RISE AND DESIGN FAQs

With so many newbies coming along to Rise and Design over the last few months, we thought it was about time we answered some questions you might have so that you feel as comfortable as possible on the day.

How much is it?
It’s free, and always will be.

Do I have to be a member to attend?
No, and you’ll never have to be. We have been making some changes to our membership scheme as you may have noticed, but Rise and Design will always remain completely free and open to anyone and everyone.

Do I have to network? (I’m shy!)
At the beginning of the presentations, we ask you to introduce yourself to your neighbour, but aside from that we don’t give you any nudges to network. It’s all decided by you. We give delegates half an hour to grab a coffee, a sandwich and to chat if they like, but there are plenty of seats if you’d like to sit down and relax. That said, we definitely advise you to network! Some amazing connections and collaborations have come out of Rise and Design – and the Design Network North team are more than happy to help you meet someone new if you’re feeling a bit shy.

I’m running late! Is it ok for me to still come along?
Yes, definitely. Rise and Design has a very relaxed atmosphere, and we are more than happy to help you slip in the back and make it as un-awkward as possible. We understand how busy our delegates are, and lateness more often than not can’t be helped.

I’ve just found out about Rise and Design and registrations have closed! Can I still come?
Yes. We do prefer delegates to sign up, so that we can print them a name badge, put them on the delegate pack, and ensure we order enough bacon sandwiches to feed them! But if you’ve left it a bit late this month, don’t worry, you can still come along.
Some of our paid events (not Rise and Designs) require registration beforehand, but if you have left it a bit late, get in touch with us and we’ll see what we can do.

Where do I park?
There is parking in the Quarryfield Road Car Park which at the entrance to Abbots Hill. PROTO is a 30 second walk away. It is Pay and Display but it's only £3.50 for four hours which should be ample time for one of our events. The Baltic Business Quarter where most of our events are held has great transport links, and is within walking distance of Gateshead Metro, and the Quaylink bus. The Quaylink (Q1 andQ2) is probably the best option if you are travelling from Newcastle City Centre, and brings you almost to our door.

Can I use the professional photos you take at Rise and Design on my website, social media page, etc?
Please get in touch with us first beforehand. We have to discuss this with our photographer first, and make sure he is happy for you to use them – we also expect to have a mention and for credit to be given to our photographer. We don’t mind people approaching us and asking, and we are usually quite happy for them to be used – but we do need to be asked before you publish them anywhere.

Can I bring a friend?
Yes, of course. You are free to forward our invite to anyone you like!

Is there a dress code?
No – come as you are.

Do I need to bring anything?
No. You don’t even need to bring your Eventbrite ticket. However, we advise you bring some business cards, and a notebook if it might be useful to you.

Can I tweet and take photos?
Yes, we have a photographer at the events so before the talks start we ask everyone if they are happy to be photographed (nobody has said no yet!). We absolutely encourage you to tweet through Rise and Design, or to talk about us on any social media platform you like – we don’t see mobile phones out as people being rude, but being engaged delegates who want to talk about us, and we’re definitely big fans of that!

What food and drink is available at Rise and Design?
We put out bacon, sausage and egg & mushroom sandwiches. We have recently introduced pastries too for our vegetarian friends. Feel free to fill your boots as we will only eat the leftovers! There are also endless amounts of tea, coffee and water.

We hope that answers some of your questions, and we are looking forward to meeting you at our next Rise and Design!