The Bunte Republik Neustadt is one of the most important festivals in Dresden. In the alternative scene district, over 150,000 visitors celebrate for three days. There is a lot of art and culture, bands, DJs and performances.

The event is self-organized and does not follow any specific program. There are many small groups who have their own agenda.

With this amount of information you can quickly lose track. An app definitely offers a solution to this. To get everything together in one place, Christian and Karl from the online portal Neustadt-Leben collected all the information about the festival and created an event app within one week. Here you will learn how to handle hundreds of program points at the same time and how they used, among other things, the survey function for social purposes.

LineUpr: Hello you two. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and explain what the Neustadt-Leben project is.

Christian and Karl: Hi, we are Christian Hille and Karl Adler. Christian is a lawyer and Karl is a computer scientist. We had the idea for the project Neustadt-Leben.de over 10 years ago, when there were not so many offers online for the Dresdener-Neustadt. We started to build a small community. Here users talked about the pubs in the Neustadt, arranged to meet for movie nights or sometimes for a barbecue in the Alaunpark.

LineUpr: What role do events play for you?

Christian and Karl: Later we specialized in summing up the events in the Neustadt so that we could give the sociable Neustadt resident a compact overview of the potential evening program.

This resulted in the desire to provide a good overview of the very extensive and varied program of the BRN. Unfortunately in the last few years nothing was done about this because of the lack of time, but this year we have finally managed to collect the bulk of the program points on time.

LineUpr: You used an event app from LineUpr for the Bunte Republik Neustadt (BRN). Please tell us more about this festival.

Christian and Karl: The BRN is actually not a classic event or even a district party, as some call it, but it actually stems from a half-joking idea from the 90s which proclaims the Dresden Neustadt as an independent micronation. On this occasion, the Bunte Republik has always been celebrated. Although much of the original character of the festival has suffered under the urban constraints, there is still the special aspect that there is neither an organizer nor a tightly planned program. Many residents contribute very individually and sometimes very spontaneously to the Bunte Republik.

LineUpr: What information did you use in the location profiles?

Christian and Karl: Actually only the location itself. Unfortunately, we lacked a bit of information from the individual organizers.

LineUpr: How do you rate the creation of the event app with LineUpr? What do you like and what can we improve?

Christian and Karl: Actually, it was really awesome, how quickly you can create such an event app from scratch. With the Excel-Import, it would be nice, if you don’t have to reconfigure all the column assignments etc., if an error occurs during the import. Unfortunately we had this quite often.

LineUpr: Did you also use the survey features?

Christian and Karl: Yes, in parallel with the event app, we gave out postcards with typical Neustadt motifs in exchange for a donation. The proceeds of the donation were to be donated to a Club in the Neustadt, but we wanted our users to participate in the decision. That’s why we created a survey asking who should receive the donation. Of the five clubs to choose from, there was an exciting head-to-head race between the City Gardens Association and the Treberhilfe, which won in the end.

LineUpr: What information did you use in the location profiles?

Christian and Karl: Actually only the location itself. Unfortunately, we lacked a bit of information from the individual organizers.

LineUpr: How do you rate the creation of the event app with LineUpr? What do you like and what can we improve?

Christian and Karl: Actually, it was really awesome, how quickly you can create such an event app from scratch. With the Excel-Import, it would be nice, if you don’t have to reconfigure all the column assignments etc., if an error occurs during the import. Unfortunately we had this quite often.

The post LineUpr in Action – Colourful and Well-Filled Just like the BRN first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Such an event with 2,000 visitors requires a large and experienced team. This is the only way to react quickly and flexibly to challenges. Of course, you also always need all the information at your fingertips at the right moment. In this interview, you can find out how Andreas solved this issue.

Another great customer story. Really worth reading.

LineUpr: Hello Andreas. Thank you for taking your time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and your event.

Andreas: Hello Nasti. First of all, thank you so much for your great support! My name is Andreas Isoz. I was an athlete in the Freestyle Aerials World Cup for 15 years and currently, I´m working in the restaurant business. I run two restaurants and also the national freestyle training center “Jumpin” near Zurich.

LineUpr: Crazy mix! You used our solution for the Freestyle Night. Please tell us more about this event.

Andreas: Freestyle Night is an annual event, which we organize on the “Jumpin” facility. We had this idea in a cozy round with a few bears in 2003. We wanted to organize a great annual sports event with a great supporting program. Besides the competitions in the disciplines such as Aerials, BMX/bike and Freeski, we also got acroflightshow, skydivers and skateboard mini ramp on board. This is a day where freestyle sports, cuisine, music, parties, get-togethers and fun come together. The event is organized entirely on a voluntary basis.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend on the planning of the event on average?

