Organise
a workshop
How to make your workshop truly inspiring
Planning to organize a workshop? Whether you want to teach your audience something new, engage them in hands-on activities, or foster development—workshops are a powerful way to spark creativity and interaction. Whether it’s a collaborative team session, an interactive moment during a conference, or a digital brainstorming session with educational value, workshops encourage participants to think differently. We’re here to help you organize a successful and impactful workshop.
What types of workshops can you organize?
Over the years, Jaarbeurs has hosted a wide variety of workshops. Here are some common formats to consider:Creative workshops
Often described as “getting hands-on,” these sessions include activities like drawing, writing, storytelling, or other creative pursuits. The goal? To inspire new ways of thinking or mastering new skills.
Trainings and master classes
Sometimes workshops function as standalone trainings. Participants typically learn specific skills such as effective presentation, time management, or enhanced sales techniques.
Strategic workshops
As the name suggests, these workshops challenge teams to collaboratively develop visions, strategies, or plans. Pro tip: hiring a skilled facilitator can significantly boost the outcome.
Online workshops
This category covers anything delivered digitally—via Zoom, Teams, or livestreams from our Jaarbeurs Studio. Online workshops are an excellent choice for remote or hybrid events.
Workshop spaces at Jaarbeurs
Workshops take place daily at Jaarbeurs. Depending on your needs and group size, we recommend suitable venues across our different locations:
What is a workshop?
At Jaarbeurs, we define a workshop as an interactive session where participants actively engage with a topic or challenge. Unlike lectures or presentations that mainly involve one-way communication, workshops emphasize collaboration. The focus is on doing, thinking, experimenting, and reflecting together. Workshops are typically short—usually 1 to 3 hours—and can stand alone or be part of a larger event, such as a conference or trade fair. They often serve as valuable interactive segments within broader programs.
What is the purpose of a workshop?
Workshops are all about connection and collaboration. While specific goals vary, sharing knowledge is always central. Participants actively work on questions or assignments, learning new approaches or ways of thinking. Teams often co-create ideas, plans, or prototypes during the session.
Another important goal can be raising awareness—helping participants recognize certain behaviors or understand how to handle specific issues. And finally, workshops can simply inspire and stimulate creativity, which in itself can be a valuable outcome.
7 tips for organising a good workshop
It all starts with the right preparation. So start at the beginning: what do you want participants to learn, make or experience? Once you know this, you can move on to the rest. It will help you make choices during the organisation.
What form will your workshop take? Are you going to explain something? Let people do it or create it? There are different working forms you can choose to make your workshop easier to 'dress up'. For example mind mapping, role plays or a demonstration.
People come to learn something new. Therefore, remember: a workshop is not a mini-conference. Ensure focus. Limit the depth of the subject, ensure sufficient pace and think in terms of variety.
It sounds rather logical, yet it happens more often than you think: a space that does not suit the type of workshop. Go for a space that suits you and the topic. Need movement? Then hire a slightly larger room. Intimate workshop? Then don't go too big, this feels too distant. The same goes for the atmosphere. An inspiring venue makes all the difference. Large, small, modern, traditional? We have a beautiful event location for every kind of workshop .
The participants make or break the atmosphere of your workshop. Don't let them slump, but involve them in the workshop. Don't give them (too) much chance to sit back. Ask questions, let them work together, create assignments and ask what they need.
You want people to leave the workshop with a new idea, insight, plan or skill to apply. Therefore, make sure you tell them clearly beforehand. What will you learn today? What are we going to work on? This makes it extra nice for your participants to realise later that they have learned something new.
Ask for feedback from your participants. What did they like? And what not so much? What could be improved? Draw up a short evaluation list or round and ask for your participants' opinions. Ask questions about the whole picture: the organisation, location, content, catering, accessibility, etc. That way, you can organise a next edition even better.
Organise a workshop at Jaarbeurs
ChatGPT zei: Are you considering organizing a workshop at Jaarbeurs? Great! We’re here to help. At Jaarbeurs, we offer inspiring spaces of all sizes. For example, MeetUp is an excellent option. It’s our vibrant meeting center with a variety of rooms, from small to large. It’s perfect for hosting meetings or workshops. Plus, it’s plug and play, so you can get started right away. We’ll set everything up for you in advance. All our rooms are equipped with top-quality technical equipment. Need more support with organizing your workshop? Our event managers are ready to assist you.
Organising a workshop?
Get in touch and discover the possibilities of Jaarbeurs!
