Festival of Learning: Multi year Live Event Production
Multi year awards production for Learning and Work Institute, spanning livestreaming, multi camera coverage, graphics, lighting and highlights editing.
An annual awards programme for two audiences
Learning and Work Institute’s awards celebrate the people, tutors, projects and employers behind adult learning. Each event needed to feel personal for guests in the venue and remain clear, accessible and engaging for viewers joining online.
The relationship crossed changing venues, room layouts and campaign identities. Cameras, sound, films, graphics, lighting, remote contributions and streaming all had to serve the running order while preserving the warmth of a ceremony built around individual stories.
A live production framework that developed with the campaign
We supplied annual event video and streaming workflows tailored to each edition. The work covered A/V and livestreaming in 2018, a four source multi camera programme with remote contribution and BSL coverage in 2022, and the client hosted YouTube broadcast for the 2024 ceremony.
When the campaign became Get the Nation Learning in 2025, the production grew to include bespoke stage visuals, custom animation, lower thirds, live multi camera coverage and a signed off highlights film. The result is a documented relationship spanning established awards delivery and a new public identity.
In numbers
Celebrating adult learning in the room and online
Learning and Work Institute’s Festival of Learning celebrated adult learners, tutors, projects and employers whose stories could encourage others to take part in learning. The awards needed to feel warm and personal for guests in the venue while also reaching viewers through a dependable live programme.
We worked with the Institute from 2018 through 2025. The work developed across changing venues and annual formats, covering event video, live streaming, cameras, audio, graphics, contributor films, lighting and post event content. Our work spans four editions: Festival of Learning in 2018, 2022 and 2024, followed by the first Get the Nation Learning Awards in 2025.
2018: establishing the awards workflow
The 2018 commission took place at RSA House in London on 12 June. We supplied audiovisual and livestream services for the Festival of Learning Awards, together with printed stage signage and its installation and removal. Jay Rozanski produced the event with a technical team covering the room, cameras and stream.
The day moved through an early technical call, rigging, rehearsal and a live awards programme before derig. That sequence established the production pattern that would remain valuable in later years: prepare the venue carefully, rehearse the screen and stage cues, protect the live output and keep the technology sympathetic to an event centred on people’s achievements.
2022: a complete multi camera programme at City Lit
The 2022 Festival of Learning Awards used a detailed live production system at City Lit. Four camera sources fed the vision workflow, joined by a remote Zoom contribution, pre recorded winner films, slides, name graphics and a BSL interpreter. We delivered the individual camera recordings, programme backups, VT material and completed transmission master.
A gallery built around an ATEM switcher and dedicated records gave the team a clear view of every source. Audio was managed through a digital console, and remote contributor routing allowed a guest to join the live running order. The resulting master runs for approximately 103 minutes, with a separate captioned winner film and subtitle files also preserved in the delivery.
Learning and Work Institute’s 2022 to 2023 impact report records nearly 200 nominations, more than 1,500 views of the awards livestream and 420,000 impressions for the campaign hashtag. Those Institute reported figures describe the reach surrounding this edition and give the live programme useful audience context.
2024: live YouTube coverage with an evolved room
For the 3 July 2024 awards, we produced the live link to Learning and Work Institute’s YouTube channel. The published Festival of Learning 2024 ceremony runs for almost 108 minutes and remains available as a complete record of the event.
The brief retained the familiar awards structure while adapting the room for approximately 80 guests and six supplied films. Jay Rozanski produced, with dedicated camera, audio, graphics and VT roles supporting the live cut. Additional festoon lighting, table lights and room uplighters helped the cabaret layout feel considered on camera and welcoming for the audience.
The production joined the event’s physical and digital layers: the camera plan covered speakers, winners and reactions; the gallery coordinated films and graphics; audio served both the venue and stream; and the lighting supported a consistent picture across the room. This live streaming workflow gave the Institute one programme for remote viewers and a lasting on demand version.
2025: supporting a new campaign identity
Learning and Work Institute announced in late 2024 that the Festival of Learning campaign would evolve, building on more than 30 years of work. The relationship continued into the first Get the Nation Learning Awards at the Barbican on 4 November 2025, where 11 lifelong learning champions were recognised.
Our production expanded with the new identity. Across these commissions, we created a bespoke stage concept, backdrop and lectern treatments, digital screen assets, custom animations, lower thirds and VT materials. An evening setup and pre light prepared the room before the live multi camera ceremony, with a complete sound desk recording retained alongside the visual assets.
Post production carried the event into a highlights film during November and December. The client praised its music, tone and strong shots, then worked with the team on a focused final cut of approximately two minutes. Learning and Work Institute signed off the finished version on 16 December, saying it looked great and thanking the team. The completed highlights extended the value of the ceremony beyond the live day and supplied the new campaign with concise material for continued communication.
A production relationship designed to evolve
Across the four editions covered here, the central purpose stayed consistent: honour adult learning achievements and make those stories accessible to people outside the venue. The production approach developed around that purpose, from the 2018 event and stream through the detailed 2022 multi camera programme, the public 2024 YouTube broadcast and the redesigned 2025 awards.
Year labelled planning kept each edition clear while allowing experience to carry forward. Camera positions, contributor films, graphics, audio, room layout, remote inputs and post event edits could all be adjusted around the venue and campaign. The long relationship also gave us an informed understanding of the event’s tone, helping the technical delivery support a human awards programme.
Learning and Work Institute describes Festival of Learning as England’s longest running lifelong learning campaign. Its evolution into Get the Nation Learning created a new visual and editorial chapter, and our work followed that change from established annual broadcast production into stage design, animation and a dedicated highlights delivery.
For practical planning advice, read our education video production guide. Explore our Sheffield DocFest awards graphics for related production work.
Frequently asked questions
How long have you worked on the Festival of Learning awards?
We delivered commissions from 2018 through 2025, including Festival of Learning editions and the first Get the Nation Learning Awards.
What did you provide for the awards?
The work covered live event video, streaming, cameras, audio, graphics, VT, lighting, stage visuals, recording and post event content across different editions.
What was delivered for the 2022 Festival of Learning?
The 2022 programme used four camera sources, a remote Zoom contribution, graphics, winner films and BSL coverage, with a completed master running for approximately 103 minutes.
How did the project change in 2025?
Festival of Learning evolved into Get the Nation Learning, and we supported the first awards with stage design, custom animation, live multi camera production and a highlights film.
