Past Webinars

Smaller venues can assume that certain rules, standards, or hazards apply only to larger events. In reality, many of the same risks are present at smaller scale and are more likely to be overlooked, minimised, or managed informally. Sometimes, those challenges are not recognised as risks at all. In this session, we'll examine issues that are commonly misunderstood or under-examined in small-venue settings, and how these factors can influence safety outcomes. Drawing on real-world examples, the discussion will explore how gaps in awareness can become liabilities and why this matters.

The recent Le Constellation nightclub fire in Switzerland once again underscored the urgent need for harmonised global fire prevention standards and their consistent enforcement across nightlife and hospitality venues worldwide. Repeated incidents over the years have shown that deficiencies such as inadequate emergency exits, flammable materials, overcrowding, and non-compliance with licensing and safety regulations can have catastrophic consequences.

In conversation with representatives from the International Nightlife Association (INA), this session explores the newly developed International Fire Prevention Guide: a practical framework designed to reduce regulatory ambiguity and provide effective tools to prevent fires and strengthen emergency preparedness in public venues worldwide.

What does the Saint-Denis Convention mean in practice for those planning and delivering sporting events? In this session, Thyr Rodrigues and Rodrigo Cavaleiro explore the Council of Europe’s Saint-Denis Convention, the only binding international framework promoting an integrated, multi-agency approach to safety, security, and service at sporting events. The session will outline the purpose of the Convention, its core principles, and the role of the S4 Committee in overseeing its implementation and supporting cooperation between public and private stakeholders. The discussion will examine how the Convention’s principles are translated into operational practice, highlighting practical considerations, approaches, and available tools that may be relevant to GCMA members seeking to strengthen collaborative planning and crowd safety within their own contexts.

For outdoor events, weather is one of the most influential and often underestimated drivers of crowd safety risk. In this session, we'll discuss how weather forecasting, real-time monitoring, and clear decision thresholds can inform crowd safety decision-making. The conversation will explore how weather intelligence is used to support decisions around crowd movement, sheltering, evacuation, and event modification. The session will examine how timely, well-interpreted weather information strengthens situational awareness and helps teams act decisively before conditions deteriorate.

Artificial intelligence is moving rapidly from decision support to decision influence in crowd management and event safety, yet responsibility has not shifted alongside it. In this session, we'll will explore how AI-enabled systems shape human judgement in safety-critical environments. The discussion will consider where risk can emerge through acts of commission and omission, and how those risks are shaped by the interaction between technology, people, and existing regulatory frameworks. The session will focus on accountability rather than technology alone, asking a central question: who ultimately carries liability when technology, people, and regulatory frameworks collide?

Event Safety Institute, based in The Netherlands and holding office in Australia, is known for its expertise in planning, preparing, and coordinating freely accessible public events in city centers. Throughout its nearly 10-year existence, ESI has been involved in many events like cultural exhibitions, sporting events, national celebrations, and even protests. ESI’s approach is characterized by making profound analysis, using Crowd Science models like the RAMP-analysis and the DIM-ICE risk model. In this presentation, ESI’s director Syan Schaap will show how the DIM-ICE model, that makes a clear distinction between three phases of an event and separately focuses on Design, Information, and Management components, helps to guide all stakeholders, public and private, in an integrated approach towards running a safe event. He will illustrate this with different examples, like a crowd of 150,000 cheering football fans turning up to honor their team as the national champions, and the vast crowds turning up for King’s Day and carnival celebrations in many Dutch cities.

In this informative session, GCMA member, Bryan Huneycutt of Halo Solutions will share practical insights and strategies to help event professionals recognise and address fatigue, ensuring the well-being and effectiveness of both individuals and teams. Building on the success of his papers, "Rock & Roll All Night: Understanding and Managing Fatigue" and "Gotta Sleep!", Bryan will delve deeper into the critical topic of Understanding and Managing Fatigue in the Events Industry.

Want a career in crowd management? What do you need to know to “level up” in the profession, and what opportunities are available? This webinar will explore the myriad of pathways to becoming (and remaining) a professional crowd manager.

A talking heads journey into the wonderful world of Crowd Management Planning covering approaches to a variety of projects through lived experiences. We are thrilled to be joined for our first Webinar by GCMA® Board and Advisors, Eric Stuart (UK), Anne Marie Chebib (UK), Jon Corbishley (Aus), Cathy Knowsley (NZ) and Chris Kerr (Canada), for global perspectives on how and why we plan.