With all of us feeling the tensions of isolation, naturally we’re considering when, and how, to bring people back together – while still adhering, of course, to local guidelines on gathering and all the other considerations.
And I’m glad you’re asking. Because there’s a lot to consider.
First up, I’ll tell you a few of the biggest reasons we’re not there yet on the large and joyous in-person events we used to have. The vaccine rollout is complicated, as we knew it would be. Looking realistically at our time horizon, the World Health Organization estimates that we’ll reach global herd immunity by the summer of 2022.
Meanwhile, our big venues have some hurdles of their own. One is being able to ensure people’s safety through proper ventilation. Every venue you’re used to hosting people in is currently scrambling to make timelines and budgets possible to overhaul their H-VACs to accommodate. And this is just one of many adjustments happening inside the small, intricate details that go into putting a live event in motion.
So, what steps should you take in the meantime? And how about those hybrid events?
Here’s our step-by-step guide to how things might play out*:
Step 1: Right now. Stay flexible & adaptable because this world genuinely requires it
Step 2: Fall 2021. Small, hybrid (or stand-alone) house parties are likely. These will likely look like gatherings of 10-20 people (but maybe only those who’ve gotten the vaccine). And these parties could be run as watch parties for a larger, virtual event or as smaller, in-person chances to gather.
Step 3: Summer 2022. We’ll likely start seeing a return to larger venues with social distancing. These could look like 50-100 people enjoying either a live or taped program together, with catering & cocktails, which will be lovely.
Step 4: Beyond 2022. We enter a brave new world! One in which we take everything we’ve learned since spring of 2020 and apply it to bringing people together. Authentically, generously, hybrid or not. No matter what, we’re going to have lots and lots of new thinking, ideas and best practices.
So, stay nimble, my friends! And keep asking your questions. As we say here at Artisan, being in good dialogue is an antidote to almost anything.
*given what we know right now, which changes all the time