Using the AVRO XR Studio for Virtual Events

We recently shared how we’ve been able to utilize the AVRO XR Studio for in-person events. However, one of the incredible ways this purpose-built space can be used is virtual events – especially ones with a lot of speakers, simultaneous sessions, and audience interaction.

While pandemic-era events regularly featured presenters dialing in from an at-home set-up (often enhanced by a few pieces of easy-to-deploy equipment) with only a few, high-profile keynote speakers presenting from a central studio location, virtual events look much different now! This becomes especially true when a purpose-built space like the AVRO XR Studio is used to add professionalism, polish, and predictability to virtual events.

From several different stages that give presenters a great experience to the high-quality onsite AV and video production, to the internet that is just plain reliable, we’ve seen incredible benefits to using the AVRO XR Studio for virtual events.

A perfect example of this is CancerCare Manitoba’s Virtual Patient & Family Conference. Keep reading to learn more about the event, why it was held virtually, and how the studio upleveled the experience.

The Event’s Purpose.

Cancer diagnosis, treatment, and care can be incredibly overwhelming for both patients themselves and the family members who support them.

Between the number of important decisions regarding treatment and physical care they need to make, challenges navigating the healthcare system, and finding support to manage the emotional and physical tolls of cancer, it’s a challenging experience for everyone involved.

What ultimately makes a big difference for patients and their caregivers is having a support network they can count on to provide them with reliable information and trusted resources. CancerCare Manitoba’s Hope and Healing program aims to do just that. The free conference allows patients and their families to hear from keynote speakers, learn from experts, and not feel as though they are approaching the battle alone.

The Event Format.

This two-day event kicked off on Friday evening with opening remarks and a keynote.

Saturday was a full-day affair. The event ran all day with a mixture of full-group plenary sessions and smaller breakouts. The plenaries featured cancer experts and keynote speakers sharing information on broader topics that would relate to all attendees.

The breakout sessions featured more targeted, specialized topics, including an Indigenous focus on healthcare, Sickle Cell Anemia, stretching exercises for cancer patients, and a Q&A.

The event ended with a patient panel where four cancer patients and caregivers talked about their experiences, shared information, gave personal anecdotes, and shared a message of hope.

Why a Virtual Event?

The November 2025 CancerCare Manitoba’s Virtual Patient & Family Conference was their fourth online conference. Initially, the event went virtual for a reason many did: the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as restrictions lifted and other events returned to the in-person environment, the CancerCare team knew there were benefits to remaining virtual.

First, for medically vulnerable attendees, a virtual event reduced the risk of contracting illnesses, making it much safer for attendees to participate, regardless of any specific health concerns.

Second, patients and families dealing with cancer already have a lot of demands on their time. From treatments to follow-up appointments, physical therapy, and all of the other appointments they must regularly attend, ensuring that the event was accessible from home, a hospital, or any other location made it as easy as possible for them to attend.

In order to be extra mindful of potential scheduling conflicts, we worked with the CancerCare team to make sure instant replays of each session were available. This allowed caregivers and patients to tune in and get the information they needed, even if they couldn’t attend the session during the scheduled time.

Why was Using the Studio for the Event Beneficial?

Using the AVRO XR Studio and two other dedicated spaces in the AVentPro office for both general plenaries and breakouts was extremely beneficial for presenters and attendees alike.

The main studio, where the plenaries, keynote presentations, and the patient panel took place, had an 8×32’ stage with an LED backdrop.

Presenters had use of several confidence monitors so that they could simultaneously view their notes, see questions being asked by attendees in the virtual event platform, and view polling content. This allowed presenters to really engage with their audience and encourage interaction, even though the meeting wasn’t taking place in-person.

For breakouts, there were two additional studios where a green screen, camera, microphone, lights, and confidence monitor were set up. A dedicated technician in each breakout room ensured that everything ran smoothly.

While in past years only the keynote presenter was in a central studio location and all other presenters came in remotely, this year’s event allowed everyone to present from the studio, with the exception of four virtual presenters who were unable to attend in-person. This gave the AVentPro team more control over the quality of the event by ensuring that presenters had high-quality AV, a strong, reliable internet connection, and a consistent background. It also allowed presenters to feel confident that all technical aspects of the event were handled, and that they only needed to focus on delivering their messaging.

Overall, the studio allowed the team to provide added structure, control, and shine to the virtual event.

Do you have an upcoming virtual or hybrid event that you want to bring to the next level? Are you wondering if there is potential to transition one of your events into a virtual one? Contact us at [email protected] to tour the space and get more information on how this technology can benefit you!