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15 July 2025

Sponsorship - A ban on sponsors with links to fossil fuels could put "incredibly important organisations" in danger, the parliamentary under-secretary for energy has warned. During a government debate about a proposed tobacco-style ban on adverts and sponsors with links to fossil fuels, another minister claimed that environmental activists forcing corporate sponsors to withdraw their support from cultural events was "madness" in a landscape where funding is sparse.

Other MPs, however, demanded that the government show courage by banning the practice, with many labelling it an urgent issue of public health. The debate was brought to parliament by a petition that calls for a tobacco-style ban on fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship, which has gained more than 110,000 signatures to date. Proposing it to the government, Liberal Democrat MP Roz Savage said tha

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14 July 2025

China - Rightway Audio Consultants (RAC) has been appointed Optocore distributor for China, Hong Kong and Macau. This marks a strategic elevation of the existing reseller partnership between the two companies, which has flourished for a number of years.

“It was a mutual decision to deepen cooperation, which aligns with the long-term mutual benefits sought by both parties,” stated marketing director, Nan Hu. “This will create broader synergies in the future.”

Hong Kong-based RAC has immediately set up a programme of Optocore demos and training for its customers and partners. However, it has long been familiar with the German fibre company’s tech as Eric Liew, RAC’s product director, explains: “We have successfully deployed Optocore in large-scale projects in the past, such as the Tianjin Grand Theatre – as far back as 2018/2019.”

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14 July 2025

USA - PK Sound, the robotic line array company, has advanced its longstanding partnership with Moonlight Productions, a production technologies provider based in Montana. Moonlight recently expanded its inventory of PK’s robotic line source technology with an investment in a new T8 compact line array system and complementary T18 intelligent subwoofers.

“PK Sound’s variable robotic coverage control remains an impressive and highly beneficial technology for our work,” says Moonlight co-founder Greg Ostrander. “Our rigging time decreases significantly when flying the arrays, and the ease of adjusting vertical and horizontal dispersion angles in real-time is absolutely key to the diverse list of applications and venues we handle. It’s also just a showstopper when clients see it in action for the first time, not to mention the high-fidelity audio and

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14 July 2025

UK - When Jake Staff began crafting custom looms and fly racks from his spare bedroom, he couldn’t have predicted the scale SA Touring would one day reach. Now operating from a dedicated workshop in Norwich, it serves clients across the UK including artists like Ella Eyre and Mae Muller, with Van Damme at the heart of its operation.

“Everything we use has to be the best - from the cables to the heat shrink,” says Staff, now managing director of SA Touring. “Van Damme is just the best on the market - it has a good aura in the industry. It doesn’t melt, it doesn’t shrink back - it’s reliable and consistent. Even the guys in the workshop can tell the difference.”

SA Touring became a limited company in 2022, after years of informal growth that started just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit. As the demand for custom cabling continued to grow, S

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14 July 2025

UK - Digital signage and integrated solutions specialist, Scala, has opened its new 142m² showroom in Central London, UK. Located a short walk from Angel underground station, the showroom will serve as a hub for technology demonstrations, partner meetings, and educational initiatives all supporting Scala’s presence in the UK and across the wider European market. The Scala London showroom was officially opened on the evening of the 9 July with a party attended by key integration partners.

“Scala technology can be found across London; in landmarks as well as transport hubs, banks and high-end retailers, so it feels fitting and tremendous to be opening a dedicated showroom in the capital,” said Harry Horn, general manager EMEA, Scala. “This is a dedicated space where we can share our latest solutions and collaborate with our partners as we wo

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11 July 2025

GCC - ES:ME Group has announced a new collaboration with German manufacturer HOF, bringing the MLT Three pre-rig truss system to the GCC market. This strategic partnership enhances regional access to one of the most flexible and efficient rigging solutions available today, enabling faster deployment, improved safety, and reliable scalability for large-scale event production.

