Hosted in the main exhibition space, our LIVEtalk stage is a fast-moving space that hosts some of the exciting and engaging content brought to us be Gloucestershire’s business community.

With discussion panels, interviews, short talks and great stories, the events can be booked via our Eventbrite page, or just stop by and tune in to the presentations as they are happening.

With theatre style seating, or the opportunity to stand at the edges and listen, the LIVEtalk Stage is hosted in the Exhibition area with the atmosphere and energy of the heart of the show”

Our WORKshop venues host a strong programme of interactive workshops and events over the two days.  These are designed to drill into some searching subjects with experiential learning and some expert advisors who will work with you to help you understand the topics better.

The Events are designed to create discussion and a better understanding, so come prepared to think, contribute and argue your point!

Our popular LIVEtalk Forum series just gets stronger with every show and makes a real contribution to the business life of the county.  We have Eight Forum discussions which cover key sectors and areas of business, details can be found in the festival Line-up

A Boardroom table style discussion chaired by an expert in the sector and with a number of sector professionals around the table, this is an accessible discussion around some of the thorny and developmental issues managed by the chair and to a prepared agenda.  The discussion is notated and forms a benchmark of where the discussion has got to.

There are an additional 20 seats in the room which can be booked via our Eventbrite page for an audience who have and interest in the forum.  The Chair of each forum will draw the audience, taking questions from the floor.

We have a number of Partner Events over the two days with Business Networking breakfasts, receptions and other networking with partner organisations that work to build a collaborative and innovative business community.

Details of our Partner events can be found in the Festival Line-up

SO WHAT IF?…. >

SO WHAT IF?…. Series Is a new initiative that we are please to present. There may be just one event, none at all, or a series of SO WHAT IF?…. Events at a given show.

The SO WHAT IF?…. Events are designed to tackle some of the more difficult and thorny business issues to which there may not be a clear answer. They are the event version of a “think piece” and bring together a group of businesses and business people who want to hear current thinking in a given area, share their own view, listen to others, discuss and argue to help move the thinking along.

Each SO WHAT IF?…. Event will be facilitated by an individual or a business, and the CBS team will work with them to engage others in that business area who have experience, knowledge or views which are important in influencing the discussion.

The event will feel a little like a PANELtalk event, but the difference is that there is a very clear expectation on the audience that they will engage will be emotionally invested in the discussion and will want to hear the current thinking and forward vision.

The SO WHAT IF?…. Event will have a largely invited audience which the facilitator and the presenting team will identify and engage well ahead of the event.  In doing so they are creating an important occasion for those invested in the discussion where they can come together in a business environment and develop the thinking in the area.

When we have the facilitator, the presentation team, the subject and the presentation agenda identified, along with invitations out from the facilitator and presenting team to those who “should” be in the discussion, we will then present the SO WHAT IF?…. Event in our event programme (if appropriate) and there will be scope for others who are less invested in the subject but have an interest to hear it to sit into the event.

The SO WHAT IF?…. Events may well have a registration page on Eventbrite so that we can understand who of the invitees and of other visitors to the show have an interest and want to engage. Using that list of registrations, we can also contact potential attendees ahead to find out the questions and thoughts that they would like to see raised and addressed in the discussion.

TO APPLY >

To propose a SO WHAT IF?…. event we initially need to hear from you with the subject matter and how you think it will work as a SO WHAT IF?…. Event. If we are agreed, then after some planning of the concept, we will need:

1. The title
2. Your Preferred Location
3. Your preferred date and time
4. The names of facilitator(s), their job title, a short Biog and a square profile photo
5. A description (50 words Max)

The SO WHAT IF?…. Facilitator and panel participants must take on primary responsibility for ensuring the audience is attracted and engaged. 

SO WHAT IF?…. event proposals should be complete and submitted by 31^st January to allow proper planning and Marketing. Applications after that date may be considered, but may or may not be accepted.