COVID-19 Events & Brand Experience Hub

Frequently Asked Questions

Things are looking up for the events industry in Australia as The New South Wales Government has announced a major rolling back of COVID-19 restrictions, including removing the capacity limit for corporate events.

From Monday 7 December, maximum capacity limits for corporate events will only be determined by the one person per two square metres rule.

Other venues and gatherings, including hospitality venues, regional agricultural shows, weddings, funerals and retail, will also move to the one person per two square metres rule.

Dancefloors will be limited to 50 people indoors.

Also from Monday, outdoor stadiums and theatres can increase to 100 per cent seated capacity, and one person per two square metres for unstructured seating areas, while indoor stadiums and theatres can operate at 75 per cent capacity.

Gatherings in outdoor public spaces will increase to 100 people, outdoor events that are fenced, ticketed and seated (subject to the 2sqm rule) will be increased to up to 5,000 people, and other organised outdoor events, such as community sport and outdoor protests, will increase to 3,000 (subject to the 2sqm rule).

Victoria COVIDSafe Summer restrictions

Under COVIDSafe Summer restrictions some indoor and outdoor entertainment and cultural venues can increase the number of patrons they have:

Dance floors can open in pubs and bars for a maximum of 50 people and the four square metre rule applied.
Indoor and outdoor seated entertainment venues can open for up to 75 per cent of seating capacity (up to a maximum of 1,000 patrons).
Large venues, such as the NGV and Princess Theatre, can open for up to 50 per cent capacity of the total venue (up to a maximum of 1,000 patrons).
Outdoor non-seated entertainment venues can open. They must apply the two square metre rule.
Indoor non-seated entertainment venues can open for up to 50 per cent of capacity (up to a maximum of 1,000 patrons).
Casinos can open. The four square metre rule must be applied. Electronic records must be kept. Gaming tables and machines must be at least 1.5m apart. COVID Marshals must be onsite during operating hours.
Arcades, bingo centres and escape rooms can open. They must apply the two square metre rule to ensure people can keep 1.5 metres away from others.
Large venues that host more than 500 people at one time must publish their COVIDSafe Plans online.
There are no limits on how far you can travel to visit an entertainment, arts or cultural venue. 
To keep their staff and customers safe businesses need to follow cleaning, signage and record keeping requirements.

Some of the requirements to be addressed in your COVID-19 safety plan include:

The wellbeing of staff and attendees
Physical distancing
Hygiene and cleaning
Record keeping

We encourage you to involve us early in your project’s planning phase so we can help you navigate the new COVID-19 protocols and recommend the best format for your event - e.g. hybrid, online or face-to-face event.

Please also refer to your local State websites for the latest updates.

NSW:

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/what-you-can-and-cant-do-under-rules\

VICTORIA:

https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/entertainment-and-culture

QLD:

https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/government-actions/covid-safe-events

WA:

https://www.wa.gov.au/government/document-collections/covid-19-coronavirus-events

SA:

https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/restrictions-and-responsibilities/activities-and-gatherings

NT:

https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/business-and-work/business/guidelines-for-events-and-gatherings

TASMANIA:

https://coronavirus.tas.gov.au/families-community/gatherings-density-and-physical-distancing

It’s a good question. As restrictions begin to ease, there are already opportunities for brands to communicate with their audiences face-to-face. However, previous behaviours may no longer be applicable so it’s important to find out what’s changed and review your engagement strategy before engaging with your audience. We're seeing positive behaviours from people in both NSW and QLD and believe this will translate over to corporate events if correct procedures are implemented.

We are lucky to live in a society where technological advances are enabling us to stay connected whilst not physically being connected. Social media and technology have become an important source of our daily lives that provides context as all communities are forced to move online.

So what are the ways in which we can ensure attendees feel connected whilst physically distancing? As stated above, the obvious is connection through technology, examples of this include:

Create more personalised one on one interactions at your events
Deliver a hybrid experience consisting of a physical and digital component - e.g. virtual events via live stream or group chats and forums, providing a hybrid solution so those uncomfortable attending a face-to-face event still have the opportunity to engage
Digital games to remove personal contact but still keep attendees engaged
Social media and other online forums for attendees to share their experience
Create a playlist to stream, inviting guests to simultaneously listen to the same music on their devices during your event
Share ecomaps to attendees to provide information - e.g. who can help you? Where can I source this information? Etc.

Consider your objectives and whether or not a face-to-face event is suitable right now.

The same rules apply to your content and key messaging for events as they always have, now, there is simply more precaution. You can find out more about persevering event strategies that continue to stay ahead of the curb in The New Experience 2020 Report.

This is a guide our team has curated with expert opinions, analytic insights, and our own professional experiences. Download a copy and see for yourself.

Safety has always been a top priority at Sense. Our projects are assessed individually with advice from our go-to safety manager, Momo Vassilev as well as other expert stakeholders when required.

There will be a lot more to consider during the planning and delivery of future events to adhere to the new COVID-19 safety protocols and health & safety regulations.

Checking these boxes will be important to ensure everyone's safety, but it doesn’t stop there. The design of the space can also contribute to creating an environment where the audience feels safe, can immerse themselves in the experience, and engage with the content.

Sense is committed to taking all necessary precautions as recommended by relevant state and federal authorities to protect businesses and people coming together.

We will keep our clients informed as the new guidelines become available.

Our advice is to talk to us first and to get us involved in the planning phase. Conditions are changing day by day, as new information becomes available and we observe how the hospitality, tourism and other sectors respond. We are closely monitoring brands and market activity in Australia and around the world. We’re working on new formats, processes and designs to help our clients navigate through this and return to business sooner. Get in touch with us to arrange a workshop to discuss alternative ways to engage your audience and achieve your key objectives.

The New Experience Report

What's inside?

Key societal shifts and trends taking place around the globe
A new experience framework for delivering successful brand experiences
‘Best in Class’ examples of experience design
The necessary experience tactics to succeed

Download your copy

COVID-19 Podcast Learning Series

Sense’s 'Behind The Experience' podcast, hosted by co-founder and director Mark Bennedick, puts the spotlight on our industry's best talent and interviews forward-thinking leaders of innovative, purpose-driven brands making an impact with brand experiences.

In our COVID-19 learning series, we’ve curated some of the best business minds from companies like Adobe and Atlassian to understand how they’re handling business, as well as globally renowned experts in behavioural science, innovation and creativity. See our recent episodes below.

COVID-19 Events & Brand Experience Hub

So what is the COVID-19 Events & Brand Experience Hub?

Frequently Asked Questions

The New Experience Report

COVID-19 Podcast Learning Series

Sense Blog Articles

Frequently Asked Questions

The New Experience Report

What's inside?

COVID-19 Podcast Learning Series

Sense Blog Articles

Get in touch about your next project