The Dispatch
Guides, field notes and unfiltered opinions for the people who put on live events, and the fans who turn up.
All guides
1,023 guidesGuide to Planning a Community Fireworks Display
How to organise a safe and spectacular community fireworks display, covering professional operators, insurance, safety distances, licensing, crowd management, and budgeting.
How to Run a Local Comedy Night
A practical guide to setting up and running a local comedy night, from finding comedians and choosing a venue to stage setup, ticketing…
Guide to Organising Community Workshops and Classes
How to set up and run community workshops and classes, from identifying local demand and finding tutors to pricing, venues, equipment…
How to Plan a Community Christmas Event
Everything you need to plan a community Christmas event, from light switch-ons and markets to carol services, Santa's grottos, and family-friendly festive celebrations.
Guide to Organising an Outdoor Cinema Screening
How to run an outdoor cinema screening for your community, covering film licensing, equipment hire, venue selection, weather contingencies, ticketing…
How to Start a Weekly Market or Car Boot Sale
How to set up and run a regular weekly market or car boot sale, covering market charters, trader recruitment, site management, insurance, licensing…
Guide to Running a Community Quiz Night
How to organise a community quiz night that people will come back to, covering question writing, venue setup, team formats, scoring systems…
How to Organise a Heritage or History Event
How to plan a community heritage or history event, from organising talks and guided walks to exhibitions, re-enactments, open days…
Guide to Planning Accessible Community Events
How to plan community events that are genuinely accessible to disabled people, covering physical access, sensory needs, communication, ticketing…
How Event Cancellation Insurance Works
A guide to event cancellation insurance in the UK, covering what it protects against, how policies are structured, what is typically excluded…
The Role of Agents and Promoters in Live Music
How booking agents and promoters work together to bring live music to UK audiences, including their different roles, how they are paid…
The Economics of Free-to-Attend Events
How free-to-attend events sustain themselves financially, from public funding and sponsorship to concession income and the commercial logic behind offering free entry.
