The Foundation Hall at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA
Australia) was transformed into a showcase of innovation and creativity for AV1’s tenth annual Long
Summer Lunch, celebrating 20 years of exceptional events with the theme ‘Emerald Reflections.’ The
event not only marked two decades of AV1’s achievements but also introduced the state-of-the-art
audio visual upgrades to Foundation Hall.
AV1’s Long Summer Lunch provided the backdrop to debut the newly installed AV infrastructure in
Foundation Hall.
These enhancements include:
● Flexible Projection Screens: Three drop-down screens adaptable to diverse room layouts.
● L-Acoustics Audio System: Premium speakers, subwoofers, and amplifiers for exceptional sound distribution in all orientations of the space
● Dynamic Lighting: Over 60 moving headlights, LED fixtures, and pin spots to create immersive lighting effects.
● Digital Backbone: comprehensive Luminex digital infrastructure for all forms of audio, visual and lighting, allowing for maximum flexibility for changes on the fly.
● Installed Truss System: Strategically placed trusses for flexible and secure rigging.
These upgrades were designed to keep the venue at the forefront of technology, provide cost-
effective, versatile solutions for clients, and support a wide range of events, from conferences and
exhibitions to live performances.
“We’re incredibly proud to unveil the upgraded AV capabilities in Foundation Hall,” said Nigel Mintern,
Managing Director at AV1. “This investment reflects our commitment to raising the bar in event
production and ensuring our clients have access to cutting-edge tools for their most important
moments.”
Photo by Oneill Photographics
This year’s Long Summer Lunch celebrated AV1’s journey and its clients’ shared success stories.
Guests were greeted with a signature ‘Emerald Elixir’ cocktail before enjoying a meticulously curated
menu by hospitality partner The Big Group. Highlights included an edible garden entrée and emerald-
themed desserts.
The immersive theme continued with two standout installations: a custom-built 3-metre ring and an
emerald screen installation. The ring displayed AI-generated artworks based on attendees’ favourite
event memories, while the emerald showed their predictions for the future of events, which were
submitted in the registration questions.
Entertainment included breathtaking performances by Ms Bird, an aerial singer, followed by The
Players Jazz Quartet, care of SMA productions. The performances, paired with the in-house lighting
production, demonstrated the versatility and precision of the new AV system.
Long Summer Lunch was made possible through collaboration with outstanding event partners.
DPLUSD Events styled the room and provided a circular gold bar on the terrace, Sprintr kept queues
to a minimum with their all-new EcoKiosks for event check-in, Oneill Photographics photographed the
special moments throughout the day, while AV1’s sister company All Things All Creatures designed
the theming elements and captured the video on the day.
“The Long Summer Lunch is a fantastic demonstration of the versatility of Foundation Hall and the
possibilities created by our new AV setup,” said Kirsty Esson, Head of Venue and Events at MCA
Australia. “It’s a privilege to partner with AV1 to deliver such a dynamic and memorable event.”
As AV1 celebrates its 20-year milestone with clients, the company remains committed to innovation and excellence in event production.
Nigel Mintern commented, “2025 is already shaping up to be a landmark year for AV1. Last week, I
visited a trusted supplier of AV equipment in China, and we have an exciting new product coming to
our shores in just a few months that promises to be a game-changer for client productions. Watch this
space!”