News Archives - Page 19 of 25

With our 18th birthday on the horizon, we decided to take a look back at some notable events and highlights over the years so far. This week we are reminiscing on when we hosted young creatives for Gallery 37 and the following year when we hosted the largest ball pit in the country!

2016 – Gallery 37 Season
On September 10th 2016, we hosted a free music and art showcase event called Gallery 37 in our main atrium space here at Millennium Point. The programme explored space as a theme, making our Atrium the perfect venue thanks to the futuristic interior.

(Video Credit: Puch Records)

Participants of Gallery 37 were able to showcase their work to a room filled with live musicians, poets, spoken word performers, dancers and many other great creative talents.

Local street food provider, Taste and Liquor, was on-site serving up an array of delicious fresh food, and attendees enjoyed live performances throughout the day from Apples and Snakes, Beatfreeks, Sticky Toffee, Paul Steadman, Terri Walker and RoxXxan. The showcase featured a range of masterclasses and workshops with creative career advice and industry events to get involved in.

Overall the event was a great initiative with lots of opportunities for people to learn new skills and network, while also just having a great time.

We look forward to honouring our ongoing commitment to support and encourage education amongst youth across the West Midlands, with many more fantastic events like this!

2017- Ball Mania in the Atrium

In May of 2017, for just a few days, Millennium Point hosted a crazy, one-off event at the Atrium event space called ‘Ball Mania’. Lights and music helped complete the atmosphere and guests were able to escape the reality of an exhausting 9 to 5, to see just how deep they could bury themselves in the 200,000 plastic balls flooding our Atrium space. The ball pit created was the largest in the country, and to add to the experience, we dotted huge, adult-sized inflatables around the space as props for games like catch, tig and hide and seek.

Although a one-off event for us here at Millennium Point, Ball Mania was part of a UK wide tour and followed on from a similar, successful event in Manchester.

It’s safe to say the event was pretty different to our usual day-to-day happenings here at Millennium Point, but it was a fantastic way to allow adults across Birmingham to come and transport back to their childhood with family, friends and colleagues.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.

We’re delighted to announce that we are planning to open our doors on Monday 6^th July.

Here at Millennium Point, we value the wellbeing of our team and all of those who work and visit our multi-award-winning venue above all else. Our highly accredited team have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that our building is safe, clean and compliant with the latest government guidelines. Now we are delighted to announce that we are gearing up to open our doors and welcome you back from Monday 6^th July.

OUR EVENT SPACES ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS
We will be able to deliver events in our venue from Monday 6^th July. Our team are available now to handle your enquiries and offer no-strings-attached guided tours of our venue spaces. There are two options available for guided tours:

GUIDED TOUR
Contact-free guided tour of our spaces conducted by a member of the Event Sales team upholding the latest social distancing and hygiene measures

VIRTUAL TOUR
Online guided tour conducted by a member of the Event Sales team over Zoom or equivalent video conference software

HOW HAVE WE ACHIEVED A SAFE, CLEAN AND COMPLIANT MILLENNIUM POINT?

We have outlined five key areas in which we have introduced enhanced measures and processes to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for clients and visitors on reopening. To show our commitment to these five key areas we have produced a four-page document called our Client Protection Plan which we announced at the start of June. We have outlined these key areas below.

This plan is our blueprint which will continue to be revised, improved and updated based on key learnings, client and visitor feedback as well as the latest in UK government guidelines and destination and hospitality industry advice as it emerges.

SAME AWARD-WINNING SERVICE… JUST WITH A LITTLE TWIST
The way we deliver events will be a little bit different from what our clients are used to. However, our team have worked hard to make sure that the measures we have put in place minimise health risks without compromising the scope and vision of your event. Our team will keep in regular contact with you to ensure you receive the same award-winning-service that you have come to expect. Here’s some of the ways in which we’ve prepared our venue.

SIGNAGE AND MARKINGS
We have implemented signage and floor markings around our venue to assist our visitors in maintaining the latest social distancing guidelines.

