Welcome to where live events come alive. Where exhibition organisers and visitors from around the world come to exchange ideas, unlock new opportunities and build lasting connections.
It’s kind of our specialist subject, and has been for over 45 years since we opened in 1976. It’s why you can trust us to deliver your exhibition in a way that makes a real connection with audiences. That brings indoor and outdoor spaces inventively together. And delivers an event that’s always fresh, often daring, and never, ever dull.
Why choose the NEC to host your exhibition?
Our central location? Our unbeatable transport connections? Our flexible spaces? All great reasons of course, but we believe it’s because we truly understand the unique challenges that come with running an exhibition. Like the need for immediate credibility on a launch, the need for reassurance of relocating an event, and ultimately, putting on a show that has your community coming back for more.
“Our successful move to the NEC enabled us to attract a much wider UK audience, resulting in an overall excellent launch...”
We work hard to ensure it’s never hard work organising an event at the NEC. Our key to achieving this is the complete freedom we can offer in terms of space, location and layout. It lets you continually expand and reimagine your show. With 18 halls, 32 conference suites and 186,000sqm of covered space, our blank canvases are flexible, futureproofed and a perfect fit for events big or small.
Our job is to help you instantly connect with audiences. And while our supercharged infrastructure and switched-on experts will help you do so in style, it’s our ability to maximise your reach that really sets us apart. It’s here our central location quickly comes into its own, because 75% of the UK is within a three-hour travel time. Our unrivalled transport connectivity also means your visitors will arrive at your show ready and raring to go.
We understand the idea of launching or relocating your show can be scary. We’re here to make it scarily simple. And rewarding. And hugely successful, because on average new exhibitions grow by 37% in their second year with us. Our secret? That’ll be our experts who are always on hand to answer your burning questions and generate buzz around your event. We like to think of them as an extension of your own team.
Work hard, play really really easily. That’s always been our approach when it comes to networking and socialising. And at the NEC you and your visitors can socialise around the clock without ever leaving our bustling campus. We’ve got stylish bars, restaurants galore, even a cinema, casino and spa. Plus seven on-site hotels that cover all budgets. This means your guests can keep connecting long after the show finishes, and you’ll be remembered for choosing a destination that rocks.
with a train leaving Birmingham every 37 seconds to all major cities
across over 16,500 parking spaces and free shuttle bus service
Birmingham Airport directly links to the NEC, connecting to over 150 world‑wide destinations
with our central location and unrivalled transport links via road, rail and air
visitor and exhibitor
reach to your show
with 75% of the UK within
3 hour travel time
with bars, restaurants, cinema, shopping , casino and spa located on our exciting campus
track record
for peace
of mind
New shows we host grow on
average 37% in their second
year with us
7 on-site hotels to suit all budgets with over 1,950 hotel rooms
across our 440 acres of outdoor space including woodland and a bathing quality lake
We host more shows than any other UK venue and hold a strong 94% retention rate
Benefit from the expertise and versatility of our award‑winning in‑house caterers, Amadeus
your
visitors
and enhance their experience
for strong retention
87% of visitors say they experienced
the WOW factor at the NEC
Our unique campus location brings audiences together, in the same place, for an overall enhanced event experience
across 18 inter-connected halls, 32 conference suites and an abundance of outdoor space
Benefit from over 40 years’ experience hosting every type of event
as we’re 80% larger than the next UK’s next largest venue
Whatever the scale of your event, you’ll have all the room you need to bring it playfully to life in our 18 halls. Our versatility means you can adapt and grow as your event does for a truly future-proof solution.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Floor space
Exhibition Stands
Based on 9sqm per stand
Exhibition Visitors
At any one time
*Illustrative figure. Actual figure subject to a specific event floorplan.
At a glance
Our Atrium is home to event halls 6 – 20 and provides a spacious and open foyer for our visitors to enjoy during their event. A short walk from carparks or free shuttlebus journey will bring visitors to the Atrium entrances if travelling by car. Alternatively our Atrium can be easily accessed via the skywalk, linking it with the train station, airport and Piazza.
Equipped with handy facilities including cloakrooms, coffee shops and conference suites - the Atrium side of the venue is a bright, airy and convenient space to host your visitors.
