National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD)

Event-planning in the arts during COVID-19.

I helped the National Society for Education in Art and Design move their in-person conference online and raise their profile to attract more members. 

The challenge.

NSEAD is a membership body that represents industry, and I developed a communications strategy to drive attendance to their annual conference and increase membership. As the conference had to be shifted online due to the pandemic, I led on planning and communication, undertaking an audit of their website and producing a 12-month marketing plan. I also advised on how they could target policymakers in government and highlight the importance of the art and design sector. 

The impact.

NSEAD successfully hosted their 2020 conference online, and my communications plan helped them reach new audiences and gain more members. I also worked with them to produce a plan to lobby government on behalf of the art and design sector. Thanks to increased membership and strategic communications aimed at policymakers, NSEAD can better serve their members and ensure that art and design are prioritised as part of the pandemic recovery.

“Manpreet has provided incredibly informative and helpful communications advice. In 2020, her expertise helped NSEAD move from a face-to-face conference to an online model. Her advice and guidance — in the form of an audit and conference communications plan — was pertinent, timely and informative; and essentially, NSEAD was able to reach new members and audiences. We have learned from and implemented Manpreet’s recommendations, vision and expertise — we can’t recommend Manpreet highly enough.”

–Sophie Leach, Deputy General Secretary