Brief
Bristol is fast becoming one of the hubs of skateboarding culture to champion this fast-growing community. Hammerson plc, in partnership with Cabot Circus, wanted to create a skate park with an urban twist in their busy car park to welcome skaters into the community.
What we did
We are Placemaking was approached to head up the event programming for the event by Hammerson. After meeting with the Hammerson team we were tasked with approaching suppliers, workshop providers, retailers and food and beverage traders to create a nine-day scheduled skate event during the half-term week in October.
To start we worked closely with the skate park provider making sure that Cabot and the team were happy with the placement and designs of the skate park and that all documentation was procured in good time so the event could run as smoothly as possible. We worked closely with our health and safety team to ensure all elements were to code and that it would be a safe place for skaters to enjoy the event.
For the live event days, we had to make sure we found the right event management staff for the event that could bring the most support and the right voice for the skate community. Once this was set into place this helped create a haven for skaters throughout the whole week.
As the event evolved we had to continually add extra elements due to the demand and sheer popularity, and this helped us to grasp the incredible scope of the skate community and, for future installations, how we can continue to support and celebrate the skate community.
Deliverables
Event Management – managing all aspects of the event, including the advancing, the build & break and live stages of the event.
Event Scheduling – curating, organising and communicating the event schedule.
Workshop Programming – planning a series of free skateboarding classes for members of the public to enjoy, varying from beginner to intermediate levels.
Artist Liaison – working with local artists and providing them with the opportunity to showcase their work, with many creating street art live at the event.
Security Management – liaising with security company to ensure the safe running of the event both during and outside of live hours.
