MELBOURNE
At the time of writing, international borders were restricted but national conferences are standing them in good stead, with an eye on future conventions including the International Mass Spectrometry Conference 2024 and International Symposium on Lepton and Photon Interactions 2023. Melbourne continues to be a major drawcard for many international associations, particularly in the elds of medicine and science, thanks to 13 major independent research institutes, nine universities with expertise across health and life sciences, and ten major teaching hospitals; other stand‐out sectors include sustainability and clean energy, education, information and communications technology, nance, infrastructure and transport. Support is available for international conventions including travel grants, discounted airfares, accommodation and free public transport. But don’t think it’s all work and no play in a city with so much to o er, from its welcoming outdoor spaces to the fantastic food scene. e Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre (MCEC) itself is a big draw, with views of the bustling South Wharf precinct; it’s home to the annual Asia Paci c Incentives and Meetings Event
(AIME). Spaces range from the Plenary, which can accommodate 5,500, to the unique Melbourne Room with its soaring ceilings and views of the Yarra River; it can host 1,450 for a banquet. The MCEC team has worked hard to introduce virtual and hybrid solutions; for the less tech‐savvy, there’s help available to design your custom‐branded microsite or embed the stream to your own website. And from autumn 2021, a new cultural o ering is going to expand options for planners beyond the usual meet and greet with the arrival of immersive art experience THE LUME Melbourne. e inaugural experience features the works of Vincent Van Gogh: expect epic‐scale masterpieces woven together with soundscapes, aromas and themed food and drink. Along the Yarra River is Arts Centre Melbourne which, with ten elegant function rooms and four theatres, o ers spaces to suit all occasions. Check out the State eatre Lounge with its vibrant back‐lit artwork made from 464,000 marbles for a board meeting for 20 with a di erence. Also on the South Wharf is the warehouse‐style Showtime Events Centre, bringing industrial air to a cocktail party for 600, or why not check out
CENTREPIECE, Melbourne’s latest conference and event centre
70 MAY 2021 mitmagazine.co.uk
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