Events
Club events are the most fun part of being in a club, but it pays to be organised. This page provides general info about the practicalities of organising club events. This includes info about & links to book space & some extra facilities for on-campus events and suggestions for event hire and supplies. The page offers guidance & resources to help you manage your legal copyright obligations on your social media, your promotions generally & when planning movie events. There's also info about promoting your events & the RUSU affiliate logos to add to your promo. The final section is about when to contact RUSU Clubs Department about event issues.
For links to the required club event risk management approval form (ERMA) and other event risk management resources, see our Event Risk Management Page. Topics include RMIT Security, food safety information(including health department registration for events where clubs are preparing and selling "high risk" foods), responsible service of alcohol & liquor licensing. For information about Clubs and underage members/Child Safety, please refer to the Child Safety Page.
Event Risk Management Child Safety Page
All events
STEP 1: Meet your event risk management approval (ERMA) and Child Safety requirements
Clubs must submit an ERMA for all club events (on and off campus) except for club leader meetings and some General Meetings. Events that do not gain approval must not go ahead. On-campus events may also need to pay for RMIT Security guards. Clubs planning to prepare and sell high risk foods must also apply for for registration through FoodTrader.
Overnight events such as camps require extra risk management preparation.
For more info and the links to apply, see our Events Risk Management Page
Event Risk Management
IMPORTANT - CHILD SAFETY - Clubs that wish to open their membership and/or events to students under 18 years of age must meet the Child Safety requirements See our Child Safety Page
Child Safety Page
Events On Campus
Introduction
On-Campus spaces are available for club bookings. Only a club's designated room booker may submit a booking for their club.
Spaces are free for Clubs to hire but there may be other costs involved.
- Items/services that are not free include RMIT venue staff, university audio-visual equipment, and staff (required for some spaces), RMIT Security, RMIT cleaners etc.
- These costs might be reduced Monday to Friday during regular working hours.
- And, of course, clubs must pay for damage to RMIT property resulting from their club event!
Risk Management
Except for simple club Board of Management Meetings, all club events must gain risk management approval. It can sometimes be easier to receive the required risk management approval for off-campus events. HAVE A BACKUP PLAN!
Timeline
- The minimum timeline is at least 2 weeks before the event for ALL booking applications
- For large or more complicated events and/or for Staffed venues including Storey Hall, it is recommended you submit a booking applications at least 4 weeks if not more before your event.
- Confirm your venue before you start promoting your event !
IMPORTANT if your event does not receive the required risk management approval, the booking will be cancelled. HINT - book early so you have plenty of time for the risk management approval process and to promote your approved event.
How to book space on campus - Introduction
The process for booking spaces is different, depending upon what type of space is being booked. All Clubs need to follow the correct procedure for the space they are booking.
- Venues - RMIT event spaces - for a full list, see the 2025 On campus events planning guide
- Academic Spaces e.g. classrooms, tutorial rooms, and lecture theatres
- "Other" University Spaces that are not centrally managed through RMIT Venues, e.g. RUSU Spaces, A'Beckett Urban Square RMIT Maker Space, Media Portal, Sporting venues, etc.
Important - if a space isn't included in the Venues booking system, it's either not a bookable space for club events or access is restricted. Contact your Clubs Officer if the space your club is interested isn't a bookable space.
Hint - Try being flexible about venues and academic spaces: submit your booking but follow up with an email to let the venue people know you are willing to be flexible about location and/or date/time. Provide details of the key feature of the space you really need (specific day of the week or time, capacity, any special feature or equipment built in) and ask them if they can suggest another day, time or location or another location if needed. If focus on a particular space and it is not available, you'll need to submit a new booking and you might run out of time
RMIT "Venues" Hire - The Details
- Venues are non-academic spaces on campus that may be booked and used for events and activities.
- There is high demand for these Venues.
- For a full description of venues available, the processes to book and hints about making a successful application, please refer to the 2025 On campus events planning guide
- Make sure you book your RMIT Venues space well ahead of the required date - if the Venue is not available, you will still have to make a new booking at least 2 weeks in advance.
Academic Space Hire - Details
Academic Spaces include most classrooms, tutorial rooms, and lecture theatres (that are not being used for classes when you want to use them).
RMIT Venues manages academic space bookings by clubs
Academic Spaces are generally not available to book until after Week 4 of each semester (until the academic timetables are finalised).
Apply for an Academic space by completing this MS Form
If the space you want is already booked, RMIT Venues will try to match you with a similar space (size, in-built equipment etc).
Other RMIT and Community Spaces - The Details
The 2025 On campus events planning guide includes links to other on campus options including A'Beckett Urban Square, The Media Portal, Bundoora Sports Centre and the RUSU managed spaces.