Andreas: The team of seven planners managed the festival. We worked together with around 40 volunteers. The planning itself took us 1 year, though the “effective work” from construction to dismantling lasted about 10 days.

LineUpr: Do you also use printed products to promote an event or distribute information on-site? If so, which and why?

Andreas: Over the last 17 years, the type of media instruments used has changed dramatically. We have distributed a few flyers and posters and sent some out by post. This was primarily used as a counterbalance to the digital appearance. Thanks to LineUpr, we have completely gotten rid of on-site program booklets.

LineUpr: You’ve used LineUpr for the first time. How did you learn about it and what added value does an event app offer you?

Andreas: Basically, I was looking for an extensive event app, which I could use for the organization of the event. Two features were of great importance for me: assignment of tasks and interactive to-do-lists. That’s when I came across LineUpr.

We have created two LineUpr Apps. The first one, the staff app, allowed me to provide everyone (volunteers, sound and lighting technicians, paramedics) with a very detailed program. I also attached the corresponding documents (e.g. order confirmation) as PDF to the certain agenda entries. I´ve created profiles for our contact persons and linked them according to their tasks in the program. This saved us from having to use confusing Excel spreadsheets.

The second app was for our guests. In addition to the program, we were able to offer various background information. We also could adjust the program live (e.g. in case of bad weather).

LineUpr: What information and content did you communicate via the LineUpr app?

Andreas: These were the program of the festival and background information in the guests´ app. In the staff app, apart from the normal schedule, there was information on delivery times and program items for service providers (security service, paramedics, etc.).

LineUpr: When and how did you inform your participants about the event app?

Andreas: We used our social media channels to inform our guests about the event. We also printed QR codes on the posters and entry wristbands.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Andreas: We haven´t actively asked for feedback. From our staff team as well as the local service providers, we received very positive feedback.

LineUpr: How has your event or event organization changed by using an event app?
Andreas: We certainly saved a lot of paper and were able to adjust our schedule live at any time. Thus, there was never an accidental old program brochure in circulation and everybody was up to date.

LineUpr: If someone is thinking about using an event app for their event, how would you advise them? When is an app useful and what are the disadvantages of an app?

Andreas: I do not see any real disadvantages. I know, that guests often don´t want to download and install apps. Since you don´t need to do that with LineUpr, this barrier isn´t there anymore. You need a QR Code Scanner, which is (too bad) not always automatically integrated into every phone camera.

LineUpr: Thank you very much, Andreas! That was a very creative approach to use a LineUpr app! We are already looking forward to your next events! By the way, some Android versions and the latest iOS versions have already integrated QR code scanner in the camera.

Andreas: Thank you very much for your great support!

More information, impressions and current news about Freestyle Night can be found on Facebook and Instagram. A look at the Homepage is always worth it! 

The post Event Apps for Sports Events – Communication with Visitors and Staff Worked out Simple first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

In this article, we finally get musical again. We welcome Valentin Sacher from the music school Rheinfelden / Kaiseraugst. Valentin wanted to let the whole world to participate in the effect of live music, he and his colleagues came up with the idea of the Long Night of Music in 2016. The premiere of which took place in summer 2018.

For this occasion, he also looked for a digital solution to easily and clearly represent the complex program. He came across several event app providers. In the interview, he tells us why he chose LineUpr and how he shared the app among the visitors. Have fun while reading.

LineUpr: Hello Valentin. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the music school Rheinfelden / Kaiseraugst.

Valentin: The music school Rheinfelden / Kaiseraugst (MSRK) is the musical competence center of the two communities in the lower Fricktal near Basel. About 420 pupils in individual and group lessons, as well as over 120 children and adolescents, are taught at this school. An extended offer of early musical education and offers in dance and theatre with more than 200 other assignments underline the importance of our institution in a regional context. Our music school, which is ISO-certified until the summer of 2009 is still well organized and structured. The above-average infrastructure on its own premises is particularly impressive.

LineUpr: You used LineUpr last year for the Long Night of Music in Kaiseraugst. Tell us a bit more about this event. Which target group did you want to address and what added value did you offer the participants?

Valentin: The Long Night of Music in Kaiseraugst was an experiment. We wanted to fill the whole village with music: as varied as possible, colorful and “something for everyone”. The rush was – certainly also favored by great weather – unbelievable! And the concept has proven itself. So we will do the next edition on 6.6.2020.

LineUpr: What strategies and tools did you use to address this target group? Do you attach special importance to something in particular?

Valentin: We want to appeal to the widest possible audience and therefore advertise on various channels. Social media as well as posters, placemats, etc. belong to our advertising material.

LineUpr: If you could only use one of these tools, which one would you choose and why?

Valentin: Difficult question. I think for us the mix is important because the audience is so broad.

LineUpr: How did you come up with the idea of using LineUpr for the Long Night? What added value do you see in the event app for you and the visitors?

