How an idea becomes a real, working event

Festival School: Event Production is a practical learning session that shares the thinking, care and craft behind turning creative ideas into real, working events.

Drawing on Hidden Beach’s experience of producing cultural programmes, festivals and community gatherings, this session makes visible the often-hidden work that sits behind meaningful public experiences — from shaping an idea into a plan, to understanding how people, time and resources come together in practice.

Rather than offering abstract theory, the session shares lived knowledge and practical insight into how events are imagined, organised and held with care.

Participants are invited to explore how creative projects move from inspiration to reality, and how thoughtful planning can reduce stress, support collaboration and make space for creativity to flourish.

In this session, participants explore

• How an initial idea becomes a clear and workable plan

• What needs to happen in what order to bring an event into being

• Who needs to be involved at different stages of a project

• How time, people and resources are balanced in practice

• How potential challenges can be anticipated and held with care

Why this matters

Events and cultural projects shape how people gather, connect and experience place. Yet the skills that make them work well are often invisible and undervalued.

By sharing this knowledge openly, Festival School: Event Production supports creative practitioners, community organisers and emerging producers to build confidence, capability and responsibility in how they bring people together.

This contributes to stronger cultural practice, more resilient community projects, and a healthier ecosystem for grassroots creativity.

Who it’s for

• Emerging event producers and cultural organisers

• Artists and creatives interested in developing their own projects

• Community organisers and volunteers

• Anyone curious about how events are created and held well

No prior experience is required.

Dates & release

One session in August 2026 as part of the Hidden Beach Summer of Culture programme.
Full details released March 2026.