Choosing a Room and Seating Layout for Your Seminar

Convention venues give you a lot of choice, which is both an advantage and a trap. A room that is too large feels empty and saps energy; a room that is too small feels cramped and leaves no space for registration or coffee. Start with your audience and the format, then pick the room.

Seating styles

• Theatre: rows of chairs facing the stage. Fits the most people, best for talks and panels.

• Classroom: rows of tables and chairs. Best when attendees take notes or use laptops.

• Cabaret: round tables with one side left open to the stage. Best for seminars with group exercises.

• Boardroom or U-shape: for small, discussion-heavy sessions.

The essentials for a seminar setup

• A podium and lapel microphone for the main speaker.

• Audience microphones for Q&A.

• Projector or LED screen sized for the back row.

• A registration table with name tags and materials.

• A holding area for coffee breaks and networking.

Questions for the venue

• Which rooms suit your expected audience and preferred layout?

• What AV is built in, and can external suppliers bring their own equipment?

• How is catering handled for breaks and lunch?

• When can setup and rehearsal take place?

• Are there any restrictions on branding, signage or noise?

Check current rules and options with the venue during a site visit. Seeing the room at the same time of day as your seminar helps you judge lighting and screen visibility.

Plan for breakouts

If your programme includes workshops or parallel tracks, book smaller rooms close to the main hall so attendees can move quickly. Clear signage between rooms prevents people drifting off during transitions.

Get Out! Events brings its own AV, staging and lighting to many venues; see its Singapore EXPO seminar event planning notes.

About this guide: Seminar at Singapore EXPO is written and maintained by Get Out! Events, a Singapore corporate event company at 14 Robinson Road #08-01A, Singapore 048545. It contains general planning guidance only; confirm current venue rules, permits and partner requirements before you book anything.