As organizers continue to rethink the role of learning at events, this session explores how different formats, environments and interactions contribute to meaningful knowledge exchange.  Ken Holsinger and Kimberly Hardcastle were joined by two event leaders bringing distinct perspectives to the conversation: Rebecca Sausner of Yotta and Chris Peck of ASIS International (producer of GSX). Together, they shared how learning is being designed, tested, and evolved across very different event models.

They explored:

• How learning shows up across the full event experience, from structured sessions to informal, peer-driven, and experiential moments
• New and emerging formats that encourage participation, experimentation and real-world application (e.g., hands-on activations, problem-solving environments, off-site experiences)
• How to create environments that spark interaction and knowledge exchange, not just content consumption
• The role of audience design in shaping learning outcomes 
• Balancing innovation with practicality. How both newer fast-growing events and established growth-seeking shows are testing ideas, iterating, and scaling what works and …
• What lessons these organizers have learned – including what has worked, what hasn’t and what’s still evolving

By bringing together perspectives from both established and emerging events, this session highlights how innovative approaches to learning can take shape in different contexts and how organizers can apply these ideas in ways that align with their own audience, goals, and constraints.

Click below for the Freeman Trends Report: Unpacking XLNC: The future of adult learning at conferences and tradeshow