What surprised you most about the IoIC Festival – and why is it different from other events?
The IoIC Festival began back in 2021 when it was just some hopeful plans in a notebook! We wanted to create an event that had a fresh, dynamic format. Something that was informal, engaging, not ‘stuffy’ but still gave tangible examples/skills to use in attendees’ roles. Five years later and the IoIC Festival is our flagship, annual event where internal communication professionals unite to “Connect, Inspire and Learn.”
The Festival takes place across two days and several zones. People move about freely to what interests them, with several sessions taking place at the same time and themes covering key topics for the profession, so people pick and choose what interests them.
It’s not just the format that makes it different. We have an open policy which welcomes professionals from all backgrounds to feature on the Festival stages and for people to hear from a variety of speakers. To do this, we run a Call for Contributions.
People complete a form if they are interested in being a speaker. Each submission is considered and a line-up created based on variety, diversity of thought, zone-fit and themes. This has been one of the most powerful ways to ensure our events have a wide range of brands, people and subjects to meet attendee needs.
It’s hard to capture the Festival’s atmosphere in a blog, so I’d have to turn to our Festival Goers: “this truly felt like a festival, not a conference”; “the event was full of open, honest conversations”; “it’s tempting to be cynical about yet another event. But this is a festival that gets better and better.”
The one thing I really love is seeing the community come together – there’s so many fantastic conversations, new connections and lots of laughter.
What’s it like behind the scenes of an event like this – and what do you enjoy most about organising it?
As most internal communicators will know, running an event like this is no mean feat! For me, planning the next one starts as soon as the previous one ends. I listen to the feedback we’ve received, both on the day and in the survey, as well as the things I observed and decide what changes we need to make. For example, we’ve changed zone topics, break times, food, event flow and locations all because of this feedback.
For me, one of the things that makes the Festival so successful is we don’t just do what we’ve always done, we mix it up and make the changes – I always want it to be better than before.
The Festival generally takes over my life in the first half of the year I manage everything from venue meetings and call for contribution reviews to ticket sales and event logistics. That includes who runs each zone, the event flow and narrative, liaising with partners - and yes, making sure we have enough chairs and chocolate biscuits. I even build the event app.
There’s so much work that happens behind the scenes that delegates never see - and that’s the mark of a well-run event. I always feel incredibly proud when people are surprised to learn that I’m the only person at the IoIC solely dedicated to events. It tells me the planning, detail and teamwork behind the scenes are paying off.
My favourite part of any of the events we do is the actual running of it. I love the buzz, the adrenaline, fixing problems in real time and seeing people at the actual event you’ve been planning for a year, hopefully enjoying it. But I get to enjoy this bit due to the amazing support I have from the rest of the IoIC team and my amazing MCs – when you have a team you can completely rely on it makes managing an event like this much easier.
What did winning an award mean to you personally and professionally?
Winning an award for both Festival as an event, and my event management of it, will go down as one of my proudest work achievements (and I once met Pudsey bear!).
I manage the IoIC Awards so am used to a ceremony and hearing names called out, it’s something else when it’s your name!
I joined the IoIC just before COVID and didn’t get to run a face-to-face event for 18 months, we tried many online event formats in that time and, to be honest, the Festival took a couple of years to really be the success we knew it could be. The Award was recognition of hard work, dedication and reward for believing in a concept.
Event Management - especially for Festival – is far from easy and sometimes I hate that it’s thing I love to do (usually when I’m lying awake at 3am). Everyone suffers from imposter syndrome sometimes, and we all juggle so many things – for me that’s two children – so this award was also recognition that I am good at my job and the juggle is worth it.
The Awards are now displayed in my home office, and I like think they remind my children (and me) that if you work hard and give it your all, you will be rewarded.
Why is the Festival important for internal communication professionals?
As an institute we aim to lead the way in advocating effective internal communictation and enabling the highest standards of practice. Our members create conversations that help people at work feel informed, connected and purposeful to drive organisational performance. The Festival is designed to give them the tools, skills and knowledge to enable this.
Because our Festival Goers are not confined to rigid schedules, they can curate their experience, selecting sessions that appeal most to them, rather than being ‘forced’ to sit in a room for an hour listening to something not relevant. I think this is what has led to 100% of 2025 Festival goers saying the Festival gave them examples/advice that would help them in their role.
But again, don’t take my word for it, here’s some words from the 2025 festival Goers: “I have loved my experience at the Fest this year and once again, feel ready to return to the office with a wealth of insights to share with my team”; “I loved having the chance to explore new topics, and left with loads of ideas and energy to bring back to work”; “A brilliant, energising, affirming event.”
What would you say to someone who’s never been to the Festival – and why should they come next time?
Firstly, and most importantly, I would say that the IoIC Festival is for everyone. We create a welcoming, open environment where people can come as they are and be themselves.
It’s also for all levels of practitioner – again something we changed on the line-up due to feedback, when it is announced you’ll see that each session lists the level it is aimed at.
For me, the IoIC Festival is more than an event – it’s a platform for internal communication professionals to gain tools, skills and knowledge for fostering meaningful workplace conversations. The people attending agree - 2025's Festival Goers gave the IoIC Festival an 8.5/10 rating.
Every session is designed to prioritise relevance and value for our attendees, with independent speakers who are experts and/or practitioners, chosen for their real-world experience and insight. We choose the venue carefully so it can support the multiple sessions and open networking. If anyone is concerned about the number of people and sessions, we have quiet spaces too where you can take some time out.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Festival remains focused on delivering an exceptional experience that empowers and connects internal communication practitioners. You’ll definitely find your people at the Festival – as one 2025 Festival Goer perfectly put it: “IC people are the friendliest and smartest bunch.”