RUSU also highly recommends clubs check out facilities available through their local council:
City of Melbourne Merri-bek Council. City of Banyule
Event Equipment
RUSU events equipment is not available for club use except by special arrangement with the RUSU Activities Department for significant club events held during business hours Monday to Friday (no evening or weekend availability) . Speak to your Clubs Officer about this well in advance of your event.
RMIT does not lend its event equipment to RUSU Clubs.
What Equipment Is Available?
Free extra bins for on-campus events. Clubs can order extra rubbish bins for their on-campus events for free! Email the Property Services Help Desk and ask for extra bins propserv.service.desk@rmit.edu.au
For club events, provide the club name, the booker's student number, the event location event, event date, the time you want the bins delivered and the bin type/ numbers required (general waster, recycling, compostable).
Clubs may request to borrow a RUSU EFTPOS machine for certain types of club events held on the City Campus (not for Clubs Day etc). RUSU Clubs Department can't guarantee all requests will be approved. To make a request, submit the RUSU Clubs EFTPOS Machine (Albert) borrowing request form AT LEAST 2 WEEKS in advance of your event.
RMIT's AV support service "Insight Systems" is permitted on campus. It is required in RMIT Venues including Storey Hall, Kaleide Theatre, etc. This is not free. Details below
If you just want some basic equipment for an on-campus event, it might be easiest to use Insight Systems anyway
Please complete and submit an inquiry form at form.jotform.com/vnoc/rmit-av-services-student-form. The form includes some prices.
Event Equipment Hire Suggestions
AV hire, including DJ equipment (South Melbourne): www.djwarehouse.com.au
Event equipment hire companies: (see prices on websites)
Party Supplies:
Costumes
Online Events
Learn everything you need to know to run a successful event online.
The Basics
Promoting Your Online Event
Getting the word out there is essential to running a successful event online.
Office 365
RMIT runs on Office 365, and you will get the best results from your online event, and have more ITS support available to you if you use Office 365 too. Find out in advance how to successfully install Office 365 so you are ready on event day!
Office 365
Accessibility
Online events - Make it easy to make your online event accessible to everyone by reading RMIT's Online Accessibility Best Practice guide.
Read Now
In person events - check out RMIT's Inclusive Event Checklist.
Read Now
Another useful resource is the checklist in the NSW Government "Toolkit for Accessible and inclusive Events"
Read Now
Sustainable Events
Read the RMIT guide to sustainable events.
Sustainability
Copyright - images, music and film
When a club wants to use an image or music in its' social media content or promotional material or it wants to show a film at a club event, legal obligations around "copyright" comes into play.
Copyright is a type of intellectual property law. It grants exclusive rights to the copyright owner to enable them to determine how their work can be used.
To make sure your club does the morally and legally right thing when using other people's images, music and film and resources to help you do this, read our easy info sheet.
Read now
Original Photography and Filming at club events
If you are planning on filming or taking photographs, you must display a disclaimer at your events, telling people that you are taking images. You can print out the RUSU Clubs' photography disclaimer poster to display at your events.
Photography Notice
Functions Check List
Make sure you have everything ready for your big day by completing our handy, step-by-step checklist.
Checklist
Promoting Your Club
Getting Help
RUSU Communications staff are available for you if you need help with logo design and design for posters and other event marketing materials.
Getting Help
Get advice and etiquette information on how to promote your event at RMIT.
Get Advice
RUSU Club Affiliate Branding
RUSU Clubs Affiliate Logo
Download the RUSU Clubs Affiliate logo for use on your posters and marketing materials.
CMYK LOGOS: Used for printing
Download Now
RGB LOGOS: Used for websites and online
Download Now
Proudly Supported by RUSU Poster
For approved events and (especially), club events supported by RUSU funding, print this poster and place it at a couple of high visibility locations at your event (entryway, on the podium, behind the podium etc),
When To Contact RUSU Clubs Staff about on-campus bookings or events generally
It's important to know that RUSU Clubs Staff do not make event space bookings for Clubs. It is the responsibility of each Club to book spaces for their own events and to correctly follow the university procedures outlined above. However, when something has gone wrong with the process, RUSU Clubs Staff can help you. You should contact us if:
Process Changes
If you receive new, confusing, or conflicting information from RMIT Security, University venues, etc. and you are unsure which process to follow.
No Response To Your Booking Application
If three weeks have passed since you submitted your event booking, and you haven't received any response from RMIT.
No Invoice Received From RMIT
If five weeks have passed since your event was held, but your Club hasn't received the expected invoice(s) for an RMIT event or service yet (e.g. for RMIT Security, AV Hire, Venues Staff, etc).
For Large Or Complicated Events
When your club wants to organise a large and/or complicated event, and needs some help to know how to work with University (you must contact RUSU Clubs Staff at least 8 weeks before the event).
Significant Problem At Your Event
If there was a significant problem at your event, whether with the venue, staffing, or event attendees.
Contact Clubs
Email your Clubs Officer directly or our general email.
Contact RUSU Clubs