Valentin: I was looking for a way to market the complex timetable to make it somehow appealing and purposeful. I wanted an app for that. A colleague of mine works in this industry. I asked him how much it would cost to program such an app. He immediately made me understand that this could not be afforded, but at the same time showed me a few examples of apps from existing providers. LineUpr impressed me the most and I’m still convinced that this is by far the best app for our needs.

LineUpr: How long before the event do you start creating the event app? How much time do you invest in the app?

Valentin: We had 14 stages with over 40 formations. On top of that, we had to grasp this for the first time and build a strategy for ourselves so that we could put the information in the right places. After that, it went very fast and for the 2020 edition, I think we will come very far with just one day’s work.

LineUpr: When and how did you inform the event participants about the event app?

Valentin: This was done in advance through our website and at the event itself with special flyers and a QR code, which leads to the app. But there we certainly still have expansion possibilities.

LineUpr: What information and content did you communicate via the app?

Valentin: Everything – really everything. Who plays when and where, current news about the event (e.g. current entry level), food corners, emergency scenarios, parking situation, etc.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Valentin: We did not actively ask for it. As I said, we have not exhausted the all the possibilities of this app yet. Everyone who downloaded it was impressed.

LineUpr: Thank you Valentin for the interesting interview. Since our apps are used primarily in the business context, cultural events are always something special. Therefore, I’m always looking forward to feedback from these events. In general, far too few city festivals in Germany and Europe are using the reach and added value of digital tools.

Incidentally, more information about Valentin’s music school can be found on their website and on Facebook. Of course, the Long Night of Music has its own homepage. Here you can view scenes from 2018 and prepare for the next edition in 2020. We are already looking forward to it.

The post Event Apps for Festivals and City Fests – Example: The Long Night of Music in Kaiseraugst first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Today will again be cultural in our blog. With Kirsten Mascher, we host the project manager of German Multimedia Award and organizer of the media festival. With an average of 3,500 visitors and more than 45 interactive stations, the media festival is one of the most interesting events in Germany. Kirsten, herself, will tell us precisely what happens at the media festival and why an event app fits perfectly into this concept.

You can find more exciting success stories from our customers here.

LineUpr: Hello Kirsten. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the Media Culture Festival.

Kirsten: Hello, my name is Kirsten Mascher and I am the project manager of the German Multimedia Award mb21 and associated media festivals. The competition will be 20 years old this year and since 1998 has become a forum for digital media culture. It is aimed at children and youths up to 25 years old. It offers young media makers a platform and a networking opportunity and looks for digital, net-based, interactive and cross-media projects and productions. Our nationwide event partner is the German Children and Youth Film Centre (KJF)

Every year in November, the media festival takes place in the Technical Collections Dresden in Dresden – with participatory actions, media art projects, the presentation of partners and the awarding of the German Multimedia Award. The Media Culture Center annually curates over 45 interactive festival stations (interactive stations, media art installations, indie game forums, retro game exhibitions, award winners of past years, etc.) for the visitors of the media festival. The festival has an average of 3,500 visitors annually and is experiencing increasing regional, national and international attention. It is known for interactivity, exchange and family flair.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend, on average, on the planning of the event?

Kirsten: Preparations and follow-up work are done all year round for the German Multimedia Award mb21 and the media festivals.

The planning and conceptual orientation of the media festival begins in the first quarter of the year. The competition runs from April to August, with jury meetings in September. At the same time, financial security is sought, the festival programme is curated, communication with new and old partners is done, public relations planned and implemented, catering organized, helpers coordinated, etc. and the festival takes place in mid-November.

Both projects are intensively supervised by 2-3 employees of the Media Culture Center. In addition to interns, voluntary social year culture, and volunteer helpers, the number of helpers for the festival has increased to around 60 people.

LineUpr: What makes your event special? What added value do you offer the participants?

Kirsten: The festival is a platform for creative people and offers large networking opportunities for award winners, interested parties, game developers, trade visitors and network partners. It provides a wide range of creative media works done by children and youths, sample projects, impulses and inspiration for everyday school life. Families especially appreciate the variety of offers to play together and the encouragement to share through media.

LineUpr: Have you used event apps in the past? If so, what are your experiences? If not, what was against the use of an event app?

Kirsten: No, we did not use any other event app before LineUpr. We became learned about you through Fanny Peter and were very excited about your concept. Thank you again at this point, for your support in recent years. It is indeed very pleasant to work with you. The app has high user-friendliness in the back-end, is intuitive and fun to use!

LineUpr: How did you use LineUpr before, during and after the media culture festival?

Kirsten: We distributed the app to the public through all possible channels before the media festival. On websites, on social media, through posters and flyers, to our partners, supporters and sponsors and of course in the invitations to our guests.

