demand.
“We’re excited for the year ahead and whilst we hope to see the start of the return of live events in the near future, there will still be a place for virtual events. We are frequently assisting our clients with global communications, in recent months we have live streamed to audiences in 78 countries. For certain types of events there is a huge advantage in virtual, from an efficiency and environmental perspective, that’s why we believe virtual events are here to stay and will feature in the programme of events for many organisations. Furthermore, adding a virtual aspect to a live event could be used to significantly extend the reach.” Richard Bowden, Founder and MD of Sterling Event Group.
Sterling Studios have also expanded from their Manchester Airport HQ and are now operating Hybrid Studios at a number of popular venues within the Greater Manchester area, each with a unique offering.
Further info on the Studios and other services to enhance virtual events, can be found on our new dedicated site – www.sterlingstudio.co.uk.
Manchester Cathedral is teaming up with one of its long-standing event production partners, Sterling Event Group, to illuminate the façade of the magnificent building in a blue hue in a show of solidarity and support for NHS staff and Key Workers who are going above and beyond to support our communities at this difficult time.
Richard Bowden, Managing Director at Sterling said “We wanted to show our support as a company for the magnificent work our NHS and keyworkers are doing in the battle against Covid-19. We have a great partnership with Manchester Cathedral and its work in the community. As a stunning landmark in the heart of our city we are very privileged to be able to illuminate it.”
The Dean of Manchester, the Very Reverend Rogers Govender said “At this very difficult time for Greater Manchester, our nation and the world, we are pleased to show our support to our NHS our Emergency Services and all the key workers who are on the front line in this global emergency by illuminating the Cathedral in blue. This building has been at the heart of our city in good times and bad for hundreds of years in support of all in our communities. This place reminds us that God in Christ is present with us at all times and will not abandon humanity especially when there is so much pain and grief in our midst’
The switch-on will take place at 2000 (8pm) as we Clap for Our Carers on Thursday 16th April, 2020 at Manchester Cathedral, Victoria St, Manchester M3 1SX.
Sterling Event Group have announced a new partnership agreement with one of Manchester’s leading event venues, Victoria Warehouse.
As part of the supplier agreement, which commenced on 31st January 2020, Sterling Event Group will be the venue’s preferred technical production supplier and will provide exclusive in-house rigging services for corporate clients across the venue’s wide array of unique spaces.
The technical production company, who celebrated their 20-year anniversary last year, work in partnership with many event venues and clients across the North West & the UK and are thrilled to be supporting Victoria Warehouse and their clients. Victoria Warehouse has numerous event spaces catering for intimate gatherings to large scale conferences and exhibitions all with an authentic industrial vibe.
Richard Bowden, Managing Director of Sterling commented on the partnership “We are really excited to be back working with the team at Victoria Warehouse, a venue with their strap line ‘We are what you make us’, which for our projects team opens up a world of options for creativity.”
James Cohen, Managing Director of Victoria Warehouse commented; “We are thrilled to be partnering again with Sterling Event Group for production and rigging, their team have a genuine passion for exceeding client expectations. This combined with their array of in-house services means we can be sure our clients receive the very best experience.”
This partnership comes at an exciting time at Sterling, with a recent expansion adding a further two warehouses to their Manchester based headquarters creating 8 additional jobs. The company plans to continue this growth throughout 2020 with investment, innovation and development to further improve its offering.
Sterling Event Group will be exhibiting at the upcoming International Confex 2020 exhibition due to be held on the 25th & 26th February 2020 at ExCel London.
The event is set to be one of the largest gathering of event professionals, service providers, thought leaders and buyers in the UK, with the sole purpose of creating an environment of convenience to help support, inspire and drive the events industry forward.
Register to attend by clicking here.
The team look forward to hosting you on our stand! Find us on stand F04C.
Our MD Richard Bowden caught up with TPi magazine;
Could you explain what first sparked your interest in the events sector?
I grew up with events, from as young as I could remember I was roadie for my Dad’s mobile disco, on larger gigs there would be production companies involved which exposed me to the world of technical production and I knew that was what I wanted to do. I never really played with toys I was more interested in speakers and par cans.
Could you describe how Sterling Events first came into being? What were the original goals for the company?
In my last year at school I set up Sterling Sound, we had a small amount of kit that I had built so I sent out some hire price lists to contacts I’d met working with my dad. The original goal was to provide PA systems for corporate events. We very soon began supplying, lighting, vision and staging to all sorts of events, at this point the company name was holding us back so we rebranded to Sterling Event Group. I could never of imagined where we are now 20 years on.
What were some of your highlights from those early days of Sterling Event Group?
There has been so many highlights and milestones over the years, from successfully delivering our first international event for a major brand to providing production to pop stars. No two days are the same and that’s what keeps things exciting.
How has the company expanded over the years?
It doesn’t seem that long ago when we took on our first premises and the £100 a week rent was daunting. Fast forward to today we now occupy several units by Manchester Airport with facilities designed to accommodate our specialist audio, lighting, vision, rigging and custom build stage and set departments. The team has also grown somewhat, we now employ 50 fulltime staff and we’re looking to expand this further in the coming months.
What is next on Sterling events schedule as we move into 2020?
2020 kicks off with a bang, the busiest January to date which sets to feature a European roadshow for a beauty brand, a large scale corporate awards, conferences for the government and even a party for a Premier league footballer to mention just a few. Alongside delivering these productions there will be further investment in kit and also further development for our custom build staging and set department.
You supported Production Futures this year. What were you opinions on the event?
I wish it was around when it started out! It was a great event with some really bright young people in attendance, a lot of which were genuinely looking to start a career in our industry and keen to call upon the experience of others. I think it’s really important that we all make an effort to give opportunities to the next generation as the industry needs them.
Read the article in the December issue of TPi Magazine – https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/tpidec19_digitallr/98
We are pleased to be supporting Production Futures – This event gives young people, students and freelancers the opportunity to come face to face with some of the most well-known companies and individuals in the industry. The event also features the TPi Breakthrough Talent Awards, offering a chance to highlight the work of those still relatively new to the industry but who are making waves within the live events bracket.
The event will be hosted at Fly by Nite Studios in Redditch, a state-of-the-art, arena sized, purpose-built production rehearsal studio located just south of Birmingham, where some of the biggest artists on the planet make their final preparations before heading out on tour.
If your heading to this event we look forward to seeing you there!
As part of our expansion tripling our warehouse space, we have a number of new opportunities for talented people to join our team, based full time within our offices & warehouse by Manchester Airport.
Please visit our Careers part of the website for full job descriptions.
If you think you have got what it takes then we would love to hear from you!
