2026 Programme
Main Stage
Programming is subject change
Main Stage
10:00
Opening
10:00 - 10:10 • Friday 15th May
Main Stage
Introductions, house-keeping and why we're here.
10:15
REVIEWING THE HERE AND NOW: WHAT’S CHANGED, WHAT’S HOLDING AND WHAT COMES NEXT
10:15 - 11:00 • Friday 15th May
Panel, Main Stage
The experience economy continues to evolve at pace, shaped by shifting audience behaviour, economic pressure and rising expectations around value, relevance and connection. In this opening Main Stage panel, leaders from across attractions, consumer events, comedy, theatre, immersive experiences and music will take an unfiltered look at the reality of selling live experiences right now.
This session will explore what has genuinely changed over the last year across sales, communications and marketing, what assumptions are no longer holding, and where there is unexpected stability. From audience decision-making and pricing sensitivity to channel performance, content fatigue and team capability, the panel will surface the patterns that are emerging across very different experience types.
Building on the ground-breaking honesty shared in 2025, this conversation will focus on the common threads that bind the sector together, even as formats and audiences diverge. Expect practical insight, candid reflection and a clear-eyed assessment of what feels certain, what doesn’t, and how marketers can respond with confidence in an ever-changing market.
11:00
COFFEE BREAK
11:15
11:15 - 12:00 • Friday 15th May
Keynote, Main Stage
PLANNING IN UNCERTAIN TIMES: THE ECONOMY, GLOBAL EVENTS AND THE FUTURE OF LIVE
12:00
COFFEE BREAK
12:15
12:15 - 13:00 • Friday 15th May
Panel, Main Stage
To Be ANNOUNCED…
13:00
Lunch
14:00
TO Be ANNOUNCED…
14:00 - 14:45 • Friday 15th May
Panel, Main Stage
14:45
FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: WHAT OTHER SECTORS SEE THAT WE MIGHT MISS
Sometimes the most valuable insight comes from those not operating inside the bubble. In this panel, marketing leaders from outside the experience economy share the trends, behaviours and shifts they are seeing across other sectors and how they are adapting their strategies in response.
The discussion will explore how audience expectations, emotional drivers and decision-making are evolving beyond live experiences, and what that means for brands competing for attention, trust and spend. From data use and personalisation to community-building, brand purpose and content fatigue, panellists will reflect on what feels different, what feels universal, and what the experience economy may be slow to notice.
This session invites attendees to step back, challenge assumptions and see their own work through a wider lens. Expect practical takeaways, fresh perspective and uncomfortable but useful truths about where opportunity might lie when we look beyond our own sector.
14:45 - 15:30 • Friday 15th May
Panel, Main Stage
15:30
fresh tea & biscuits served
15:45
THE FUTURE IS INTERACTIVE: WHY AUDIENCES WANT TO PARTICIPATE, NOT JUST WATCH
From VR experiences on the high street and live esports events to immersive treasure hunts, escape rooms and fitness-led entertainment, interactive experiences are reshaping what audiences expect from live. The question is no longer whether people will attend, but whether the experience invites them to participate.
This panel explores the rapid rise of interactivity within the experience economy and what it reveals about changing audience behaviour. Why do audiences increasingly value agency, choice and involvement? How does participation deepen emotional connection and memory-making? And what does this shift mean for how experiences are designed, marketed and sold?
Our panelists will examine where interactive formats are succeeding, what they understand about attention, play and identity, and how brands and producers can build meaningful interaction without gimmicks. The discussion will focus on the balance between technology and human connection, and how interactivity can create loyalty, advocacy and long-term value when done well.
15:45 - 16:30 • Friday 15th May
Panel, Main Stage
16:30
THE FASHION OF EXPERIENCES: WHAT AUDIENCES CHOOSE, VALUE AND SHOW UP FOR
16:30 - 17:15 • Friday 15th May
Panel, Main Stage
Why do some live experiences sell out instantly while others struggle to find momentum? Why do certain formats thrive in Europe but barely break even in the UK? And how do cultural taste, emotional connection and social signalling influence what audiences choose to spend their time and money on?
This closing panel explores the idea of “cultural fashion” within the experience economy – the shifting behaviours, emotional needs and social drivers that determine what feels relevant, desirable and worth attending right now. From ballet and sport to immersive experiences, gifting and memory-led consumption, our panellists will unpack where growth is happening in uncertain times and why.
The discussion will examine how successful experiences are aligning with audience emotion, identity and values, what their marketing strategies reveal about changing behaviour, and how marketers can respond without chasing trends for the sake of it. Expect practical insight into how cultural relevance is built, how emotional resonance drives demand, and what today’s audience behaviour can teach us about designing and marketing experiences that truly connect.