TRAINED STAFF
All our staff have received the latest training around COVID-19 and health and safety. Before your event, your designated event manager will work with you to ensure your event is compliant to the latest coronavirus advice and guidance. Our friendly events staff will be on hand on the day to remind guests in a polite and courteous manner of the rules and ensure that they are upheld.

REDUCED CAPACITIES AND ADAPTED LAYOUTS
One of our selling points has always been our very spacious rooms. We have adapted our layouts to comply with the latest UK government guidelines.

While this does mean reduced maximum capacities for our spaces, we guarantee the same level of award-winning service. We will work with you to make sure that we are doing everything we can to make your delegates feel comfortable and to ensure the look and feel of your event isn’t affected.

ENHANCED TECHNOLOGY
Our venue benefits from superfast wi-fi and we have recently announced our live video streaming bolt-on for your event. This allows delegates unable to attend to join virtually. Our team will take care of the high-quality live stream which will be hosted on our website. This means you can reach more people without worrying about capacities within the venue.

CONTACT FREE CATERING
All food offerings at break times will be presented in individually sealed packs and you will have the option to use disposable cups and cutlery for food and beverages. Don’t worry, these are bio-degradable and recyclable.

INCREASED HYGIENE AND CLEANLINESS
Hand sanitiser will be readily available for delegates throughout your event, we can also provide facemasks and gloves on request – simply speak to your event manager before the day of your event.

We have increased our already rigorous cleaning practices to ensure both you and they feel comfortable within the space and within the proximity of others. Our event spaces, including tables, surfaces and equipment, are deep cleaned before and after your event by our staff. Our building is also deep cleaned on a regular basis.

WHAT IF I HAVE TO CANCEL OR POSTPONE MY EVENT?
From Monday 6^th July, any new meetings or events confirmed with us are protected under our new flexibility policy. We promise that should they subsequently be unable to go ahead due to COVID-19, then we will transfer your booking to a mutually agreeable future date – penalty-free.

START YOUR ENQUIRY NOW

ON THE PHONE

You can chat to our friendly events team between 8am – 5:30pm every weekday on 0121 202 2200.

ONLINE

Fill out our quick enquiry form online and a member of our team will get in touch as quickly as possible.

OVER EMAIL START YOUR ENQUIRY NOW

Email our events team at [email protected].

Disclaimer: All information contained within this blog is correct and accurate at the time of writing. Practices and measures are subject to change based on the latest government and industry guidance. We recommend you always check with a member of our events team at the time of enquiry.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

Today is International Women in Engineering Day and we’re here to give you a quick lowdown on what it is and why it is important.

WHAT IS INTERNATION WOMEN IN ENGINEERING DAY?
International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) is an annual day of celebration which highlights the achievements of women in Engineering today and in the past. It’s also a day of action where schools, businesses and communities across the globe host events that celebrate and encourage women into Engineering. For more information, resources and news please check out the official INWED website here.

(Video Credit: INWED on Youtube)

WHAT IS IT TO MILLENNIUM POINT?
The Millennium Point Charitable Trust contributes more than £5m back into the West Midlands region through projects, events and initiatives. We work with schools, businesses, charities and not-for-profits to facilitate partnerships and lead the conversation on STEM in the region.

Our commitment to STEM includes reducing the skills gap and increasing inclusivity and equality within STEM education and industries. International Women in Engineering day is an important part of celebrating the work and livelihood of women who are changing the landscape of STEM – and we intend to do our part.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO RECOGNISE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING?
That’s a big question. It forms part of a wider conversation covering a myriad of subjects and issues well beyond the purpose of this blog. However, it relates to the STEM skills gap. As of 2018, there is a shortfall of 173,000 skilled workers as 89% of businesses struggle to recruit. On average the shortage is costing businesses £1.5bn a year and hinders the economic growth of the UK.

Part of the problem is the lack of diversity and inclusion in STEM. Historically, STEM industries, particularly in engineering, have not been inclusive to women. According to Engineering UK 2018, 12.37% of all engineers are women in the UK. In education, only 46.4% of girls 11-14 would consider a career in engineering compared to 70.3% of boys. Add into the mixed-race, gender and sexuality and the figures are even lower.

