Centre for Effective Altruism
a breakdown of the event
Effective Altruism is a research field and practical community, seeking the best ways to help people and put this into practice. EA Global is an annual large-scale networking event aimed at those in that community, connecting people who have made helping others a core part of their lives. Speakers and attendees share new thinking and research; coordinate on important projects and work together on pressing problems.
At the EA Global event held at Tobacco Dock in 2023, the content featured a range of talks, discussions and workshops on a range of subjects, specific to key areas of interest. Attendees could hear from experts and leaders in their fields such as global health, animal welfare, existential risk, artificial intelligence and policy, and dive deeper with interactive workshops to further career plans, develop skills and tackle crucial questions. Sessions were booked through the Swapcard app.
Facilities and facts
Tailored experience
Sessions were bookable through the Swapcard app and allowed attendees to create a personalised experience.
Plenty of space
The large capacity and amount of separate areas within the venue allowed for fresh spaces for different content tracks, with no need for flipping.
Great feedback
Post-event feedback showed attendees were delighted with the new choice of venue and they appreciated the mix of indoor and outdoor spaces.
Why Tobacco Dock?
With a growing community in the Effective Altruism world, size was a factor when it came to sourcing the right venue. The organisers were looking for a venue able to accommodate their numbers but also to provide scope for future growth. In the past the London event had been held over two sites, but the additional capacity on offer at Tobacco Dock meant they were able to combine everything into one location.
The multiple spaces within the venue allowed for fresh spaces with no flipping between sessions. They liked the different styles of the Ground Level and Vaults Level, with the lighter spaces upstairs perfect for their plenary and catering spaces, while downstairs lent itself to nap and chill out rooms and quiet working areas.
Ground level
Vaults level
The end results
Post-event feedback showed attendees were delighted with the new choice of venue and that they appreciated the mixture of indoor and outdoor space. Catering was another success story, with the event being fully vegan so as to be inclusive and environmentally sustainable.
The inbuilt flow between the spaces encouraged attendee interaction. Networking is a key focus for the event, so while the talks and workshops were well attended, the greatest demand was for multiple networking and catering spaces to allow attendees plenty of opportunities to connect and collaborate.
The organisers were delighted with the responsiveness and pro-active work ethic of the Event Operations team
and commented on the high levels of communication throughout the planning process and execution of the event.
Working with Tobacco Dock was a collaborative and supportive experience.
"Our Event Manager in the lead up was responsive and solutions driven. We had a complex build, taking over the whole venue. All vendors internal and external worked together to create the event, in the short build timeframe. Once we got onsite it very much felt like the Duty Operations Managers were there to support us, ensuring the event was a success."
