When Cartoon, a Brussels-based non-profit association that supports the animation industry, considered their options for their next seminar, Northern Ireland already had an excellent track record. A previous seminar in 2013 had been held in Belfast with great success, so the priority for 2017 was exceeding the heights already reached.

In collaboration with their funding supports — Belfast City Council, Department for Communities, NI Screen, Sixteen South and Ulster University — Visit Belfast was successful in their bid to bring the event to the city. As the official tourism marketing agency for Belfast City, Visit Belfast set about building on the foundations of Cartoon Finance 2013, a seminar focused on new fundraising and revenue streams for animated series and cross-media property. 
 
Cartoon Business is a top-level seminar focused on the new generation models of financing and revenues brought about by the changes in the production and distribution markets. The scale of the event required ample space for attendees to move around comfortably, classroom-style seating, breakout rooms for specialised sessions, high ceiling heights to facilitate sight and sound quality, and of course, complimentary Wi-Fi access.
 
For this meeting, attention to detail was crucial. The main conference was held at the iconic Europa Hotel, with delegates enjoying a programme of social and cultural events across the city — from a delicious welcome dinner at Titanic Belfast, voted the World’s Leading Visitor Attraction in 2017, to a closing reception at the magnificent Belfast City Hall. A jazz and cocktails night was held at the newly-refurbished Sixteen South Studios, followed by an after party at the glamourous Bullitt Hotel (themed around the classic 1968 Steve McQueen film).
 
The Cartoon team greatly appreciated the ease of access for all attendees and the delivery of a seamless customer experience. “We were delighted with how close everything was, which made the event run so smoothly. Our contact at Visit Belfast understood exactly what we needed and accommodated our needs all the way, providing a professional, friendly and caring service,” said Yolanda Alonso, Director of Cartoon.