The anniversary celebrates five decades of experiences across its venues, welcoming more than 153 million visitors to over 36,000 events, generating an estimated economic impact of more than £50 billion for the West Midlands region. 

Once best known for its exhibition halls, the business has grown into a multi-venue operator hosting exhibitions and conferences alongside international arena tours, major sporting events and immersive experiences.

The Nation’s Experience Capital now encompasses the NEC Campus, bp pulse LIVE, the Vox conference venue, Utilita Arena Birmingham and ICC Birmingham. 

The group says its new brand signals a shift towards an experience-led model, bringing together all the venues under a single, consumer-facing identity.

The year ahead will also see significant investment across the NEC Campus - including immersive visitor experiences with a dedicated venue designed to host this content, launching later this year. 

The NEC Campus is also preparing to host the UK’s largest gaming festival, DreamHack, in March 2026, long-stay immersive content like the Gladiators Experience and Invictus Games Birmingham 2027.

The arenas will welcome global artists, including sold-out Tame Impala and The Prodigy, while the ICC further strengthens its reputation as a destination for world-leading conferences and events, including IWG Global Summit and the European Robotics Forum. 

Paul Reeve, CEO of the NEC, said: “Reaching 50 years is a proud milestone, but this moment is really about what comes next.

“The way audiences engage with live experiences has changed and so has our business. 

“The Nation’s Experience Capital brings everything we do together under one cohesive identity and gives us a platform to grow new experiences, attract major national and international events and continue playing a leading role in the cultural and economic life of the UK.”