Visitor seating
Meeting rooms
Charging points
Convenience store
Cloakrooms
Catering outlets
Access to outside space
THE ATRIUM IS HOME TO:
ADVERTISEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Advertise your products and brand within our public spaces and reach more people
At a glance
Our Piazza is home to event halls 1 – 5 and provides a spacious and open foyer for our visitors to enjoy. With a shuttlebus station at the entrance, a walkway to the train station and a monorail link to the airport near Hall 3 – the Piazza is easily accessible for all, no matter how your visitors choose to arrive.
Equipped with handy facilities at every turn, the Piazza side of site also benefits from an impressive lakeside location. It is only a short walk to reach Resorts World, The Bear Grylls Adventure, Resorts World Arena and our on-site hotels, opening up a world of possibilities right on it's doorstep.
Visitor seating
Meeting rooms
Charging points
Catering outlets
Convenience store
Cloakrooms
Access to outside space
THE PIAZZA IS HOME TO:
Not many exhibition centres have access to a 15,685 arena. We do. Resorts World Arena is located right on our campus and gives world-famous bands, comedians and artists the choice to turns things up to 11 or keep things intimate.
What makes us the UK’s best-connected venue? The fact 75% of the UK can join us in under three hours? Possible. The fact we’re slap bang in the centre of the country? Seems likely. Or is it the international airport and train station on the doorstep. Probably all three to be honest.
You’ll find 32 meeting rooms and conference suites at the NEC, which can accommodate up to 700 visitors. These flexible spaces are ideal if you’re looking to host additional content alongside your main event.
Whilst we can’t guarantee the weather, we can guarantee that hosting your next event at the NEC will be a breath of fresh air. Quite literally. That’s because we have over 440 acres of flexible space, including 100 acres of hardstanding ground, our very own 72 acre bathing quality lake, beach and purpose-built bike track. So, whether you’re looking to organise an open-air event or simply add outside entertainment to complement your indoor event, you can be sure we’ll go all-out to make your outdoor event a walk in the park.
Plug and play festival space
Heavy equipment displays and media opportunities
Product demonstrations and outdoor content
Drinks receptions and networking
Drive in and experiential events
Plug and play festival space
If you’re searching for the best outdoor venue in Birmingham, look no further. Whilst we may be better known for our expansive indoor event halls, our versatile venue also offers over 100 acres of flexible outdoor event space, bringing a world of fresh opportunity to host large-scale festivals.
From hardstanding ground that eliminates weather related risks, to unrivalled connectivity that delivers your audience with ease, the NEC offers a proven plug and play solution to host live music festivals for thousands of visitors, without the issues typically associated with festival sites.
*photo credits Rajveer Mahal and Linda Borscika
Heavy equipment displays and media opportunities
When it comes to exhibitions, we’ve always found that standing out from the crowd is the fastest way to attract them. That’s where our outdoor spaces near to our event halls really come into their own. They give you the freedom to have some fun. Create some wow. And create a first impression that’s impossible to shake off. Many organisers use these spaces to create impactful product displays that showcase their heavy outdoor equipment in their natural habitat. While others use it to point their visitors in the right direction.
Product demonstrations and outdoor content
As brilliantly versatile as our halls are, sometimes taking the action outdoors will simply create a bigger buzz. After all, if you’re exhibiting bikes it would be utter madness to give our purpose-built track a miss. Selling water-based equipment? We’ve got Pendigo lake for that. While our private internal roads are a natural fit for test drives. As ever, it’s about using our versatile spaces to deliver an event bursting with vitality.
Drinks receptions and networking
When you’ve got a room full of like-minded people, it pays to keep them around for as long as possible. That’s where drinks receptions and post-event corporate become a must. Whether it’s a standalone shindig or an extension of your indoor event, using our outdoor spaces will help ensure networking never feels like hard work but instead a breath of fresh air.
Drive in and experiential events
When you’ve got over 16,500 parking spaces across 4 car parks, it'd be rude not to transform that space into a drive-in cinema every now and then. Unless of course we’re using the space to host a live circus or giant inflatable assault course instead. That’s the beauty of having 440 acres to play with. It gives us the freedom to help you put on outdoor event free of all the planning red tape and road closure headaches that traditionally come with hosting an event outside.
The freedom to grab some fresh air has never been more important to your visitors. Luckily, ours comes with stunning lakeside views, tranquil woodland gardens and even the odd beach. This means your guests will be able to relax, refresh and re-energise before, during and after your event.
