Hosting a large event had been in the back of our minds since 2011 when we were based in Vancouver
(we’re based in Sweden now). We resisted
the urge for years as the timing never felt
right, and we wanted to earn our stripes
within the industry before taking on the
project. By waiting, nearly all the presenters
we asked to come knew us and believed in
our reputation. Within the English-speaking
community in Europe,
there was a gap in
the market for an
event like Way Up
North. The name “Way
Up North” naturally
connected to us living
in Sweden. From day
one, the thinking was
only Scandinavia.
Sponsors hope for
exposure to as many people as possible,
so we needed high attendance. Attendees
want value, obviously, but also a reasonably
priced ticket, so our entry-level price was
lower than any other event we saw in
Europe (395€ to start, then incremental
increases), which helped attendance.
Upon announcing ticket sales for the
first event, we sold nearly 500 tickets in
about three weeks. That surprised us,
and what surprised us even more was the
demographics of the attendees: They were
coming from all over Europe.
We wondered about the idea of doing
two events a year, and Rome felt logical
because it’s such a special place and in
general, Italy hosts the most destination
weddings of any country in the world.
Four hundred and fifty people turned out
and we were quite happy with the results,
but it was a legitimate challenge in every
way. We knew nobody there, we didn’t
speak a word of Italian and we were dealing
with a culture that
was definitely outside
our own. Swedes are
punctual and by the
book, whereas Italians
are a bit more laissez-
faire and free-spirited.
One specific and quite
boring example was
dealing with taxes
and accounting. For
a cash-based culture that isn’t fond of
providing receipts, we learned quickly their
accounting regulations are incredibly strict.
It was a challenge we dealt with almost daily
when starting the event.
Today, we’re doing a better job inviting
more unexpected people to present. Some
photographers believe they’re on a circuit
Within the English-
speaking community in
Europe, there was a gap
in the market for an event
like Way Up North.
BUILDING YOUR OWN SOCIAL NETWORK
THIS SPREAD: Way Up North, held in Stockholm
and Rome biannually, is hosted in grand
theaters with plenty of visual inspiration.
PH
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Way Up North
Stockholm, Sweden/Rome, Italy
—
Est. 2015 by Jakob Granqvist
and Cole Roberts (Nordica
Photography)
—
Next event: October 10-11, 2017
wayupnorth.co