Tips and Thoughts on Inclusivity and Diversity in Experiential Event Marketing and Production

September 6, 2023

Charity Hill

Charity Hill is the co-founder and managing partner of EPIC Entertainment Group, a collective of innovative producers, experiential marketers and creative designers whose sole mission is to produce unrivaled immersive experiences while having a kick-ass time doing it. Launched in 2016, the group’s team of fine-tuned, experienced architects execute every facet of development, production, operation and integration with flawless precision for events of every scope and scale.

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace aren’t new concepts, but companies that organically realize these aspects in their culture undoubtedly see varied viewpoints and perspectives worked into their day-to-day operations. For some companies, this is simply part of their fabric and is quietly woven into their culture.

The practice of inclusion attracts a diverse group of people with unique perspectives, backgrounds and experiences that can positively weave into the work of your team and execution of events. Here are some ideas for fostering a more inclusive and diverse workplace at your organization:

It’s important to normalize inclusion in an authentic way as well as to recognize that even though we strive to be inclusive, that doesn’t mean we have an immediate understanding of where someone is coming from. Diversity affords event organizers a vantage point. It allows the ability to seamlessly produce and to fit in just about any community, reflecting the cultural nuances necessary for event success.
Be open to recognizing that you don’t come from the same background, place or experiences as everyone else. It’s important to listen to and hear the people around you to incorporate their feedback and viewpoints when you’re putting together your team and creating your workflow and production of events.
Consider creating opportunities in productions to help push your team to their own boundaries, and you may see it translate to the audiences’ experience as well. We’ve created unique roles and characters in past productions that allow people to bring in their own personalities to enhance these performances, and we create an environment where everyone has a voice, no matter who they are and where they come from.
Push productions that can be considered a safe space where everyone feels welcome and guests can see themselves represented in some way. This will leave attendees feeling included and satisfied.

Inclusivity, as it pertains to multi-dimensional storytelling, has allowed event pros to produce educational and informative events across the country in diverse locations. We work to bring our team together in a genuine way and lift up the voices we are most trying to understand. It’s not a numbers game or a perception game; it’s about walking the walk and magnifying and amplifying those voices and views.

When people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives are brought together and included in the narrative of a live production project, the innovation and creativity brought to the table can be endless, which creates not only a more responsive workforce but also productions that audiences can relate to, feel represented by and ultimately leave feeling fulfilled.

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