Project Rise

EPM Project Rise is a give-back by event industry leaders directly to other event industry professionals who struggle as a result of the Pandemic and need a helping hand to stay in business. It was founded in 2020 at the height of the Covid crisis, by Lorna Dennis Parker, as a means of supporting our event industry peers. We decided to use the dropoff in business as an opportunity to take actionable steps to position our participants for success when business picked up again. EPM Project Rise provides an opportunity for them to obtain the experience and content necessary to elevate their branding and marketing which will help them attract more clientele and lead to increased bookings in 2021, 2022, and beyond. To qualify for this opportunity, applicants need only submit a 500-word essay stating how the Project Rise experience will benefit their business and how they will implement the knowledge and experience they gain during their cohort. The initial plan included 6 cohorts in different regions of the country including Los Angeles, Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, and New York. To date, we have completed Los Angeles (which was April 2021), Charlotte (May 2021), and add on cities Beverly Hills (June 2021) and Napa Valley (October 2021). We are looking forward to completing Dallas, Miami, Chicago, and New York during our 2022 season. The goal is to give each business a “mini-makeover” and some tools to help them stand out in their niche. Our industry suffered immensely as a result of the pandemic, and many of our colleagues had to shutter their doors, so if we can give just a small bit to help, we believe it is the right thing to do. Each event pro and sponsor that takes part in the cohorts believes strongly in the project. It is our hope that donating a small amount of our time and resources will help to keep one of our colleagues in business- it is as simple as that All the masterclass shoots are submitted for acceptance to the top Wedding and Events Publications in hopes of attaining those coveted words "as seen in" for each of our participant's press accolades. The project strives to work with businesses local to each of the shoot locations so that the integrity, style, and culture of the area shines through in the resulting images. We use local stationers, rental companies, floral wholesalers/designers, and caterers to complete the look for each shoot. After each shoot is complete, the gorgeous sets don't go to waste, they are instead donated to a deserving individual or couple from the local area and used for a wedding or celebration which is our Community portion of the giveback. We give back to our colleagues who are in need and the magic they create with that gift is then donated to their community. We believe this 360 degree model of giving will keep Event Professionals Marketplace Project Rise positioned to do the work we have been called to do in the events industry for many seasons to come.