Factors To Consider For Event Stage Design: The Complete Guide.

A great event deserves a great stage. That’s because your stage is more than just a presenter’s platform. It’s the focal point that brings together your event’s theme, aesthetics, and overall mood when done right.  

A well-designed stage can help you stand out from the crowd and can be a significant factor of the experience for your audience. But before you commit to an event stage design, it’s important to consider all the factors that go into creating one.

WHAT IS EVENT STAGE DESIGN?

Event stage design is the product elements you add to the presentation space to highlight the aesthetic of your in-person events. These can be: 

•  Lighting
•  Backdrop
• Furniture
• Décor
•  AV
• Banners
• Props. 

And this is just scratching the surface of what it takes to put an event space together. This becomes even more interesting when considering that the fixtures needed also vary depending on the event type and platform. 

Such wide-ranging elements can help you make a statement with your event stage while mesmerizing your audience. Complement your designs across your event venue, such as breakout sessions or create an entirely new space—it all depends on you and your budget.

 The goal is to make the stage look the best that it can while also improving the overall attendee experience. You may design matching spaces across all of your stages or create an entirely new setup for each space it’s up to you.

 IS IT THE SAME THING AS EVENT DESIGN?

 Event design is the process of bringing the artistic vision of the event to life once the logistics are sorted. Event stage design focuses on only one aspect of the event design. 

While your event stage design should tie into your overall event design, you may find that you’d like your presentation area to stand out from the rest of your space. If that’s the case, you have the opportunity to make it unique as long as your choices support the overall look and feel you’re going for. 

STEPS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING AN EVENT STAGE DESIGN. 

Follow these tips on how to think about, draft, and perfect your event stage design for virtually any type of event. 

1. Use audience POV

Knowing your audience is essential for not only mastering stage design and event planning but for all facets of business. As a discerning event planner, you know this too well. But for the sake of clarity, it’s worth going over again for the certainty of better event stage design. 

Your audience should be the main consideration in your stage design. While it’s important to keep in mind the basic elements of good stage design, which includes great lighting, it’s also important to consider the demographic of the audience. For example, while young musicians may love the strobe lights, others may not.

2. Know Your Theme 

If there is one thing that should determine your stage design ideas, it’s the theme of your event.  

Think of it like clothes. If you’re going to a wedding, you wear a suit. If you’re going to the gym, you wear workout clothes. In short, you build your stage design to facilitate and complement the theme of your event. 

 So if you’re hosting a Ted Talk-style presentation, you want to pursue an event stage design with a prominent stage, an adequate sized screen space, and professional lighting fixtures. And then some types of events need more grandeur than others, so you’ll want elaborate stage props, branding, and lighting to supplement your activities. 

Some events require a more sombre atmosphere. For example, if you’re holding a summit against a serious issue, it would be inappropriate to have a flashing light show and a disco ball to introduce speakers on the stage. 

3.  Consider your Venue: 

If there is one thing that should decide your event stage design, it is the event venue. Things like the stage size, seating capacity, and the total number of screens influence how the stage is designed.  

But finalizing stage design and the venue is like a chicken and egg situation. If you have already decided on your stage, you need to look for a space that can accommodate your requirements. 

It’s possible you’ll also find that some venues have permanent stages, while others have temporary locations. These details will also determine what you can or can’t do with your design. 

Another surprising factor to consider is ceiling height. This will have a big visual impact on the stage. If the ceiling is low,  you may want to prioritize long screens and backdrops that fill the width and maximize vertical space. If the ceiling is high, props such as well-placed vertical drapes and hanging lights can be quite impressive. 

If you have selected the venue, you must consider its limitations before incorporating your event stage ideas. 

4.  Determine Your Goal:

Knowing your goals is crucial for figuring out your event stage design. For example, if you want to facilitate networking, you’ll want to set up lounging areas. Or perhaps if you’re going to collaborate with sponsors or industry partners, setting up exhibitor booths could be a priority. 

If you can come up with the right stage design ideas, you’ll be able to attract a lot more sponsors. If that is indeed a priority for you, you’ll be very interested in our guide on writing an event sponsorship proposal.  

5. Apply production principles

In order to create a set and stage backdrop, the designer should first consider the basic elements of good stage design. These include simplicity, cohesion, and texture. Simplicity means having elements that are in line with the theme and not in conflict with one another. Even if your production is extravagant, there’s always room for decluttering and keeping focus on the main event. 

 Normalize means using production elements that go together and support one overall look rather than throwing things together. This includes color, shape, style, etc. All aspects of the production should look like they belong together. 

Also,  Adding texture is visually interesting and provides depth to spaces that need it. 

6. Figure out Lightning:

A great lighting system can transform a plain canvas into a new environment full of energy and excitement. It can also control the mood of the stage and make a dramatic change to the venue.

You may choose to work with a lighting company that can help you achieve the look you’re going for. But if you go the DIY route, it’s good to start from a place of curiosity. 

Also, the venue’s overall look should match the venue’s lighting design. For example, if the venue’s lighting showcases Edison bulbs, you can use warm colors and materials such as wood, leather, and yellow in your stage design to complement the welcoming atmosphere. 

7.  Use what’s available

Sometimes the best event stage design choice is letting the space speak for itself with just a few accessories to enhance its appearance or practicality. For example, an outdoor stage with a great view can be used as a backdrop for performances and speakers without having to add any other large set pieces. 

If your space is indoors, look for natural focal points. Whether it’s an interesting chandelier or hand-carved wood trim, your venue may already be doing the heavy lifting for your event stage design if you look hard enough.

Components of Event Stage

• Screens 

Screens play an essential part in a custom set. It has multiple purposes—branding, displaying the presenter’s slides, or playing video and camera feeds. They can also be used as an artistic element to display content that is the same, independent of each other, or together as a fractured “canvas.”

• Lighting 

Lighting is more than just effects, highlights, or colors. It can be the main feature of your set design. When the lights are off, they will look like simple black bars, but when you turn them on, they act together to create a striking visual effect of objects pulsing or swirling. Wash the stage with different lighting fixtures or create animation, the choice is yours. 

• Technology

There are lots of ways to incorporate technology into your event stage design. From the mics you choose to the fog machine, technology is a large part of modern events and should be a big consideration during your design process. 

TOOLS YOU CAN WHEN CREATING AN EVENT STAGE DESIGN? 

In order to create an event stage design, you’ll need:

•  A diagramming tool  from your event venue regarding decor.

• A list of elements you will have access to. 

• The exact measurements of your stage plus your audience seating areas. 

Wrapping up!

Whether you’re an event planning pro or a total beginner, you have the power to create your own stage design simply by mastering the basic concepts of production design.

So there you have it, the ultimate guide to event stage design. We hope you’re leaving us full of inspiration and good ideas.