As part of the agreement, a selection of HOFKON and MLT Three units will be available through ES:ME’s local hubs in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and the wider region. The system will be integrated into technical planning and rigging strategies across a wide spectrum of events - from exhibitions and conferences to concerts, live broadcasts, and sporting productions.

“We’re excited to make this system more accessible to our regional clients,” said Markus Schmidt, COO of ES:ME G

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11 July 2025

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) has announced the call for nominations for the Stephen Joseph Award 2025, as an ongoing tribute to Stephen Joseph’s contribution to our theatre culture.

This Award recognises innovative and inclusive theatre excellence in today’s British theatre and celebrates the variety of ways contemporary theatre and its practitioners continue to break new ground in engaging audiences.

Now open for 2025 submissions, a wide variety of practice is eligible including the ongoing work of a theatre company, a specific production, an individual theatre artist or director, or an innovative theatre building design or performance space.

Submissions are welcome from theatres, practitioners, or the general public as long as nominations are accompanied by suitable evidence.

In 2024, the Stephen Jo

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10 July 2025

Europe - DirectOut is used by system designer and engineer Ville Kauhanen to provide fail-safe stability for all his complex stadium-touring audio system designs.

Kauhanen has worked non-stop in the industry for nearly 30 years and with some of the highest profile artists on the planet. His recent work includes Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras tour, which concluded in December 2024. The tour visited 54 cities across five continents playing 149 shows and was the highest grossing tour of all time.

Kauhanen was the system engineer for the tour and provided the system infrastructure for each location. His method of working today is very different to when he first started, but, as he explains, his huge industry overview enables him to plan for the future, as well as succeed in the present.

“I’m old enough to have seen the transit

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09 July 2025

Germany - The Adam Hall Group is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025. With a piece of music history right in front of the entrance and over 800 guests on campus, the event technology manufacturer celebrated with a big staff party in the Experience Centre at its headquarters in Neu-Anspach, Hesse, on 4 July.

Together with its employees and their families, the Adam Hall Group looked back on 50 years of event technology history. One particular highlight was parked right outside the door: the restored 1972 Wings Over Europe tour bus which now serves as an exhibit in the company’s own Rock‘n’Roll Library.

Other highlights of the evening included the company’s own band, spontaneous jam sessions and a surprise performance by the Berlin fusion pop band Il Ci

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09 July 2025

France - Audio specialist Digigram, and noise and vibration analysis leader OROS are celebrating 40 years of excellence in 2025. For 40 years, these two Grenoble-based manufacturers have addressed their respective markets with premium digital audio solutions (Digigram), and high-precision solutions for noise and vibration analysis (OROS).

Anniversary celebrations include the organisation of an evening where partners, employees and clients enjoyed an immersive retrospective experience hosted at the Bastille site in Grenoble, but also the upcoming release of special contents designed for the occasion.

The motto ‘Everything happens for a reason’ was repeated several times by Jérémie Weber, president of the Digigram Group, as he recounted Digigram’s history alongside Philippe Girard-Buttoz, co-founder of Digigram.

Yannick Balter, general

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09 July 2025

Australia/New Zealand - 1 Sound has announced its partnership with JS Audio Solutions, naming them the official 1 Sound distributor for New Zealand, Australia, and the Oceania region.

This collaboration marks 1 Sound’s debut into the markets, broadening its global presence while aligning with a company that shares its core values of customer service, redefining audio expectations, and delivering high-end audio for commercial applications.

“At JS Audio Solutions, our foundational principles are customer experience, two decades of industry expertise, and overall excellence. When we choose a partner, it's paramount that they share our passion for these cornerstones,” said Juan Soothill, managing director/ senior systems engineer of JS Audio Solutions. “That's precisely what we've discovered in our partnership with 1 Sound. We're thrilled to intr

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09 July 2025

France - Direct Digital, the Panavision group division specialising in camera, lighting and grip equipment rental for moving-image and still photography, has announced the relocation of its Paris operations to a new, larger facility.

