media city leipzig is best known for its television productions. How do conferences and other types of events fit into the picture?
Tina Richter: “media city leipzig is so much more than television. Whether it’s a meeting with ten or fifteen people in a conference room, a virtual event, or a complex multi-day programme spread across several spaces, anything is possible here. We can combine studios and workshop areas or create room-in-room concepts. For example, a conference or client event, the accompanying social programme and the evening get-together can all be held under one roof. Similarly, different events can take place in parallel.”
Organisers are increasingly focusing on sustainability – is media city leipzig suitable for green events?
Juliane Matthias: “Absolutely. Sustainability is standard for us and we have well-established structures as a sound basis. Many of these aspects were already taken into account when media city leipzig was built 25 years ago: the roofs were greened; there is a photovoltaic system whose output is displayed on a screen in the foyer; the venue has been made accessible to people with a physical disability; and we are well served by public transport.
On this basis, we have continuously improved the sustainability of the venue. We buy green electricity. There are e-bike charging stations and a teilAuto car-sharing centre right on our doorstep. All lighting has been converted to LED. We use motion detectors to prevent lights being left on unnecessarily. We can create room-in-room solutions, interpreter booths or temporary cloakrooms using a reusable stand construction system.
Our commitment to digital means we are virtually paperless. We place great value on reusing resources and on the circular economy. For example, the new floor in Studio 5 is made from old stage floors. At events, we save a lot of paper with services such as digital check-in counters, an event app and wayfinding displays. And when it comes to putting sustainability into practice, being close to the world of television brings further advantages.”
How do event organisers benefit from media city leipzig’s proximity to the world of business?
Tina Richter: “Whether the request is for a TV show or an event, we have everything we need on site. We don’t require any additional logistics to provide lighting and technology, stage, props and equipment. We also have the relevant skills and don’t need external service providers. This makes us very flexible when it comes to getting it done. One thing is very important: before each production, we check what is already available and can be reused. This is because all purchases for television productions are stored here – and available to be used again. At the same time, media city leipzig has workshops specialising in the production of unique items and decorations. Organisers can access this service and the extensive pool of resources. What’s more, we are always happy to work with you to develop your event concept. Visiting the venue inspires many event planners to come up with completely new ideas. They often don’t fully realise what is possible here.”
Our tip: If you are planning an event at media city leipzig, take the time to visit the complex in advance. A tour of the studios, props warehouse, costume shop, workshops and decoration department will provide you with many exciting ideas for your own event.
A tour will also give you an idea of all the different event spaces. The fully glazed “media garden” is an all-round event space, whether for a reception or after-show, for networking, a coffee break or as an area for exhibitors and sponsor presentations. The conference rooms are located in the studio area. While “In aller Freundschaft”, Germany’s most successful hospital soap, is shot in Studios 1 and 2, the surrounding studios are available to you as an organiser for complex event concepts.
Studio 5 functions as a traditional conference room for up to 350 people. Studio 3 can accommodate events for up to 1,000 people and is a real eye-catcher as an original television studio. In addition to a flexible event area, this is also the setting for the Friday evening talk show Riverboat.
How about taking a seat where celebrities and famous faces usually chat with host Kim Fisher? All of this is possible. In the past, the eight-metre-high ceiling has also allowed for stunts such as suspended performers and the installation of a climbing wall. All venues at media city leipzig are accessible at ground level so that even large exhibits can be moved to the desired location with ease. And don’t forget: the latest technology is used throughout.
The technical possibilities are also almost endless, aren’t they?
Juliane Matthias: “If you can go live at quarter past eight on a Friday evening, then you have all the ingredients for successful events. And what works on the big TV stage could be the next event idea for an organiser. The demands of modern television and the media business mean that we have the technology right here. Perhaps you are looking for a special lighting solution? The hundreds of LED lights in the Riverboat studio can all light up in any colour – such as the event organiser’s corporate colours. Are you still missing a certain spotlight? Our lighting warehouse is right next door. If you are planning a sophisticated digital programme, we can produce a professional recording or live broadcast in our green screen studio. For conferences, we can set up live links to external speakers. And live streams are a way for organisers to reach a wider audience.”
What technical innovations have you surprised event organisers with in the past?
Tina Richter: ‘’For example, in June 2024, we held the first ever silent meeting in our Studio 5 as part of the SIC24 Sustainable Insurance Convention, which was organised by Versicherungsforen Leipzig GmbH. A total of 300 participants sat in a room that had been optically divided down the middle. Each of the two groups of 150 people was given headphones with a preset frequency. Then two speakers spoke at the same time, each at about room volume. Participants were able to concentrate fully, partly because there were no distractions from their surroundings. This is an excellent concept for partitioning a room based on acoustics alone. It was a great success the first time round and the next conference organisers are already planning to use it.”
In what other ways does being so close to TV productions affect conferences in practice?
Juliane Matthias: “Television, like live communication, is about creating an experience that touches and inspires. Our venues offer the perfect conditions to create an extraordinary atmosphere and a perfect overall picture with lighting and equipment. Thanks to our experience in TV production, we have a good eye for dramaturgy and staging, right down to the last detail. Sometimes it’s the special little things that perfect a conference, inspire participants and keep organisers coming back. Another thing is that guests can get very close to day-to-day production activities. It’s not unusual for them to cross paths with a famous presenter or actor. The route to the conference room might lead through the entrance to the fictional A&E department from the hospital soap. Or guests may meet where music videos and advertising films are usually produced. This is really interesting for all kinds of audiences. With us, you automatically get a look behind the scenes.”
media city leipzig shows what sustainable events can look like in Leipzig and how venues are taking real action to promote sustainability in the event business. Would you like to find out more about green events or sustainable mobility in Leipzig? The Team of the Leipzig Convention Bureau will be happy to answer your questions and put you in touch with the right people. We look forward to hearing from you.
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