What we see is a loss of potential talent through conditions which marginalise key groups like women in pursuing engineering. Events such as INWED and organisations like the Millennium Point Charitable Trust create opportunities which encourage change and support businesses and educators to create more inclusive environments; attracting more skilled women to step into those currently empty roles and reduce the skills gap.

WHAT CAN I DO?
Check out these websites:
These websites have information about INWED as well as general information, stats and useful resources on how to get involved and encourage more women into engineering.

Women’s Engineering Society
International Women in Engineering Day
STEM Learning

We also recommend checking out the 2019/2020 regional skills plan from the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Celebrate the past:
Learn about pioneering women in engineering like Sarah Guppy (1770 – 1852), Alice Perry (1885 – 1969) and Dorothy Donaldson Buchanan (1899 – 1985) among others. They are shown in order from left to right below.

Support the future:
Actively seek women currently in engineering roles and ask about what they do and their journey. Learn first-hand what it is like to be a woman in engineering in 2020. Similarly, talk about engineering with girls – whether that’s your daughter, your niece or a friend’s daughter.

THE MILLENNIUM POINT SCHOLARSHIP
The Millennium Point Charitable Trust fully funds one undergraduate degree each year at Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. At the time of writing, we have two female engineers who have picked up the prize. If you or someone you know is looking to pursue a degree in engineering then apply over on our scholarship page.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

We are proud to announce our Upfront Commission Pledge which gives venue booking agents 50% of their commission up front.

At Millennium Point we believe that now, more than ever, we need to support our agents as much as they support us. Moving forward we will be giving booking agents 50% of their commission up front. This means that when the booking is confirmed and deposit received from the client, we will release 50% of the agent’s commission there and then as our way of saying thank you. Following the delivery of the event, the agent will then receive the remaining 50% as usual. For more information and to read the terms and conditions of this pledge please visit our dedicated page.

We are taking enquiries now and are award-winning events team are offering no-strings contact-free guided tours of our venue now both in person and virtually. Our landmark building in Birmingham City centre has 17 versatile and spacious event spaces including our 354-seat auditorium with Birmingham’s biggest screen.

This pledge is part of a wider initiative by our multi-award winning venue to protect clients, agents and events in response to COVID-19 and the ramifications on the events and hospitality industry. Earlier this month we announced our well-received Client Protection Plan. This plan outlines the five key areas in which we are focussing on in order to minimise the risk and impact of the pandemic without compromising the quality and scope of events that we deliver on behalf of clients.

Read our Client Protection Plan

Also announced as part of our response is our brand new live video streaming bolt-on which allows delegates to virtually attend events without the need for social distancing or travelling. Live video streaming also allows clients to reach a wider audience which increases engagement and exposure for their events.

Find out more about our live video streaming bolt-on.

Get in touch with our experienced events team today to why our venue is the ideal location for your next event.

Enquire via our online booking form
Email our team at [email protected]
Call our team on 0121 202 2200

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

As the lockdown eases across the UK, businesses are gearing up for a full return to work and with it, many event bookers are now turning their attention in earnest towards event planning.

The Millennium Point team have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure our landmark public building and multi-award-winning venue is safe, clean and ready for when we open our doors next month. Last week, we announced that event bookers can now book a contact-free guided tour or an online virtual tour of our venue with a member of our Event Sales team.

With that in mind, here’s why you should choose Millennium Point for your small meeting.

SPACIOUS, CLEAN AND FORWARD THINKING
We have 7 flexible meeting rooms located across Level 2 and 4 of our multi-award-winning venue. From simple to sophisticated, there is everything you need to make your small meeting a success.

As outlined in our Client Protection Plan, each meeting room is cleaned thoroughly as part of our rigorous cleaning schedule and will be deep cleaned prior to your event. Our meeting rooms provide ample space for delegates with layout and signage adapted for the latest social distancing regulations.

