TEM 2015 – The Istanbul Meeting

We would like to thank our sponsors for making this years conference possible.

 

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TEM 2015 Wrap Up Report

TEM 2015 in Istanbul has now come and gone. From September 10th-12th 2015, 146 delegates from 31 countries came to Istanbul to discuss touring exhibitions, network, listen to talks, take part in workshops, and enjoy some wonderful evening events. From the M&M Star Wars Chocolate “Mpire” mug mascots in the opening session to discussions on the appeal of a 50 Shades of Gray exhibition in the closing session, there was always a sense of fun to accompany the serious business.

From the happy faces and encouraging comments, it’s safe to say that the conference was a success, and that everyone left up-to-date on the latest goings on in the touring exhibitions world and with some new contacts (they also left with three free books, two signed by the authors!).

TEM Love Boat

Bosphorus Boat Tour – The TEM Love Boat 2015

Speakers, Workshops and Events

Across the days of the conference, our delegates had the chance to attend some wonderful keynote lectures and workshops. Gerri Morris’ opening speech on the importance of exhibitions in cities provided many interesting thinking points, all backed up by carefully collected and analysed data, and delegates also enjoyed the Business Romantic Tim Leberecht’s fantastic talk and book signing. When asked about TEM, Tim said, “I really enjoyed it. Thinking about pause and calm, I love that there are many breaks. It’s not over programmed. It’s very relaxed and very social.” Keynote speaker Dany Louise, who spoke about why cultural organisations struggle to communicate in a clear, friendly way with their visitors, also enjoyed her time at TEM, “I think it’s incredibly well organized. I’ve been really impressed with the company and the atmosphere and the effort that has gone in, and how lovely people are.”

Jasper Visser, who led two workshops on digital engagement, said, “What I especially like about the conference is that it’s very networking oriented. I always like these better than ones that are about sitting and shutting up. My specialisation is engagement, and this is a very engaged conference. I hope to be back.”

As well as our keynotes and workshops, there were also some fantastic evening events. On the first evening, delegates enjoyed amazing views from Cloud 34, the Hilton’s rooftop bar, overlooking the flickering lights of Istanbul. The next night, everyone travelled by bus to the Midpoint Restaurant in Beyoğlu for delicious food and drink, and again were met with beautiful views, this time of the Bosphorus, and of the illuminated shapes of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in the distance. On the final evening, we boarded the TEM Love Boat for a ride on the Bosphorus; luckily, the rain that had battered Istanbul for much of the day finally cleared, enabling us to stand on the deck, accompanied by music, to watch Asia and Europe slowly drift by.

Tim Leberecht

Tim Leberecht at TEM 2015

The Business Lounge

Throughout the conference, the Business Lounge was a hive of activity. The room was alive with the sound of talking and pens furiously scribbling on paper. Among those in the Business Lounge was Martijn Beenen of Brand New Expo, whose new exhibition, Art Detectives (which opens at the Hague in May 2016) was inspired by watching Arthur Brand speak at TEM last year. “Now we’re here to promote our plans,” Martijn said. “People can see the stories Arthur Brand solved, and it’s very interactive – you can play games. The exhibition is for families with kids and people who are young at heart.” TEM also had a big impact on Gérard Steenbergen of Venue in Rotterdam; after seeing the Power of Poison exhibition presentation at the Flea Market last year, Venue decided to bring the show to Rotterdam; it now opens on 25th September.

Yalçın Balcı, chairman of the Istanbul Entertainment Group (IEG), TEM’s local host, said, “I’m very happy to host all of these people from around the world. It’s an extremely good community, and TEM gives us a chance to talk and see each other.” IEG’s hit exhibition Magnificent Century will be soon be touring, with one version heading to Doha, and a different version going to Russia, starting in Moscow later in the year. Ada Somuncuoglu of SOMART Visual and Industrial Design LLC, a company that worked on the Magnificent Century exhibition, also said of TEM, “It’s an amazing way to connect to the world, to likeminded people, with the same hopes and passions. What I like most about TEM is that most of these projects have a mission quality to them. They serve a purpose. It serves humanity in a way. It’s connected with an artistic approach and is all about education.”

Bechara Yared of RSF also enjoyed his time at TEM 2015. “I like the people that organize TEM.” Bechara said, “I think they’re highly professional and the conference provides an opportunity for me as an audio guide provider to meet with many potential clients, and to transmit to them the value that I can bring to their industry.” Andrey Kunsky of RSF General Communications said, “There are a lot of creative people here at TEM and I like the atmosphere. I saw many speakers, but my favourite was Gerri Morris. The talk was really interesting because I have a marketing education, so when I see figures and diagrams, I’m really glad! Figures help us to understand where we need to spend our efforts to improve exhibitions and the visitor experience.”

The Future

As was announced during the conference, there is no TEM next year, but there should be one in 2017; we can’t give away any information about where or when it will be held at this point, but it’s likely that you’ll need to pack your Lederhosen. In the meantime, while we wait for 2017 to come along, stay tuned to The Touring Exhibition News for all the latest goings on in the touring exhibition world – www.touringexhibitions.org/ten and if you have any feedback about TEM 2015, please write to daniel@touringexhibitions.org

Thanks again, and hopefully we’ll see you all again next time!


This is the information you’re looking for:

// Delegates list 2015

// TEMagazine 2015

// Programme 2015

// Photos TEM 2015 (Flickr)

Please send a mail to oliver@touringexhibitions.org if you would like to receive photos in high resolution.