Your first speaker is your venue

The secret ingredient of successful conferences: the power of context

Path through a wooded park leading to a modern building with tall glass windows in sunlight

July 1957. The Cold War divides the world into two camps that do not trust one another. Yet 22 scientists travel to a remote village on the Canadian coast. They come from the United States, the Soviet Union, China, Japan and several European countries.

The researchers do not meet in a university lecture theatre or an international conference centre. Their destination is an unassuming little village on a headland on the Northumberland Strait. The location offers space to meet without much formality.

During the plenary sessions, the scientists discuss the threat posed by nuclear weapons. But just as important are the informal moments, such as the meals in the former lobster factory and the games of croquet. It is then that the participants set aside their official positions and exchange views freely with people from the other side of the Iron Curtain.

The meeting marked the beginning of the famous Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. In 1995, the organisation and its co-founder Joseph Rotblat were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work against nuclear weapons.

Is the choice of this venue the reason for that success? Of course not. But the venue did facilitate a different kind of encounter, with greater closeness and more personal conversations. And that is precisely what a good conference venue does: it determines which encounters take place, which conversations arise and what significance is attributed to your conference.

An excellent speaker inspires your delegates. But even before that speaker steps onto the stage, the space has already said something. Your first speaker is your venue.

Smiling elderly man in a suit holding an open award folder and medal in a decorated hall.

Joseph Rotblat wins the Nobel Peace Prize. With a little help from his conference venue.

The venue as an active factor in the experience

When choosing a conference venue, as an organiser you naturally look at capacity, accessibility, technical facilities and budget. These are crucial criteria, but they do not tell the whole story.

The environment in which your delegates find themselves influences how they experience a conference. A stately hall evokes different expectations than an industrial warehouse. A former monastery invites tranquillity and reflection. A theatre creates a sense of togetherness. A museum makes participants curious about what lies behind the next door.

Even the dimensions of your venue influence the way people experience your conference. Researchers Joan Meyers-Levy and Rui Zhu discovered that a high ceiling triggers thoughts of freedom and openness. Participants then found it easier to make connections and think more abstractly. A lower ceiling tended to evoke a sense of confinement, thereby encouraging a more concrete, detail-oriented way of processing information.

In other words: you can tailor the physical context to the activity for which you are inviting the delegates. The best venue is therefore not necessarily the most beautiful or spectacular, but rather the place whose spatial characteristics support the aim of each programme component. By capitalising on those characteristics, you harness the power of context.

Interior of an empty concert hall with arched wooden ceiling, rows of seats, and a stage with chairs and music stands.

Do you want to encourage delegates to think big? Then choose a suitable conference venue. Pictured: the high wooden roof structure at De Bijloke in Ghent, a conference venue housed in Europe’s oldest surviving medieval hospital.

Add an extra layer of meaning

You can make the most of the power of context at Flanders Heritage Venues. This is a network of architecturally remarkable locations set in the historic city centres of Flanders, surrounded by the city’s cultural and culinary gems. These include abbeys, museums, concert halls, castles, industrial buildings and other heritage sites equipped with state-of-the-art conference facilities.

When your delegates step into such a venue, they find themselves in a place where history, culture and innovation converge. With their unique heritage context, these venues not only provide an impressive backdrop for your conference, but also a context that can be incorporated into the theme of your conference.

When the venue’s story aligns with the theme of your conference, an extra layer of meaning is created. The venue doesn’t just bring the theme to life; your delegates experience it first-hand. And that plays a key role in the success of your conference. Dr Robert Cialdini, a renowned social psychologist, discovered that people who find themselves in an appealing environment that aligns with their goals and values are more engaged and inspired, and better able to make well-considered decisions.

Crowd mingling at a reception inside an art gallery, with large paintings and servers carrying trays and wine.

A conference on art takes on added significance when participants meet amidst works by Bosch, Rubens, Ensor, Rodin and Magritte. Pictured: Belgium’s oldest museum, the MSK Ghent, is one of the Flanders Heritage Venues.

Small cities, great experiences, exceptional conference venues

The cities in Flanders may be small, but they boast a wealth of venues that guarantee an unforgettable conference experience. In the articles below, each city introduces these Flanders Heritage Venues to you.

All these venues have a unique story to tell, which your delegates will be delighted to pass on. How about welcoming them to the site where the very first stock exchange was established – older than those in London or Amsterdam? In a library considered one of the most beautiful in the world? Or at a conference venue located within a zoo?

However rich the variety may be, each of these Flanders Heritage Venues is easily accessible, within an hour of the airport or near a train station. Almost all conference venues are situated in the historic city centre. This means the city itself can become part of the programme, without participants having to make long journeys. A stroll between two sessions, a reception in a museum or a chat in a historic square is thus not just a casual social extra. It extends the context of your conference beyond the walls of the conference hall.

And so you ultimately arrive at the supreme goal of any successful conference: creating an impact. After all, a strong connection with the destination also contributes to your conference having a lasting positive effect on society. You involve local researchers, businesses, public authorities and organisations in your programme, ensuring that your international activities have a local impact. An impact that continues to be felt long after your last delegate has left.

Grand theater interior with a grand piano on stage, red balcony seats, and stained-glass dome lit by blue spotlights.