At the event, the app was mentioned in the foyer at the cash register. We were able to record a year-to-year increase in usage. We offered visitors the festival programme via the app, information about the people involved and their projects (the lineup) and information about promoters and sponsors.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Kirsten: Those we talked to loved the app. We didn‘t do a large scale survey among the visitors, but we should plan that for this year.

LineUpr: Keyword Challenges. How do you deal with the trend of digitalization? How will this development change your event in the future? Will you try to take a look at other events?

Kirsten: We would like to switch to a digital festival programme, but we have not done so as yet. On the one hand, this is due to the complicated visitor guidance in the house and our wish that the festival stations will be noticed and recognized in addition to the usual range of technical collections. On the other hand, we have assessed our audience according to the broad age structure and an in-hand flyer for orientation in the house is necessary. Pertaining to our partner festivals in Austria, Switzerland, and Hungary, we are the pioneers with a festival app and so it can be challenging to take a look at others there. ? We will continue to keep our eyes and ears open and above all, work on our concept.

LineUpr: Is there a crazy story about the last media culture festival that you would like to share with us?

Kirsten: Every year, the preparation and running of the media festival is a crazy story itself. ? Every year we are pleased with the small and big visitors, who are enthusiastic about the offers and would like to come back the next day. Every year, my particular highlights are getting to know the mb21 winners, working together in the team and with the Technical Collections Dresden and our legendary, annually newly created elevator music! ?

LineUpr: Thank you, Kirsten, for the lovely interview. If you would like to know more about the Media Culture Center or the Media Festival, you can surely find it on their website, their Twitter or Facebook profile.

We look forward to this year’s edition with you.

The competition “German Multimedia Award mb21” is sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, the state capital Dresden and other partners. Organizers are the Media Culture Centre Dresden and the German Children and Youth Film Centre (KJF).

The post Digital Programme for the Dresden Media Festival – Event-App Experiences first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Today we have another treat from the music scene as a guest on our blog. Dirk Weiler will tell us more about how he found LineUpr and why he uses our mobile presentation app for the Leapin Lindy Festival. Lindy Hop is a special dance style, but Dirk will tell you more about it.

You can find more exciting success stories from our customers here.

LineUpr: Hello Dirk. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the Leapin Lindy.

Dirk: My name is Dirk and I am part of the team that helps to organize the Leapin Lindy. It’s a 4-day event with dance parties every night and workshops on Saturday and Sunday. It takes place every year in February in Bern.

At the Leapin Lindy, Lindy Hop is danced. It is a dance style from the 1930s from the USA.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend, on average, on the planning of the event?

Dirk: We are a core team of 6 people, each with different responsibilities. Also, after the Leapin Lindy is before the Leapin Lindy. After the event and the analysis of the feedback, we start with the vision and planning for the next edition. During the 4 days of the event, we are also supported by over 60 volunteers.

LineUpr: That sounds like something big. What makes your event special? What added value do you offer the participants?

Dirk: We have the excellent teachers and bands of the international scene as guests. We are a non-profit association and our motivation is simply the passion for dance. The core team and over 60 helpers all work on a voluntary basis.

LineUpr: Who is the usual target audience of your event and how do you reach them? Which channels and tools do you use for marketing and presentation?

Dirk: Our target groups are lindy hop and jazz dancers – from beginners to advanced dancers. Leapin Lindy has a well over 10-year tradition and is known among most Lindy Hop dancers. We maintain the homepage and operate through Facebook marketing. In addition, I explained the app and how it works in a video and published it on the website and Facebook.

LineUpr: Perfect transition! You have just used LineUpr for the first time. How did you become aware of LineUpr and what was the decisive argument for you to use an event app?

Dirk: I wanted a modern mobile solution for the extensive schedule. Who, what, when and where. I didn’t know that such a thing existed at all and started googling, trying different things and I finally ended up at Lineupr and got stuck ?

LineUpr: That was definitely the right decision. How did you use the app before, during and after the event?

Dirk: I created the complete workshop plan in the app and then linked it with all the necessary information about the party and workshop times, the dance teachers, and the venues.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Dirk: We had excelent feedback. What was especially important was the offline availability because we had a lot of guests from abroad.

LineUpr: How have your events changed by using an event app?

Dirk: The event itself has changed little. We just go with the times and use new ways of communicating the information. The app is modern, easy to use and understand.

LineUpr: Thank you, Dirk, for the great interview. It is something special to be able to portray such very individual events with our app.

If you want to know more about Leapin Lindy, you can find information on the homepage or their Facebook profile.

We look forward to the next edition in 2019.

The post Digital Schedule and Mobile Communications – Experiences of the Leapin Lindy Festival first appeared on LineUpr Blog.