Top Workplaces 2026 Conference

A multi-day experience designed for connection, recognition, and flow

The 2026 Top Workplaces Conference brought together leaders from across the country at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel for a multi-day experience centered on workplace culture, leadership, and recognition.

Produced by USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures, the event combined keynote sessions, breakout discussions, and a large-scale awards program—requiring a production approach that could support both structured content and high-energy moments.

Designing for the Full Experience

While the main ballroom anchored the event—with large-format LED walls, custom built saloon, audio, and live camera support—the experience extended far beyond a single room.

From the beginning, the goal was to create a connected experience across the entire venue:

• General sessions in the main ballroom

• Multiple breakout rooms running concurrently

• Pre-function and networking spaces

• Separate space for a concert and keynotes

  
  

Each space needed to stand on its own while still feeling like part of the same event.

Supporting Content with Design in Mind

Across three days, the pace of the event shifted constantly—moving between keynote speakers, panel discussions, sponsor content, and awards moments.

Behind the scenes, a fully integrated system of playback, switching, and distributed displays allowed content to move seamlessly from one moment to the next. Both video and lighting transitions felt natural, and the focus stayed where it belonged—on the people and the conversations happening in the room. 

We accomplished this with colored moving lights for high impact moments and soft focused lighting that drew you in for the delicate memories. 

Video enhanced the set by displaying panels in the saloon simulating patrons moving inside the building. 

The anchor to the design was the saloon which allowed presenters to come through the saloon doors and then stood on the front porch before walking onto the main stage. 

This was more than just a prop. It was a functional element that tied the theme together.

Balancing Structure with Flexibility

Events like the Top Workplaces Conference require both precision and adaptability. A clear run of show guided each day, but the production team also needed to accommodate spontaneous moments. This included:

• Adjusting session timing when speakers ran over or finished early

• Incorporating live entertainment during breaks or celebrations

• Shifting the atmosphere for the awards ceremony through lighting and sound

  
  

The stage, audio, and lighting systems were designed to adapt in real time, allowing the experience to evolve naturally in response to the room.

What Made it Work

What made this experience successful wasn’t any single element—it was how everything worked together. See how it all came to life from build to final moment in the highlight video below.

Final Thought

For us, projects like this are always about people first.

When an environment feels intuitive, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed, it creates space for connection—between speakers and audiences, teams and ideas, and the moments that bring everything together give us lasting memories.

The role of production is to support that experience quietly and confidently, so it feels effortless from the outside.

Photography and video by Blue Smoke Creative