Lastly, you will benefit from our forward-thinking technology with access to high-speed Wi-Fi offering smart conference solutions allowing for additional delegates to dial in from wherever they are. We have AV equipment, from screens and projectors to lights that can be programmed to match your brand giving you a fully immersive meeting experience.

CONNECT EVENT SUITE
Connect is a purpose-built sophisticated event suite located on Level 2 of our venue. Connect consists of four interconnected rooms which can be combined to create a combination of small meeting set-ups from intimate workshopping to formal board meetings. Each room in Connect is equipped with ready-to-use AV including HD screens, projection facilities, high-speed wi-fi and temperature and light controls. Connect also includes four hot drinks machines which can be included in your package.

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ENGINE, INTER-CITY & JUNCTION
Our next space available is our triple event suite on level 4. Engine is the largest of the three rooms, with ample space to conduct your small meeting. Inter-city is the medium-sized meeting space, suitable for board room meetings and Junction is the smallest for more intimate small meetings or workshopping. Engine is equipped with ready-to-use projection facilities while Inter-city and Junction are equipped with large HD Screens ideal for presentations.

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CATERING & REFRESHMENTS
We now offer contact free catering options that minimise hygiene risks without compromising on the satisfaction of your delegates. Food items are individually wrapped or sealed with options for biodegradable cups and cutlery which will be recycled after use.

ENQUIRE NOW

Getting in touch is quick and easy:

ON THE PHONE

You can chat to our friendly events team between 8am – 5:30pm every weekday on 0121 202 2200.

ONLINE

Fill out our quick enquiry form online and a member of our team will get in touch as quickly as possible.

OVER EMAIL

Email our events team at [email protected].

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

With our 18th birthday on the horizon, we are taking a look back at some notable events and highlights over the years so far. Millennium Point was conceived in 1999 as the catalyst for the regeneration of the Eastside of Birmingham city centre. It was opened officially on 2nd July 2002 by HRH Queen Elizabeth II, and today is the last remaining Millennium Project remaining outside of London. Our nature as a public building, commercial events venue and charitable trust means that our building means a lot to many different people for a variety of different reasons and various times within the almost two decades of our existence.

This week we are looking at the inception of the Young Innovator Prize – what has become known today as our annual Millennium Point Trust Scholarship competition – and the closure of the renowned Giant Screen Cinema.

2014 – Millennium Point Launched the Young Innovator Prize (Millennium Point Scholarship)
Today, we’re delighted to see that there is a significant emphasis made by the government and local authorities on skills pertaining to roles in science, technology, engineering and maths (known collectively as ‘STEM’) both in education and in business (although there is still a long way to go in bridging the STEM skills gap and addressing wider issues such as inequality and diversity). Back in the early 2010s, however, this was not the case.

In 2014, Millennium Point’s Charitable Trust arm partnered with our tenants, Birmingham City University, to launch the Young Innovator Prize. This initiative was designed to encourage young people to consider careers in STEM by offering one lucky winner a fully funded undergraduate degree at Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. A call was put out to school leavers across the West Midlands region and six young hopefuls were selected to compete in a live final of the competition the following March. The launch event took place in our Atrium space in December 2014, where our then CEO Philip Singleton announced the competition alongside (then) Dean of BCU’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment and engineer and popular BBC Presenter Kate Bellingham, known for presenting the BBC 1 Tomorrow’s World.

(L – R) Mel Lees, Kate Bullingham and Philip Singleton at the launch of the inaugrual Young Innovator Prize

The first final was hosted by popular comedian, writer and broadcaster Robin Ince and saw then 17-year old Malik Sheryar-Karamat from Ark St Alban’s claim the sponsorship prize.

Then 17-year old Malik Sheryar-Karamat from Ark St Alban’s claim the sponsorship prize.

Malik graduated with 1st Class Honours in Mechanical Engineering in 2018.

In 2017, the Young Innovator Prize was overhauled to what it’s known today as the Millennium Point Scholarship. This overhaul was part of a wider refresh that the Millennium Point Charitable Trust was undergoing in order to increase the visibility and impact of the charity’s contributions back into the West Midlands region. The scholarship is still running today, with the most recent winner, 28-year old Shennice Talburt, being crowned back in March this year.

