How can you successfully execute an exhibition for your organisation that is both compliant with the EP services team AND show-stoppingly brilliant?
Congratulations! You’ve decided to plan an exhibition at the European Parliament.
So…now what?
Putting an EP exhibition together can be an exciting – yet deeply complex – process. It truly takes a village (and a lot of planning) to ensure everything runs smoothly.
With that in mind, here are seven points to keep in mind when planning your EP exhibition:
Securing an MEP sponsorship is your first crucial step.
An MEP can sponsor up to two exhibitions during their 5-year term. And while the MEP is the sponsor, it actually means you will be dealing directly with the MEP’s assistant and other team members, who might be navigating the exhibition process for the first time (just like you!).
Typically, the most approachable MEPs for sponsorship are often those who are returning to office and have already shown a commitment to specific subject areas (and perhaps your organisation has already built a relationship with them during a previous mandate).
The relationship with your MEP sponsor – and specifically their assistant – is critical to a successful exhibition.
Not only does it grant you the ability to use the EP’s exhibition space, but it also offers a direct line to an advocate for your cause within the EP. Their backing can help your message reach the right audiences in the right way.
What exactly counts as prime real estate in the EP? Similar to a retail space in the middle of a busy shopping street, prime locations in the EP are the places with high visibility, lots of foot traffic and easy accessibility for MEPs, staff and visitors.
If your exhibition is hiding in a corner, it’s going to be an uphill battle to get people to stop by and check it out.
Remember: the best locations are in high demand, so the earlier you can secure your place, the better.
In terms of where that would be, we usually suggest aiming for the third floor space of the Altiero Spinelli Building. It’s next to the escalators and across from the café – and people are passing through the area all day, every day.
When planning your exhibition, every detail matters.
Detailed sketches of your exhibition setup are a must – and are actually a requirement from the EP services team well in advance of the actual exhibition.
While the EP’s spaces are designed with the idea of “showcasing art on walls”, there’s room for creativity within certain constraints. This stage of planning is your moment to visualise and communicate your concept to the EP exhibition services and ensure that your vision is feasible within the space.
While you may not be able to communicated every finite detail of your plans, you do want to be able to given the EP team enough detail so they are comfortable with how you are going to use the space.
It’s important to be flexible throughout the process, as the EP has stringent rules about what is permitted within the exhibition space,
The EP services team is well-versed in identifying potential issues and will often cite security concerns such as water and fire hazards or even flag the risk of making too much noise, among many others.
This means you must be prepared to adapt your plans to meet these guidelines while still making your exhibition a success.
Being adaptable also means being prepared for last-minute changes or restrictions that might arise. This flexibility can be the difference between a successful exhibition and one that is nothing but stress for you and your team – which is the last thing you want when trying to juggle so many things at once.
An EP exhibition involves coordination with a plethora of individuals, from MEP assistants and other MEP office staff to the EP exhibition services team.
Understanding each person’s role in the process – both from your side and from the EP’s side – is essential for efficient communication and problem-solving when things go sideways.
For example, the EP exhibition services team will only communicate with an MEP’s office rather than directly with the organisation (like you!) or a third-party planner (like Bump!). This layer of communication means you need to be clear and concise in your requests to ensure nothing gets lost in translation.
Recognising and respecting the roles of each person involved can result in a smoother planning process. Establishing a good working relationship with these key players can help navigate the complexities of planning an exhibition in what is typically a restrictive environment.
Timing, unsurprisingly, plays a big role in how you plan your EP exhibition.
Ideally, you need a minimum lead time of three months from the planned week of your exhibition – but even this is really tight. We would strongly suggest a timeline closer to six months.
Why the long lead time? With the need to secure a sponsor, finalise the exhibition space and ensure all details are in order from A to Z, these are all things that just. take. time.
In terms of when these are happening, exhibitions typically kick off in the first or second quarter, coinciding with when MEPs are settled into their roles and focus areas.
The logistics of setting up and dismantling your exhibition require careful planning and coordination with all parties involved.
This is not just about physically assembling and taking down your exhibition, which is a big task in and of itself, but it’s also about ensuring compliance with the EP’s rules and schedules because – spoiler alert – there are very strict rules about how you can schedule your build and teardown processes!
As you’ll learn through the process, a typical week for an EP exhibition isn’t actually a week. It’s more like:
Unless there are special permissions granted, EP exhibitions must be completely cleared out before noon on Friday – so it’s best to be out of there well before the deadline to avoid any issues.
Managing these processes also requires a focus on sustainability wherever possible – your dismantling plan in particular should consider the environmental impact of your exhibition. This could involve using mainly recyclable materials or planning for modular, reusable aspects of the build that can exist in your office after the exhibition has concluded.
As you can see from all of these points, planning an exhibition in the EP is no small task (but you never assumed it was, did you? That’s why you’ve read this far!).
But even with all of its complexity, it can be an incredible tool for showcasing your organisation and engaging with the right people in the right place. Meeting MEPs where they are can make a meaningful impact in the long term and can set your organisation up for success in the years to come.
Interested in seeing how EP exhibitions come to life? Take a look at some examples here.
Written by Ali Colwell, Creative Strategy Lead at Bump
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