Olympia Events and Aztec publish forward-looking AV trends review

Olympia Events has teamed up with Aztec Event Services to publish a forward-looking 2026 AV Trends Review, setting out how audiovisual, production and event technology requirements are expected to evolve at major conferences and exhibitions over the next few years.

The review builds on Aztec’s recent appointment as the official AV partner for Olympia’s new International Convention Centre (ICC), part of the wider regeneration of the historic London venue. Together, the organisations aim to provide event organisers and technology suppliers with a structured view of the pressures, opportunities and investment priorities that will shape in-venue and hybrid experiences as the ICC comes online.

Background and industry context

Table of Contents

The release of the 2026 AV Trends Review comes at a time when event technology strategies are undergoing significant reassessment. Organisers are rebalancing in-person, hybrid and digital formats, while attendees’ expectations for production quality and seamless technology have continued to rise since the rapid digitisation of events during the pandemic years.

Venues are also navigating a more complex mix of requirements. Conferences and exhibitions increasingly involve broadcast-grade content capture, on-site streaming, interactive stages, and more robust networking infrastructure to support everything from mobile event apps to exhibitor-led demonstrations. At the same time, budgets remain under scrutiny, forcing teams to prioritise investments that deliver measurable value.

In this landscape, major venues are looking to long-term AV partnerships to standardise quality, streamline planning and unlock new revenue models. Olympia’s decision to establish a dedicated AV strategy for its ICC, supported by a trends review, reflects this broader industry shift toward more integrated, future-proofed technical ecosystems.

Key developments in the 2026 AV trends review

While the full contents of the review are targeted at stakeholders across Olympia Events’ client base and partner network, the document is positioned as a practical guide to the changing dynamics of AV and production for 2026 and beyond. It examines areas such as how onsite experiences are being reshaped by new formats, and what organisers should expect from venue-based AV partners over the coming years.

The collaboration draws on Aztec’s role as Olympia’s AV provider for the ICC, where the company will support a wide range of event types, from large congresses and trade shows to corporate meetings and brand experiences. The review is intended to translate insights from this partnership into guidance that can inform planning conversations between organisers, venues and suppliers.

Core themes in the review include:

Shifting expectations around audiovisual quality and reliability for plenary sessions, breakouts and exhibition activations.
The increasing importance of flexible, scalable production infrastructures that can support both in-person and remote audiences.
Operational challenges facing organisers as AV requirements become more complex, particularly in areas such as content capture, streaming and multi-room coordination.
Opportunities for venues and AV partners to simplify decision-making for organisers through pre-configured packages and integrated technical environments.

While specific technology brands or products are not the focus, the review points towards a more strategic view of how AV design, staffing and support should be aligned to overall event objectives, rather than treated as a late-stage, tactical line item.

Implications for venues and suppliers

For venues, the 2026 AV Trends Review underscores the need to move beyond basic equipment provision and toward a more consultative, partnership-led model. The ICC project at Olympia is positioned as an example of this shift, where AV capabilities are being built into the venue’s infrastructure from the outset, rather than retrofitted around individual events.

This approach has operational and commercial implications. Integrated AV design can reduce setup times, minimise technical risk and support more ambitious event formats. It also influences how venues package and price technical services, and how they collaborate with organisers’ own production teams or external agencies.

For AV suppliers and production companies, the review highlights both competitive pressure and opportunity. As more venues formalise preferred partnerships, suppliers may need to demonstrate deeper understanding of specific sectors, compliance requirements and content strategies. At the same time, alignment with venues can provide greater predictability of work and clearer pathways for technology upgrades.

The emphasis on long-term trends rather than short-lived technology cycles may also encourage suppliers to focus on interoperability, training and service quality, rather than purely on hardware specifications.

Why this matters for event professionals and technology providers

For organisers, the publication of a structured AV trends review offers a reference point for strategic planning. As delegate expectations and sponsor demands become more sophisticated, technical decisions increasingly influence programme structure, marketing, accessibility and sustainability metrics.

Key considerations for event professionals include:

Planning horizons: Understanding likely AV requirements in 2026 can inform multi-year venue contracts, framework agreements with suppliers and internal budgeting.
Content strategy: With more sessions expected to be captured, streamed or repurposed, organisers will need closer alignment between their programme design, AV setup and rights management.
Attendee experience: Consistent sound, lighting and visual quality across breakout rooms and stages directly affects perceived event value, especially for paid conferences.
Hybrid readiness: Even when events are primarily in-person, maintaining the ability to reach remote audiences or on-demand viewers remains a factor in sponsor propositions and global reach.

Technology providers, meanwhile, can use the themes of the review to benchmark their own roadmaps. Areas such as remote support, remote production, sustainability in equipment choices, and data-driven insights about room usage and audience engagement are likely to remain important in venue environments like the ICC.

The review also signals growing demand for clearer communication around what is included in venue AV packages, how additional services are costed, and what organisers can expect in terms of on-site support. Providers that can make these elements transparent and predictable are likely to be better positioned.

Conclusion

The partnership between Olympia Events and Aztec Event Services on the 2026 AV Trends Review reflects how major venues are recalibrating their technology strategies in response to changing organiser and attendee needs. By framing AV and production as strategic enablers rather than background infrastructure, the initiative encourages more informed decision-making across the event ecosystem.

As the ICC at Olympia prepares to welcome large-scale conferences and exhibitions, the findings and perspectives captured in the review are expected to guide both the venue’s own operational decisions and the planning approaches of organisers and suppliers working within the space. For the wider events sector, it offers another indication that AV, content and connectivity will remain central to how future conferences and exhibitions are designed, delivered and evaluated.