8 Places to Find Inspiration for Your Events 

For some, coming up with the next great idea requires immersion, surrounding themselves with things that inspire them. Others prefer brainstorming, either in person or online, as a way to get innovations to bubble up. Then there are those who prefer to go solo with their computers to explore the many sources of inspiration that exist online.

Here are 8 ways planners can uncover new and creative ideas for their next event.

1. Surf Pinterest

Pinterest is the go-to site for planners of all kinds of events, especially weddings and social events. Not only does it let you source ideas and create your own mood boards, but Pinterest runs across all industries, so it allows you to explore trends in fashion, retail, food and beverage, and interior design — all of which have some influence on events.

Pinterest also publishes the annual "Pinterest Predicts" trends report, which forecasts emerging trends based on user search data and behavior, along with seasonal reports. 

2. Go to Events

The best way to see what other event pros are doing is to attend their events, especially creative ones such as music and art festivals, which are filled with installations and displays.

You can find many local outdoor events and festivals right in your backyard during the summer months, or plan a trip to one of the major ones, such as Burning Man or the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.    

3. Study Creative Thinkers 

Alen Palander, a Toronto–based creative director and photographer, blogged about how important it is for the creative process to give your mind a chance to reset.

“To help find some inspiration and renew my thought process, I like to refer to what other creatives have done in other fields,” he said. “Regardless of the genre, I think it’s important to branch out and see why their work is so highly regarded.”

One of his biggest inspirations is the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, known as much for her futuristic designs as for challenging the status quo and pushing the boundaries of architecture.

4. Listen to Music

Research suggests certain types of music can boost creative thinking by stimulating the brain's reward centers and activating the prefrontal cortex. Listening to happy classical music facilitates divergent thinking, or the ability to generate novel ideas. Spotify even has playlists designed to spark creativity.

5. Share With Your Peers

There are dozens of online groups where you can find fellow event planners, including the National Meeting Planners Group and SPIN Planners (Members Only) on Facebook, Skift Meetings’ LinkedIn group,  and many other groups.

Having your ideas questioned is an essential part of the creative process. This happened during a recent conversation on the EventPlanners subreddit, where redditors were discussing which activations have been working well for them.

“I think you’re asking the wrong questions,” said one. “We don't focus on the activation itself (or how well it’s trending), but what would specifically appeal to that group. Sure, we all have our ‘go to’ things, but what works well for one group might fall flat on another.”

6. Immerse Yourself in Creative Spaces

For some, this might mean nature, for others surrounding themselves with art at a museum. One event planner said she draws inspiration from outdoor markets, both when she travels and at home, “from the year-round bounty of the Santa Monica Farmers Market to the floral and fruit markets in Jaipur, to the brightly colored blankets on which the Masai women laid out their beaded and wood carved pieces for sale in Kenya.”

7. Surf YouTube

Video is even more powerful than static images, and YouTube offers hundreds of videos from around the world, ranging from practical advice to event design inspiration. To start, try searching under eEvent dDesign, eEvent iInspiration, and sSpecial eEvents.

8. Explore Industry Web Sites

Whether you're looking for unique themes, fresh engagement tactics, or innovative programming ideas, Skift Meetings has dozens of articles in the Ideas & Inspiration section of our Meeting Planner Toolkit. Learn how to strategically use color in your events, ways to incorporate art, how to use music to set the mood, and much more.