Scholarship 2020 Finalists (From Left to Right) Kallum Wright, Chloe Copeland, Shennice Talburt, Lauren Davies, Amber Kelsey.

The competition will open again from September for students looking to study at Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.

2015 – The Last Performance at Millennium Point’s Giant Screen Cinema.

In our 2010/2011 Birthday blog, we talked about the transition from IMAX to the Giant Screen before alluding to its subsequent closure.

Following a great 14-year-long run, The Giant Screen Cinema’s time at Millennium Point was drawing to a close, and what better way to say goodbye than with one last epic movie night?

The movie chosen for the final performance was from the world famous fantasy film series and the second-highest-grossing film of 2014 – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. With the incredible sound quality and a 70ft x 41ft cinema screen, over 100 people were able to sit and enjoyed the show.

The Giant Screen Cinema as seen from the outside of Millennium Point

Both iterations of the cinema as an IMAX and the Giant Screen is something that was close to the hearts of Brummies and something that many will still reference today. Unfortunately, the closure was a sign of the times with increased competition and a rapid decline in attendance, it was no longer sustainable for the charitable trust to uphold. Their legacy lives on, however, in the Millennium Point you have come to know today.

The foyer of the Giant Screen Cinema in 2014. This is now our event space Platform.

The foyer of the cinema on level 1 was transformed into the flexible open plan event space Platform. This space features an in-situ, fully licenced bar and slick audio-visual equipment including multiple HD repeater screens and PA system.

Platform is available for hire for events

The installation of a new white screen and 4K digital projector means that the former cinema, now known as the Auditorium, is still a key attraction for client events held at our multi-award winning venue. To this day, the quality of the auditorium remains outstanding and has become the home for major events in the region such as the Birmingham Film Festival and VSFighting.

Our Auditorium is the home of several major events including Birmingham Film Festival and can be hired now

The Auditorium is available for hire right now suitable for a wide range of great events from film screenings to product launches and live performances. Find out more by visiting the dedicated page or getting in contact with our friendly events team on 0121 202 2200 or [email protected]

Concerned about hosting events? Read Millennium Point’s Client Protection Plan which outlines everything we are doing to ensure the safety and well being of your people and ours to prevent the spread of coronavirus when delivering events in our building.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

With our 18th birthday on the horizon, we decided to take a look back at some notable events and highlights over the years so far. This week, we are looking at our car park getting recognition as one of the ‘coolest’ in the world (you read that right) and our role in one of the best drama shows in recent memory.

2012 – Millennium Point welcomes AC-12

Steve Arnott, Ted Hastings (like the battle) and Kate Fleming all called Millennium Point home in the first series of BBC crime drama Line of Duty.

Jed Mercurio’s gripping series, centred on the efforts of a police anti-corruption unit to tackle ‘bent coppers’, transformed our meeting complex into interrogation rooms as the case of DCI Tony Gates unfolded.

Millennium Point was used for internal shots of the Police headquarters – most notably in episode three of the first series – where you can see our iconic Atrium, glass elevators and space-age looking escalators!

Notice the view of Curzon Street Station through the slats on the front of our building.

In this scene, the camera is looking down on level 4 of the building. You can see our escalators and a glimpse of our auditorium.

The first series was famously filmed in Birmingham with several other landmarks and familiar sites including the Grade II listed pub in the Jewellery Quarter, The Queens Arms and Broadstreet also spotted in several scenes.

The show has gone on to be recognised as one of the BBC’s most successful projects and we are proud to have played our part in its opening series.

2013 – ‘Worlds Coolest Car Park’?

Now, the terms ‘car park’ and ‘cool’ don’t often go hand-in-hand, but we have always set out to be different… In 2013, the Jennens Road multi-storey, which glows blue at night, was one of ten facilities vying for the title of Coolest Car Park in the World.

The cuboid structure which sits next to Millennium Point is one of many Birmingham buildings built in the ‘Brutalist’ style of architecture. The car park is owned by Birmingham City Council and designed by its in-house architects Urban Design.