After 15 years of business in Paris, the company is marking a new chapter, moving into a modern business park just north of the city, with updated features and dedicated space for camera testing and more, offering an enhanced experience for customers. The new location is also conveniently situated near Panavision and Panalux Paris.

The newly refurbished facility is 20% larger than Direct Digital’s previous Paris location, providing the room needed to support the company’s ongoing growth and enhance overall efficiency. Opening on 1 July 2025, the new site, less than 100m away from sister companies Panavision and Panal

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09 July 2025

USA - Earlier this year, Live Events Productions was one of the first production and rental houses to invest in Elation’s Paragon moving head and has been using the multi-award-winning LED profile luminaire on projects ever since.

“Now that we’ve had them for a few months, we have found them to be incredibly useful across a wide range of projects. They check a lot of boxes and are versatile enough to be used virtually on any show from corporate events to broadcast to touring,” stated Ben Coker, VP of technology and assets at Live Events Productions.

Live Events invested in 52 Paragon M and debuted the fixtures on a nighttime spectacular in March for the Grand Opening Celebration of the National Medal of Honor Museum in Dallas, Texas. “The Paragon’s TruTone variable CRI engine gives us a lot of flexibility and the IP54 rating mean

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08 July 2025

South Africa - Johannesburg-based theatrical lighting rental specialist Splitbeam – part of the Gearhouse South Africa Group – has invested in new Robe Esprite Fresnels and Tetra2 moving lights to help service its busy, vibrant, and varied client base.

The 48 x Esprites were purchased with the HCF (High Colour Fidelity) LED engines installed and Splitbeam simultaneously bought the HP (High Power) Transferable Engines to have handy for swapping these out according to the show’s requirements, together with a set of PC lenses to offer a choice of Esprite Fresnel or PC.

The company is strongly ‘brand-agnostic’ explained managing director, Alistair Kilbee, so the investment was based on customer demands – lighting designer requests and technical rider specifications:

“These are the fixtures that people are asking for right now, so we

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08 July 2025

UK - White Light continues to expand its regional footprint across the UK, reinforcing its commitment to being the trusted partner for the performing arts, education, and leisure industries nationwide.

With a legacy rooted in collaboration and technology, WL has long been a fixture in London’s vibrant theatre scene. Today, that influence extends far beyond the capital. From the Lowry in Salford to Salisbury Playhouse, from Leeds Grand to Venue Cymru in Wales and Theatre by the Lake, WL is proud to support a growing network of regional venues with tailored, relationship-driven solutions.

Earlier this year, WL had the pleasure of partnering with Venue Cymru to deliver a brand-new lighting system tailored to their unique needs. Reflecting on the collaboration, Steve Cridge, technical & facilities manager at Venue Cymru, comments: “White Light’

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08 July 2025

Ireland - An Audient iD14 audio interface was awarded to Jessica Gardiner McInerney at the LSAD Graduate Show at the Limerick School of Art & Design - part of the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) - last month. Recognising her as an outstanding student who excelled throughout her studies, the prize-giving is part of an exhibition celebrating the work of final year students across a wide range of creative disciplines.

The exhibition is an annual event which features standout projects in fine art, fashion, animation, graphic design, music production & technology, and creative broadcast & film production. Open to the public, the show is a major event in Ireland’s cultural calendar and a key platform for emerging talent.

Michael Gavin, co-programme leader of the undergraduate Music Production and Technology programme explains ho

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07 July 2025

Germany - The long-established Prolight + Sound trade fair/convention in Frankfurt is entering 2026 with a refined concept. At the heart of this realignment is a streamlined three-day format and a sharpened focus on the European market.

Following a comprehensive survey of exhibitors, Prolight + Sound 2026 will take place from Tuesday 24 to Thursday 26 March. The streamlined duration was also endorsed by the show’s advisory board, which comprises industry experts and representatives of renowned companies and professional associations. As a key driving force, this body plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the event.

