Society for Renaissance Studies: Leveraging Crowdcast for Online Events

We love the Greenroom for pre-event preparation. It’s a comfortable place for speakers to cover pre- event queries and questions. Plus the end green room gives us the opportunity for thankyou's and time to decompress

— Dr Rachel Willie, Honorary Secretary of Society for Renaissance Studies

The Society for Renaissance Studies (SRS) is an esteemed academic organization dedicated to the interdisciplinary exploration of the Renaissance period. In this blog post, we delve into how SRS has effectively utilized Crowdcast to continue their scholarly pursuits during the pandemic and beyond.

Choosing Crowdcast for Online Events:

At the onset of the pandemic, SRS found themselves in need of a solution to transition their in-person events to an online format. After some research of available platforms, Crowdcast emerged as a natural choice, providing a bridge to connect scholars and enthusiasts virtually. While SRS has now also returned to in-person events, they recognize the enduring value of offering online accessibility and continue to host regular events on Crowdcast.

You can check out their channel here.

Utilizing Crowdcast

From the outset, SRS didn’t simply “move” their in-person events online. They took the essence of these events and formed a strategy to bring the most appropriate content online without sacrificing engagement. These events include…

• Book Launches: Hosting book launches, with authors collaborating to reach the right audience. This format has proven effective in engaging a wide range of participants with dozens of book launch events over the past two years. A recent book launch was Feminism in Shakespeare Teaching Books Launch with two books and authors interviewed.
• Seminars: On occasion, SRS partners with other organizations, such as Medieval and Renaissance Orients, to conduct seminar-type sessions. This collaborative approach extends their reach and enriches the academic discourse.
• Hybrid Events: For 2023, a packed multi-day in-person event was planned with some portions streamed to Crowdcast. Due to unforeseen circumstances, outside of their control, SRS had to pivot and ensure that more online sessions than originally planned were available. This adaptation opened the door for more extensive engagement with over 60 speakers and more than 200 registrations.

Favorite Features for Hosts

As hosts, SRS appreciates the following features of Crowdcast:

• Pre- and Post-Event Greenrooms: The greenroom feature offers a comfortable space for speakers to address pre-event queries and concerns. It also serves as a space for expressing gratitude and decompressing after the event.
• Flexible Layout Options: SRS values the simplicity of Crowdcast, along with its options for stage layouts, Q&A, and chat functionalities. Time-stamping questions from the Q&A helps keep the event replay organized and more engaging for attendees who missed the session live.

Engagement from Attendees

SRS has noticed a high level of active participation from their attendees, particularly when the discussion covers a cherished topic! Sessions centered on Shakespeare, for example, often give rise to lively chat conversations complete with banter reminiscent of the Elizabethan era. Additionally, attendees appreciate the ability to participate without appearing on camera.

Alignment with Organizational Goals

SRS places a strong emphasis on equality and inclusion. They appreciate Crowdcast's shared values in this regard. Also, by offering events for free, SRS ensures accessibility for all interested participants. They also appreciate that Crowdcast provides solutions for an inclusive experience like captioning through RTMP Studio.

Conclusion

Crowdcast has proven to be an invaluable tool for the Society for Renaissance Studies in navigating the challenges of moving to a more virtual world. It has not only allowed them to continue their academic pursuits but also opened up new avenues for engagement and accessibility in the digital realm.