Marc Depaepe

The power of context in practice: the ICC.gent

As you read earlier in this article, the power of context adds an extra layer of meaning to your conference. A Flanders Heritage venue that makes the most of this asset is the ICC in Ghent. “We focus on delivering a total experience,” says Nicolas Vanden Eynden. The Managing Director sees a very good reason for this.

"Ghent is a compact, pocket-sized city. That is why, when it comes to our building, our services or our storytelling, we do not approach the market on our own but focus on creating a total experience. This is determined first and foremost by the green park area next to our venue, which has heritage value dating back to the 1913 World Exhibition. We also emphasise the heritage character of the ICC itself, and of the adjacent Floraliënhal.

In addition, the S.M.A.K., MSK and GUM museums are located nearby, as is the entire area around Sint-Pietersplein. We collaborate with all these institutions to develop packages. This means that delegates can also visit these museums and institutions during the conference.”

Concrete conference center building with green flags at entrance above an underground parking ramp.

Another key strength that the ICC brings to the table is its focus on sustainability. The venue is not alone in this regard in Flanders. Many Flanders Heritage Venues have been awarded a Green Key Label for successfully minimising the environmental impact of conferences. Nicolas Vanden Eynden wants to take this a step further and make his conference venue the most sustainable in Flanders.

"We want to make the ICC future-proof for the events of tomorrow. That is why our entire operation is geared towards sustainability. This includes circularity, the services we provide and the partners we work with.

One of our strategies is to operate on a very local level. To reduce our carbon footprint, we deliberately choose partners within a 15-kilometre radius of our venue. We also place a strong emphasis on public transport. The ICC is situated close to the station, and anyone arriving in Brussels by plane can catch a direct train to Ghent every hour. We also encourage people to travel on foot or by bike. For large events, we cleverly convert the car park into a cycle park with space for a thousand bikes.

Inclusivity is also a top priority for us. Within the ICC, we run an "academy" that gives people from disadvantaged backgrounds better access to the labour market. When it comes to accessibility, we are striving in every possible way to achieve the highest certification, the M++ label. The toilet blocks will be gender-neutral. We adapt the furniture to accommodate all forms of disability, including visual, hearing and mental impairments. Staff are trained to deal with these issues appropriately.”

Smiling bald man in a navy suit and white shirt against a light teal background.

Nicolas Vanden Eynden

Small cities, great experiences: an anecdote

Flanders may be small, but it offers a rich array of magnificent experiences. Nicolas Vanden Eynden recounts a charming anecdote, recorded during an international conference of reserve army officers at the ICC.

“A female general from the US came up to me and said: "I didn’t know Ghent was such a lovely seaside resort.” I looked at her in surprise, because Ghent is more than 60 kilometres from the sea. It turned out that during her stay in Ghent, the general had taken a trip to the Flemish coast. She was, of course, used to the vast distances in America, and for her, that seaside resort was simply part of the destination ‘Ghent’.”

Heritage meets the future in Ghent

Conference infrastructure takes on an extra dimension in Ghent. Historic venues, contemporary architecture and sustainable innovation come together in a network of unique event spaces, with the renewed ICC as an ambitious new landmark. From centuries-old abbeys to cultural landmarks and even a former fish market, each venue tells a compelling story that reinforces the theme of your conference.

Modern concrete and glass building with a covered entrance, trees and lawn under a blue sky.

Stylish bar interior with colorful hanging lampshades, bottles on shelves, and a row of red and blue stools.

In Kortrijk, history is more than a backdrop

History is a living source of inspiration that continues to shape the city’s future. At the heart of this compact and characterful city, two exceptional Flanders Heritage Venues bring that story to life: the refined Cobergher Hotel and the renewed Kortrijk City Theatre.

Conference room with rows of chairs facing a projector screen, chandelier overhead, and a fireplace at the front.

Leuven: where heritage shapes your conference

Your venue is not simply where your conference takes place. It can become part of the conference itself. In Leuven, a former brewery, medieval abbeys and a centuries-old college inspire conversations, reinforce your theme and help shape the overall experience.

Modern campus green between brick building and white building, framed by autumn leaves under blue sky.

Distinctive meetings in Mechelen’s heritage sites

Mechelen boasts two Flanders Heritage Venues that demonstrate how heritage evolves with the times: a former brewery and a former monastery. Two historic sites, each with its own character, but sharing the same strength: they offer an inspiring backdrop for gatherings that make an impact.

Modern hall with red slatted ceiling, geometric pendant lights, and rows of white tables and chairs beneath a mural.

Ostend: salty sea air and unique heritage

As the "City by the Sea", Ostend takes the power of context to another level by bringing together an invigorating location on the North Sea and an impressive architectural heritage. This distinctive architecture is a defining feature of the city’s two Flanders Heritage Venues.

Banquet event in an ornate hall with arched balconies, round tables, and guests under warm stage lighting.

Antwerp: where meeting was invented

Antwerp understood the value of a good venue before the word “conference” existed. In 1531, the city built the world’s first building designed around the act of gathering itself. This "Handelsbeurs" is now part of Antwerp's Flanders Heritage Venues, a network of locations that each tell a compelling story.

City skyline with orange rooftops and church towers seen through tall red-brown panels under a partly cloudy sky.

©jandarthet

Bruges: world-class conferences inspired by heritage

The Flanders Heritage Venues in Bruges are set against a picture-perfect backdrop: a UNESCO World Heritage city centre. Every winding street and every building is unique, and so are the encounters you have as you walk from your hotel to the conference centre early in the morning.