Guests and panelists will be invited to Knock-Offs at Squeaky Clean following the symposium. It’ll be the chance to wind down, share a drink, and unpack ideas further over a game of pool.
Venus Vinifera and Subject Matters Presents
Led by the Venus Vinifera team, Subject Matters is an annual hospitality symposium in Canberra which asks the burning question: How do we reinvigorate our industry?
Over 3 conversation panels, attendees of the symposium will be exposed to ideas, experiences and advice from conversations held between industry folks, and design experts and anthropologists, learning about: Hospitality’s role in the fabric of society and culture
We’re exploring why hospitality is a crucial part of how our society connects, finds balance and navigates everyday life. We’re digging deep to rediscover the ‘why,’; diving into concepts about community, place and interaction to re-inspire both the people in the industry and our guests.
SESSION 01
Third Space
Following COVID, the hospitality industry had to focus on staying open and employed. The reason for venues and brands existing – the why – got lost in the sauce. The irony of this isn’t lost on us. In the midst of the loneliness and disconnection of lockdowns, patrons realised how important venues were to their social connection, balance and happiness.As our world becomes more difficult to navigate – cost of living, world events, and social media encouraging isolation – the importance of a Third Space only grows. In this panel, we’re casting off the chat about finances, staffing and CPI increases. We’re unpacking what Third Space is, how we make our venues a Third Space, and why it’s so important to the fabric of society.
SESSION 02
Breaking Bread: The Culture of Food & Drink
Why do we love to eat and drink? Are we biologically engineered to find more joy in cooking for others and gathering round a table? What transcends a meal from simple physical enjoyment to an emotional journey – the act of eating into something we remember? How important is choice, texture and vision? This panel is unpacking the behaviours of humans when they eat and drink. We’re looking at why people are drawn to eating and drinking when they socialise, how this differs across the world, and discussing how to sculpt an offering to transcend a guest’s experience.
SESSION 03
It’s Serving
Giddy up, this is going to be a fun one! The questions put to our panelists will be entirely drawn from the two previous panels. We’re unpacking things further – talking about the challenges, the opportunities and ideas for action. Panelists will be a combination of venue owners and young guns, and they’ll be encouraged to bounce off one another, be brutally honest and spark excitement.
SESSION 04
In Good Company
Our final session will see guests carve into small groups with a panelist from the day.Guests will receive a card in their gift bag, which will correspond to a panel/panelists and its design/production will also serve as a memento of the day. This will be a conversational experience held around the theatre and in the foyer. The objective is to further conversation; networking is a byproduct.
KNOCK-OFFS