Millennium Point multi-storey Car Park at night time (image credit: Elliot Brown)

So there you have it! Next time you think Millennium Point; well as remembering (obviously) that we’re a multi-award winning events & conference venue, landmark public building and charitable trusts; remember that we’re both the home of a super cool cop drama and a super cool car park!

If you’re interested in using Millennium Point for filming purposes, get in touch with our team online or by calling 0121 202 2200.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

We are delighted to announce contact-free tours of our venue available now for event bookers.

WHAT IS IT?

Our contact-free tours offer event clients more flexibility to start planning their events safely and in a way suitable to their needs. This forms part of what we’re doing as an events venue to ensure we minimise the spread of coronavirus without compromising on your scope or vision so that you can book your next event with confidence at Millennium Point.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

We have two options that will allow event bookers to tour our versatile event spaces in a manner that is safe and readily available to suit your needs. Millennium Point has 17 flexible event spaces, from fully furnished small meeting rooms to a breathtaking 354-seat auditorium equipped with one of the largest screens in Birmingham. To view our event spaces, click here.

OPTION 1: GUIDED TOUR

The first option is a face-to-face tour of the building. Event bookers can request a face-to-face meeting with a member of the team to tour our event spaces. These tours will adhere to the latest social distancing guidelines highlighted by the UK government as well as the additional measures the venue has put in place to minimise risk for both clients and employees including the use of hand sanitiser and maintaining social distancing.

(Above: Event Sales Manager, Vikki Webb conducting a contact-free guided tour with a potential client)

OPTION 2: VIRTUAL TOUR

The second option is a fully online virtual showround lead by a member of the Millennium Point Event Sales team. Venue bookers can now tour the venue’s 17 spaces virtually while discussing specifics and receiving advice and guidance from a member of the friendly events team. Virtual tours will be hosted through Zoom but we can also use another video conference platform if preferable.

(Above: Virtual tour of our 354-seat auditorium)

HOW DO I GET IN TOUCH?
Booking your virtual tour is quick and easy:

ON THE PHONE

You can chat to our friendly events team between 8am – 5:30pm every weekday on 0121 202 2200.

ONLINE

Fill out our quick enquiry form online and a member of our team will get in touch as quickly as possible.

OVER EMAIL

Email our events team at [email protected].

BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE

The main priority of our award-winning events team has, and always will be, to ensure the safety of our clients and their event bookings with Millennium Point.

This new way of conducting a site visit of our event spaces is part of our wider efforts to support event clients. You can also read our Client Protection Plan (CPP), a 4-page document addresses the five key areas in which the organisation has focussed on to protect clients, employees and visitors against Coronavirus. These areas include space and social distancing measures, cleanliness and hygiene and the use of technology to allow virtual attendance at events through HD live streaming.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

In the current climate, outdoor events are becoming an increasingly attractive idea for event organisers. The fresh air and natural daylight will keep your audience happy and engaged. Most importantly, it’s a simple twist which makes it easy to implement social distancing measures to protect your delegates without compromising the scope of your event.

Millennium Point has two outdoor spaces for you to consider. This week we look at outdoor parties.

Why host an Outdoor Party?

Hosting an outdoor party is a popular idea particularly in the summer months where the promise of warm weather and sunshine is greater. The sunshine and fresh air are thought to increase serotonin levels which improve mood, meaning party guests will be happier and more engaged.

However, there is a greater benefit which you should consider. Most outdoor spaces, like at Millennium Point, are spacious. This means more opportunitiesty to implement social distancing measures to protect your staff and attendees without compromising the vision and capacity of your event.

While venues should have their own best practices for implementing social distancing measures, such as Millennium Point’s Client Protection Plan, the outdoor environment will help to reduce risk and potentially entice more guests to attend who may be anxious about large numbers in enclosed spaces.

Of course, there are some considerations which we will address later.

