Why speaking and attending BRILLIANT feels different
James Fraser-Murison, Director, Fraser Esports
We recently caught up with James Fraser-Murison, Director of Fraser Esports and BRILLIANT Ambassador, to talk about what makes BRILLIANT different, both as a speaker and as an attendee.
As one of BRILLIANT's ambassadors, James plays an active role in championing the festival's mission to bring educators, industry and innovators together to shape the future of education.
BRILLIANT is known for its jam-packed agenda, offering a wide variety of insight for anyone working in education. Here's what James had to say about the event.
A different kind of education event
There are plenty of education events that promise innovation, inspiration and big conversations. But after attending enough of them, many can start to feel the same.
Huge venues, overwhelming schedules, endless keynote stages, sessions rushed between crowded corridors and conversations that feel overly polished or too corporate.
BRILLIANT feels different.
From the moment you arrive, there’s a much more relaxed and purposeful atmosphere. It doesn’t try to overwhelm people with scale. Instead, it focuses on creating an environment where educators, speakers and industry professionals can actually connect properly.
For me, that’s what changes the entire experience.
The right size, the right pace
One of the best things about BRILLIANT is that it works as a one-day event.
That might sound simple, but it makes a huge difference. Multi-day conferences can often become exhausting. By the second or third day, people are tired, overloaded with information and rushing to fit everything in.
BRILLIANT avoids that fatigue completely.
The agenda moves at a good pace, there’s enough happening to keep things exciting, but never so much that you feel stressed about missing everything. You can have meaningful conversations, attend sessions properly and still leave feeling energised, rather than drained.
It’s an event that delivers without becoming overwhelming.
Speakers are trusted to speak honestly
As a speaker, one of the most refreshing parts of BRILLIANT is the freedom.
At many events, themes are tightly controlled. Sessions are often shaped around sponsors, trends or pre-decided narratives. Speakers can sometimes feel boxed into delivering exactly what organisers expect.
BRILLIANT feels far more collaborative.
There’s genuine flexibility around what educators want to talk about and what schools actually need to hear. That creates sessions which feel more relevant, practical and authentic because they come directly from the experiences of people working in education every day.
There’s a collective voice behind the agenda rather than a top-down approach.
That’s rare.
It’s About More Than AI
AI absolutely matters in education right now. It’s changing conversations across schools, colleges and the wider sector.
But one of the reasons BRILLIANT stands out is because it doesn’t become consumed by a single topic.
Yes, AI is a huge part of the event. But there’s still room for conversations around classroom teaching, SEND, creativity, skills development, student engagement and the wider challenges schools are navigating every day.
That balance is important.
As someone working in education and training, I value having a platform where broader themes still matter. Education is evolving in lots of different ways, and BRILLIANT allows speakers to explore contemporary issues without forcing every conversation into the same trend cycle.
Ideas Are Encouraged, Not Shut Down
One thing I’ve always appreciated is the openness behind the scenes.
I remember discussing an idea around T Levels and future qualifications pathways. At some events, ideas that sit outside the “main theme” can quickly get dismissed.
Instead, the conversation was about purpose.
Why could this matter? What conversations could it open? What would educators gain from it?
That willingness to listen creates a far stronger agenda because it allows new ideas and emerging topics to develop naturally rather than being forced into rigid structures.
You feel like your expertise is genuinely valued.
The Networking Feels Genuine
Some conferences can feel transactional. People arrive, deliver sessions, exchange business cards and disappear.
BRILLIANT feels far more personal.
A huge part of that comes from the relationships built around the event. Many speakers, educators and partners meet the night before for dinner, sharing ideas, experiences and conversations long before the festival begins.
That sense of connection carries throughout the event itself.
There’s excitement around being there. People are approachable. Conversations continue between sessions. New collaborations happen naturally. Even after the event, many of those relationships continue through ongoing discussions, shared projects and networking groups.
It feels like a community rather than just another conference.
Built in the North, Growing the Right Way
There’s also something incredibly important about having an event like BRILLIANT growing in the north.
Too often, major education conversations feel concentrated elsewhere. BRILLIANT has built something with its own identity and its own voice, while still attracting nationally recognised speakers and organisations.
Approaching its third year, it’s growing steadily and for the right reasons.
Not through ego. Not through hype. But through strong relationships, thoughtful conversations and a clear sense of purpose.
That’s why speaking at BRILLIANT feels different.
And it’s why attending does too.