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Planning an event

How do you turn your great idea into an engaging and fun event for the public? Don’t underestimate the power of a good plan.

Planning

Having clear goals from the start about what you want to achieve and what audience you want to target is essential. Is the type of activity you want to do suited to the kind of audience you want to target?

There are some great resources online that could help inform your activities such as the European Science Engagement Platform or our Table-top activities page.

Location

What is the best location for your event to reach your intended audience? How many people can be in the space? Most of the time, it is more effective for you to go out to meet your audience rather than have them come to you.

Facilities such as parking, disabled access, audio and visual equipment, and venue hire costs all need to be considered. We have a guide on accessibility that may be helpful. [link to it].

Scheduling

Is there an ideal time of day or year for your event? For example, if it is an outdoor event, then winter is not the best time. Is your target audience only available at certain times of the day? Will the speakers or volunteers you need to be there be available at that time?

If you are working with a partner organisation like the World Museum, you need to plan this far in advance to work in accordance with their planning schedule.

Avoid conflicting with another public engagement event by checking the Events Calendar page at the University. To make sure you plan around school holidays or other local events visit the Liverpool City Council Events and tourism website to check what else is happening on your preferred day.

Venues

Here is a list of local venues that you could use to host your event:

  • University of Liverpool - The lecture theatres, museums, foyer areas and galleries across the University make great spaces for holding events or showcasing exhibits
  • Partner Organisations – You may be working with a partner organisation that could host your event. For example, the Faculty have worked with the World Museum since 2015, and put on biannual Meet the Scientists events on site
  • Liverpool Libraries - Liverpool Central Library has great facilities including meeting and conference rooms, as well as the main reading areas and atrium
  • Community Centres - Local community centres are great places to reach out to members of the public you may not necessarily encounter in other places
  • Outdoors – Liverpool has a multitude of heritage sites, parkland, maritime and urban areas that you could utilise for a local event
  • Ness Gardens - Ness Botanic Gardens has a number of stunning spaces to suit every occasion, and work especially closely with the University of Liverpool's Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour Department.