Hosting your Outdoor Party

Millennium Point is in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Our landmark public building is easy to spot and even easier to get to by foot, car or public transport. We have an on-site multi-storey car park and are five minutes from Moor Street and fifteen minutes from New Street Station.

Both of our outdoor spaces at Millennium Point benefit from natural sunlight. Ingress offers a closed, semi-private outdoor space. It’s adjacent to our level 1 space, Platform, which has a fully licenced bar and restroom facilities.

Promenade is our open public space which backs onto Eastside city park providing ample room ideal for staging a larger, more public outdoor party. Our promenade benefits from naturally high footfall which means more opportunity to generate a captive audience. This space has access to power and is close to our ground floor Atrium and level 1 space, Platform.

What about social distancing concerns?

As mentioned above, Millennium Point has released our Client Protection Plan (CPP) which outlines in detail how we are adapting and implementing measures to protect you, your booking, your delegates and our staff during this unprecedented time. Measures include queue management barriers, signage and floor markings and contact-free catering. For full details please visit this webpage here or get in touch with our team on 0121 202 2200.

What about bad weather?

While we can anticipate the weather, it’s never guaranteed. Millennium Point offers outdoor furniture which includes seating from chairs to beanbags, umbrellas for shade and outdoor gazebos. We can also offer pop-up bars and catering in addition to our in-door fully licenced bar. These elements can be adapted to suit your brand and theme of your event, and if we can’t meet your needs in-house, we will work with you using our network to find the best suppliers who can.

If the weather is too bad then we will work hard to offer solutions such as bringing it indoors to our Platform or 354-seat Auditorium with giant screen, again, ensuring that all precautions have been taken to make sure the event is safe and compliant with social distancing regulations.

While we can’t guarantee the weather, we can guarantee a high-level service, professional and flexible event management and a range of catering and high-tech audio-visual support.

For more information on outdoor parties please visit our dedicated page here. If you are interested in hosting an event, then please get in touch with our friendly events team for a no-strings quote.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

Millennium Point partnered with a popular local acoustic duo for a feel-good Friday concert broadcast to hundreds of viewers on Facebook Live.

On Friday 5^th June Millennium Point invited popular local musicians, Jade & JP Acoustic Duo, to perform in the multi-award-winning venue’s Platform event space for the enjoyment of people online.

JP Haslam and Jade Duncombe broadcasting live from Millennium Point

The performance included the titular duo sitting 2m apart on opposite sofas performing to cameras, which was then broadcast live through Facebook on Millennium Point’s page. The duo laughed and chatted with each other and viewers within the stream while performing an eclectic mix of popular hits from an emotional rendition of The Fugees “Killing Me Softly” to a high energy cover of “Belle of Belfast City” originally by the late Kirsty MacColl.

The duo commented, “It has been an absolutely fabulous evening, we’re so glad to have been invited here this evening by Millennium Point.” Before rounding off the evening with an explosive rendition of “River Deep – Mountain High” made famous by Tina Turner.

This two-hour performance has been viewed almost 5000 times on the social media network, with viewers hailing from Southern Ireland to Sweden. You can view the full performance on below.

(Not working? Click here)

Bringing people together

This online performance is the first of what Millennium Point hopes to be a series of events and live performances hosted remotely and safely in our award-winning venue and broadcast online for people both locally and around the world to come together and enjoy.

Millennium Point is an organisation which is, and has always been, about bringing people together. This has always been a core principle on which our organisation was founded; whether that is through the building, such as being the home of the renowned Thinktank Science Museum, through our charitable projects such as the small grants or fully funded scholarship or through the multitude of events hosted through our venue.

We believe this principle is needed now, more than ever. Friday was a great success thanks to an amazing musical act and the technology and space we have available.

While our venue is closed for the time being, we’re delighted that we can still bring people together during such a critical time.

Want to broadcast your own event?
Millennium Point has everything you need to broadcast your next big event with our live video streaming bolt-on. Get in touch with our events team on 0121 202 2200 or by contacting [email protected]. You’re in safe hands, read more about about how Millennium Point is minimising the impact of COVID-19 on events by reading our Client Protection Plan here.

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.