As Illuminate the Gardens prepares to go out with a bang this autumn, we sat down with Bob Worm, founder of Sheffield-based events company Events Collective, to reflect on 17 years of creative ambition, community impact and what’s coming next.
“It’s been a great ride,” says Bob, speaking just after announcing the decision to bring the much-loved fireworks and light trail event to a close. “But the cost of producing the show is frightening. We’ve reached a point where the scale, risk and unpredictability just doesn’t add up anymore.”
For Bob, the story of Events Collective starts well before the company was officially formed in 2008. His career in events stretches back over 30 years – from handing out flyers and putting on early Aphex Twin shows at The Arches, to running dance tents at Music in the Sun and managing large-scale productions for the likes of Gatecrasher and the BBC. “I started out shifting boxes and running flyers, then I was working on festivals, club nights, multicultural community events – you name it,” he says. “If you’re in it for the ego or the praise, you’re in the wrong job. But you need a bit of ego to drive the job.”
The company itself emerged from a desire to keep delivering events on his own terms. “Events Collective was a way to continue working in events after I left Green City Action,” he explains. “We became a go-to for solving problems – whether that was delivering wedding festivals in forests, pop-up experiences or major city centre events.”
Two of the company’s highest profile projects have been Sheffield Food Festival and Illuminate the Gardens, both of which grew significantly under Events Collective’s stewardship. Bob and his team first got involved with the food festival in 2011, before officially taking it over in 2016 when the event risked being shelved. “We took it from around 30,000 to 50,000 attendees,” he says. “It was about making it more inclusive, more ambitious – we added night sessions, music, new street food villages. It became a city centre staple.”
Over the years, Bob’s team has streamlined from five members of staff to just himself and long-time collaborator Ellie Murphy. “She’s fantastic. She came to me years ago, knocked on the door and said she wanted to work in events – and she’s been a huge asset ever since.” Ellie now leads on marketing, programing, staffing and artist logistics and is currently down in Glastonbury, helping to erect over 5,000 signs across the site. “She’s got the right energy, attitude and attention to detail – and she’s been instrumental in making Illuminate happen every year.”
Events Collective’s impact extends beyond its own headline projects. Each event it produces feeds into a wider ecosystem of traders, creatives and service providers across the city. “We’re not just putting on a show – we’re supporting caterers, technicians, freelance artists, food traders, security, infrastructure suppliers – you name it,” says Bob. “If the event works, they all benefit too. It’s a connected economy.” The team also works closely with local councils, schools and cultural groups, offering consultancy and helping to create accessible opportunities that drive footfall and support other businesses.
But it was Illuminate the Gardens that perhaps best encapsulated the group’s creative and logistical ambition – a family-friendly fusion of fireworks, immersive light trails and interactive art, all staged in Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens. “We wanted a Bonfire Night event with a difference,” Bob recalls. “And we delivered that – but it became harder and harder to sustain.”
The decision to end the show after this year’s edition hasn’t been made lightly. “Post-COVID, everything changed. Brexit, the economy, the way people go out – it all adds up,” he explains. “People don’t buy tickets in advance. You’re expected to take big risks with very little guarantee.”
The show, which costs upwards of £220,000 to deliver, and attracts 15,000 people over three days, is a huge logistical undertaking. “One wet year, a clash with half term, or just people holding off on buying tickets – it puts the whole thing at risk,” he says. “We’re proud of what we’ve done with Illuminate, but now’s the right time to step away.”
Rather than signal the end, it marks a reset for Events Collective. Bob is using this moment to reduce overheads and reshape the company’s focus. New projects include Eat Treats & Beats, a pop-up village of street food, DJs and laid-back festival vibes that first featured within the food festival. It’s now being developed as a standalone touring format. “It worked perfectly in the Peace Gardens – now we’re looking at taking that concept to different locations, smaller events with less risk,” he says.
Events Collective has always worn its independence proudly. From the underground Festival 23 to its national wedding festival circuits, Knot Tied Festival and even waste management at major running events, the company’s strength has been in its range of events. “There’s not a lot we haven’t done,” Bob says. “From private festivals for travel companies to weddings in the woods – it’s all about making things happen with creativity and integrity.”
Bob is clear that Events Collective is not winding down – just evolving. “We’re not going anywhere,” he says. “We’re just focusing on projects that are sustainable, meaningful and, frankly, fun. I don’t want to work 80-hour weeks anymore. I want to focus on the things we’re passionate about and the people we enjoy working with.”
For him, the future is about reconnecting with the core of what made the business thrive in the first place – creativity, community and a bit of audacity. “We’re still here,” he says. “We’ve got new ideas, new kit, and we’ll keep doing what we do best – just with a little less madness.”
Illuminate the gardens runs from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th November this year
@eventscollective.com
