Give the campus and production teams a shared brief
A student society, university administration, venue team and artist manager may each hold different parts of the plan. Name one student organiser and one authorised campus contact, then agree who can approve access, the programme and changes to the production scope. Include the society name, event date, exact campus location and intended audience. Do not treat a society’s preferred date as confirmation that the venue is available.
Map the journey from gate to stage
Ask the campus contact to identify the permitted entrance for equipment, the unloading point and the route to the performance area. Record the process for crew and vehicle entry, the time the gate opens and who will meet the team. Keep sensitive identity documents out of a general event brief; use the campus’s approved process if credentials are required. Confirm whether classes, examinations or another event share the same space.
Make the programme workable for each act
A campus programme may combine speeches, student performances, a DJ and a headline artist. List every segment, its approximate duration and its audio needs. Give each act a technical contact and ask what equipment can genuinely be shared. Include time to change microphones, instruments or playback sources between acts. A short performance can still need a substantial reset, so agree the transitions with the crew before publishing the programme.
Separate student roles from technical roles
Decide who welcomes artists, who manages the stage entrance, who holds the running order and who talks to the audience. Assign a single route for communicating changes to the sound and lighting operators. Volunteers can help with coordination, but specialist equipment and site decisions belong with the responsible professionals. Include the university’s designated contacts for venue operations, audience management and emergency arrangements in the working event plan.
Finish with a handover and an updated schedule
Before the event, walk through the final schedule with the campus contact, student lead and production lead. Confirm setup access, soundcheck, doors, the first segment, the agreed finish and equipment collection. Share a dated run of show and a short contact list with the people who need them. After the event, note which timings or access arrangements changed so the next organising committee can start with a clearer brief.
Sources & further reading
Your next step
Tell us what you’re putting on.
Share what is confirmed and where you need help. The team will discuss the production scope and availability with you.
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