ARC State of the Region is one of metro Atlanta's most significant annual gatherings.
Hosted by the Atlanta Regional Commission, the program brings together more than 1,500 business leaders, elected officials, nonprofit executives, and community stakeholders to discuss the issues shaping the region's future. The event serves as a meeting point for many of the organizations and individuals helping drive economic development, transportation planning, infrastructure investment, and regional growth throughout metro Atlanta.
In 2025, ARC State of the Region returned to the Georgia World Congress Center for a full day of presentations, discussions, and programming. Innovent Technologies served as the event's production partner, providing staging, lighting, LED technology, audio, video, and show systems throughout the program.
The project was recently recognized at the 2026 Allie Awards, earning Best Staging & Rigging Design.
Project Snapshot:
Client: Atlanta Regional Commission
Venue: Georgia World Congress Center
Attendance: 1,500+
Services: Staging, Lighting, Audio, Video, LED Technology, Rigging, Show Management
Highlight: Custom LED Entrance Tunnel & Large-Format LED Wall
Recognition: Best Staging & Rigging Design, 2026 Allie Awards
A Production Environment Built for Scale
The scale of the event influenced nearly every production decision.
With more than 1,500 attendees gathered inside one of the Southeast's largest convention venues, audience visibility became a primary consideration from the earliest planning conversations. The production environment needed to support keynote presentations, panel discussions, video content, sponsor recognition, and live program elements while maintaining a consistent experience throughout the ballroom.
The stage environment was anchored by a large-format LED wall that served as the primary visual focal point for the room. Throughout the program, the display supported presentations, branded content, video playback, and live program elements while helping ensure content remained visible throughout the venue.
Supporting displays, audio systems, and event technology infrastructure extended that experience throughout the room and helped maintain audience engagement across a large seating footprint.
Lighting was integrated into the overall production design to support both live viewing and camera capture. Presenters needed to remain clearly visible to attendees throughout the ballroom while maintaining a polished visual presentation on screen and in the room.
Together, the staging, displays, lighting, and technical systems created an environment capable of supporting a full day of programming without compromising visibility or presentation quality.
Extending the Experience Beyond the Stage
One of the most recognizable elements of the production was the LED tunnel installed at the ballroom entrance.
Rather than limiting the visual experience to the stage itself, the tunnel extended the event's branding and design into the attendee arrival experience. Guests entered the general session through a fully integrated LED structure that immediately established the tone and visual character of the program.
The installation became one of the defining visual features of the event and a focal point for attendees as they entered the ballroom.
Additional images of the production environment are available in the ARC State of the Region Project Gallery.
While the tunnel attracted significant attention, it was designed as part of a larger production environment. The objective was not to create a single visual moment. The objective was to create a cohesive experience from arrival through the final presentation.
That same philosophy influenced the staging design, display systems, lighting infrastructure, and audience experience throughout the room.
Planning the Environment
Months of planning preceded the event.
Venue coordination, room layouts, content requirements, staging configurations, rigging plans, technical system integration, and production logistics were developed well before load-in began.
The Georgia World Congress Center offers tremendous flexibility for large-scale events, but that flexibility also requires careful planning. Every production element needed to function within the overall room design while supporting the event's schedule, audience size, and presentation requirements.
Sightlines were reviewed to help ensure content remained visible throughout the ballroom. Display locations were coordinated to support attendees seated across a large footprint. Lighting positions were developed to support presenters, audience visibility, and camera systems simultaneously.
As planning progressed, technical CAD drawings, equipment requirements, labor schedules, and installation timelines were refined to support efficient execution onsite.
The final production environment reflected hundreds of individual decisions made throughout the planning process, each contributing to the overall attendee experience.
Staging, Rigging, and Award Recognition
The project received Best Staging & Rigging Design at the 2026 Allie Awards in recognition of the production environment developed for ARC State of the Region.
Designed for an audience of more than 1,500 attendees, the environment combined a large-format LED wall, LED entrance tunnel, staging, lighting, and supporting technical systems into a cohesive visual experience. Each element was developed to support the scale of the program while maintaining clear audience sightlines and a consistent presentation environment throughout the day.
Presented annually by The Allie Foundation, the awards recognize excellence across Georgia's events industry. For Innovent Technologies, the recognition reflects the planning, design, and execution behind one of the most visible production environments created for the event.
Load-In, Rehearsals, and Show Day
By the time attendees arrived at the Georgia World Congress Center, months of planning had already taken place.
Installation crews, technicians, production managers, and event staff worked through load-in, programming, system testing, rehearsals, and final preparations to ensure the environment was ready for show day.
A production team of more than twenty professionals supported the event across multiple disciplines, including audio, video, lighting, staging, playback, and show operations.
As the program moved between keynote presentations, panel discussions, video content, and other live elements, the technical team managed transitions and show systems throughout the day.
For attendees, the focus remained on the speakers, discussions, and content.
For the production team, the objective was straightforward: create an environment that supported the event without becoming the story itself.
AV Production Recognized for Excellence
From the LED entrance tunnel to the main stage environment, every element of the production was designed to support the experience ARC State of the Region set out to create.
The result was an award-winning production environment capable of supporting one of metro Atlanta's most significant annual gatherings while helping presenters, attendees, and organizers remain focused on the conversations at the center of the event.
ARC State of the Region is the kind of program that reminds us why thoughtful production planning matters. Every decision, from the attendee arrival experience to the final presentation, was made with the goal of supporting the event's vision and creating an environment where the content could take center stage. | John Johnson, Founder and CEO of Innovent Technologies
For Innovent Technologies, the project reflects the approach our team brings to conferences, executive meetings, and large-scale live events: thoughtful planning, technical precision, and production environments designed around the goals of the program.
As one of the most recognized projects we produce, ARC State of the Region demonstrates how staging, LED technology, lighting, audio, video, and show execution can work together to support an event from the first attendee arrival through the final presentation.
