The Empire Conference and Events Venue in Parktown has completed the construction of its Digital Hybrid Event Studio, which will support businesses requiring professional services and facilities for hosting a mix of digital conferences, webinars, and in-person events. 

“A hybrid event model combines a live in-person component with a virtual event hosted on a digital platform,” says Taryn Westoby, head of The Empire venue. “Understanding the uncertainty that still lies ahead, a hybrid event model is an appealing proposition for brands and businesses looking to safely and effectively continue with their conference, trade show, business meeting and award events investments until unrestricted in-person events can resume again in the future.”

The launch of The Empire’s Digital Hybrid Event Studio follows the refurbishment of the venue's outdoor Rooftop, Ballroom, and Cocktail Bar spaces.

“While The Empire is in a comfortable position to support socially distanced gatherings, we’ve also seen that many organisations are in need of technically equipped spaces to effectively reach their remote online audiences who cannot attend in-person,” says Westoby. 

The collaboration with creative event technology specialists Immersive ensures The Empire is technically equipped to the highest standard and supported by digital production expertise.

The event space provides a stage set with a 5.5m x 3m LED screen, 3-phase power, high-speed internet and Wi-Fi, professional stage lighting, additional rigging points, and camera and sound equipment. Immersive’s technical team is set up alongside the studio from where they mix camera angles, electronic presentations and video content, and stream the feed to online audiences.

To ensure everyone's safety, The Empire’s Digital Hybrid Event Studio has been designed with social distancing considerations in mind. For those looking to host small in-person gatherings, the event studio can accommodate a limited in-studio audience to watch the live recordings. Masks are compulsory when moving around the venue.

The Empire team will work with clients to ensure social distancing and safety for all guests. Venue spaces are sanitised before and after each hire, with hand-sanitising stations located throughout.

The Empire Conference and Event Venue has additional spaces available for in-person events: The Rooftop is a breathtaking outdoor space that offers panoramic views of Johannesburg; The Ballroom is a fully equipped space with a ceiling height of nearly 6m, offering significant volume and ventilation; while The Cocktail Bar has dedicated bar facilities, and can be booked on its own or included as part of the overall venue hire with The Ballroom. 

Westoby says: “We are proud of the venue and services we offer to take an event to the next level — whether they’re in-person functions or hosted online.”

The Empire is hosting open days on June 2 and 3 2021 where clients are invited to view the venue, as well as the new Digital Hybrid Events Studio.

For more information about The Empire Conference and Events Venue, visit www.empirevenue.co.za, and for bookings, e-mail siphokazi@empirevenue.co.za.