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In October we launched a competition call The Spark, aimed at finding the best new event idea in the UK.
The criteria for winning was based on the entry’s originality, impact, ability to execute and potential growth, and the prize was a fantastic package of resources, training, marketing and mentorship worth over £5,000 to help make the idea a reality.
Backed by Britain for Events, General Assembly, Moneypenny and MOO, the competition saw some amazing ideas, highlighting the incredible innovation, passion and creativity of the events industry.
After a tough few weeks of judging and speaking with the shortlisted entries, we’re excited to announce the winner!
Dramatic tension and drum roll please…
The Winner
Congratulations to @MysteryBallroom, an original event concept by Jonathan Booth!
Congratulations to @MysteryBallroom, an original event concept by Jonathan Booth! #TheSparkUKCLICK TO TWEET
Commenting on his win, Jonathan said, “Put simply, there isn’t a fun, glamorous and inviting ballroom dance night in London at the moment. With Mystery Ballroom we are embarking on a journey to create London’s most memorable and accessible ballroom night. Some of the best events transport you into a different world and I’ve been inspired by experiences like Punch Drunk and Secret Cinema to do the same for ballroom dancing.”
Jonathan has many years of experience in the events industry as Director at event branding company, Sunbaba. He also appeared as a volunteer dancer in the Olympic and Paralympic Closing Ceremonies and has a passion for ballroom dancing. His new venture, Mystery Ballroom, will combine these capabilities to put on a memorable live experience for anyone interested in tasting the magic of dance.
The Runners Up
The judges also picked two runners-up, who we’d like to give a shout out to:
- TriggerThursdays is the brainchild of Victoria Thomas, a BAFTA New Talent Nominated film producer and finalist of the 2014 Techpreneurs Women In Tech awards and the UK Next Generation Digital Challenge Awards. Having studied at the National Film And Television School, Victoria was disturbed to learn that only 10% of films that are made are actually released. Teaming up with independent cinemas who struggle to fill screens on Thursdays, these events will expose people to incredible and unique content by matching films to local audiences, only showing the ones that enough people buy tickets for.
- Felicity Bertram a Biathlon sports enthusiast, was also chosen because of the passion shown in bringing a large-scale biathlon event to the UK. The sport, which attracts audiences of over 200,000 on Eurosport in the UK, combines cross country skiing and rifle shooting to create a fitness and precision challenge. In the case of this event it will arm people with paintball guns and rollerskis to give them an exciting alternative to more traditional activities like triathlon.
What the judges had to say about Mystery Ballroom
“We have seen so many high quality entrants for The Spark and it’s really inspiring to see such diverse experiences being thought up and aspiring event entrepreneurs,” said Marino Fresch, Head of Marketing for the UK & Ireland at Eventbrite. “Mystery Ballroom has all the right elements for a great live event and Jonathan and his team have some amazing ideas and skills to really make this a true success. We’re really excited about providing our support to make this happen.”
Alistair Turner at Britain for Events: “Mystery Ballroom has a really clear target audience and will attract people who are looking to embrace the spirit of adventure and new experiences. This is what great events are all about and I’m sure we’ll be seeing many of the entrees to The Spark do great things in 2015.”
Liz Elfman, Head of London Marketing at General Assembly: “Jonathan has a really strong idea of how to launch and expand his Mystery Ballroom idea and I think seeing such potential and energy in his plans really made it stand out. That passion and enthusiasm is something that I’m sure will shine through as he develops the live experiences.”
Lorna Bladen of Moneypenny: “We absolutely love the Mystery Ballroom concept and can see it being the event that everyone is talking about come the spring. Ballroom dancing has well and truly captured the national imagination and this creative approach taps into people’s desire to try something new while creating truly memorable experiences.”
Cathy Berman, Director of Marketing (UK) & E-Commerce, MOO: “Mystery Ballroom is a really innovative brand with huge potential for growth – already you can see it coming together with simple, effective visuals and a really strong vision. I’m certainly excited to see it develop further.”
Stay up to date
Mystery Ballroom will be kicking off in the new year and you can keep up to date on plans at: www.mysteryballroom.co.uk or on Twitter (@mysteryballroom) or Facebook.
For more information on the runners up, visit TriggerThursdays and Biathlon UK.
