Staging an event

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Staging an event

• Rachael Rob
• British Postgraduate
• Philosophy Association
• Masterclass
• www.bppa-online.org.uk

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Should you do it?

• Transferable skills
• Collaboration
• Make a contribution to academic community

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Some defining factors

• Whats the event for?
• Whos it for?
• Length of conference day or overnight?
• Date of conference term or vacation?
• Price how much should delegates pay?

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Moneymoneymoney

• Head of Department
• AHRC
• Journals and trusts
• Publishers and magazines
• Attendees

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Checklist

• Appoint a treasurer
• Draw up a timetable
• Plan the programme
• Keynote address / speaker
• Book venue / accommodation
• Set selection criteria
• Advertise. Set deadlines
• Catering. Who cant eat nuts?

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Advertising

• Emails. PHILOS-L, departments
• Focused campaign
• Get suggestions from speaker
• Website
• Posters. Send to departments
• Dont forget to mention your sponsors
• Shameless plugs

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Event Runs Itself

• Well done you!

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Set yourself goals, high and noble goals, and
perish in pursuit of them! I know of no better
life purpose than to perish in attempting the
great and the impossible...

• - Nietzsche

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Should you do it?

• At times
• things will go wrong
• you wont be appreciated
• youll think What am I doing?
• it will take more time than you thought
• you could go to jail

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Some things you cant plan for

• Nature of event depends, partially, on who turns
  up
• People might drop out
• Acts of God.
• Trains, floods, locked doors, fire drills, etc.

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Moneymoneymoney

• Outside academia, people are strange
• People who give you money want things from you
• Your projected costs are wrong
• How much will people pay? Strike a balance
• How little can you give someone without them
  being offended?

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Attracting attendees

• People dont check their emails during the
  holidays
• Asking for enough
• Not asking for too much
• There might be a last-minute rush
• There might not be a last-minute rush

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Event is stressful

• but fun
• Well done you!

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