The goal of the new three-day format is to deliver “a more focused and high-quality trade fair experience for both exhibitors and visitors”. At the same time, the increased concentration on Europe a

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07 July 2025

China - Innovation, energy, and global ambition took centre stage as Absen’s Global DOOH & Sports Summer Event wrapped up in style at the company’s Dongjiang Intelligent Manufacturing Centre. Attended by industry leaders from around the world, the event delivered a showcase of next-gen digital-out-of-home (DOOH) display technology and intelligent sports venue solutions, all backed by a 10-year warranty.

At the heart of the event was the unveiling of Absen’s A25 Series, a low-carbon, energy-saving LED display system that captivated attendees with its remarkable performance. Consuming less than 1kWh per square metre daily, the A25 is set to deliver savings of up to $200,000 USD (approx.) in electricity costs over five years for a standard 300sq.m installation.

With its IP66 waterproof rating, all-aluminium build, and PWM driver chip, the A25

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04 July 2025

UK - Over the past 50 years, Britannia Row Productions has grown into a globally recognised provider of world-class audio solutions, working with some of the biggest names in music, sports and live event production, guided by its leaders in the development and application of technical innovation, training and crew logistics.

The story began in 1975 when rock band Pink Floyd purchased a building at 35 Britannia Row, Islington, London, to house their rapidly growing touring equipment. The Britannia Row group of companies was formed to rent out Pink Floyd’s sound and lighting inventory to other bands during tour breaks. These companies were headed up by key crew members Robbie Williams, Mick Kluczynski and Graeme Fleming; Bryan Grant joined four years later to coordinate the rental activities under the banner of Britannia Row Productions.

In the early

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04 July 2025

India - Funktion-One has announced that Em-Tec, the loudspeaker manufacturer’s exclusive distributor for the GCC, is expanding into the Indian market. Headquartered in Dubai and led by audio industry veteran Andy Williams, Em-Tec is joining forces with Audio & Beyond (an EMIL company) to deliver Funktion-One systems to one of the world’s fastest growing markets.

This expansion builds on Em-Tec’s successful project history in India, which already includes prestigious venues such as Big Bull (Hyderabad), The Nines (Mumbai), Four Seasons (Mumbai), and Epitome (Pune). The move formalises the company’s presence in the region and lays the foundation for growth, with a goal of establishing showcase Funktion-One venues across the country. Audio & Beyond is an experienced AV solutions provider with bases in Hyderabad and Delhi.

All system desi

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04 July 2025

Mexico - Grupo ROA is a busy and creative event production supplier and equipment rental company based in Zinacantepec just west of the city of Toluca in Mexico State.

The company is run by entrepreneur and music enthusiast Rodolfo Oropeza, who runs several related companies and businesses located around a 10,000sq.m complex, land that has been in his family for many years.

Recently, the rental arm of ROA took delivery of their first Robe moving lights, with 20 x Fortes joining the inventory, followed by 48 x iPointes, part of a strategic investment by Rodolfo who appreciates the value and advantages of investing in a brand with high tech specifications.

Before making the decision to go for Robe, Rodolfo, by his own admission “more of an audio guy”, consulted with some lighting specialists, and the overall advice was to go for Robe.

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03 July 2025

Portugal - Lightware Visual Engineering has announced a new partnership with Sound and Light Systems (SLS), a leading Portuguese distributor of event audio solutions.  

Sound and Light Systems will act as a distributor for Lightware’s AV products, from extenders and matrix switchers to AV over IP technology. 

Sound and Light Systems boasts over 30 years of experience in the audiovisual sector, offering innovative and high-quality sound, light and technology solutions for live events with equipment that delivers impactful experiences.

“We are proud to join forces with Lightware, a company recognised for its technological excellence and innovation in the professional AV industry,” says Rui Nunes, CEO of SLS. “This partnership allows us to expand our offering with reliable, future-oriented solutions that meet the evolving needs of the

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03 July 2025

USA - 3G Productions has acquired Main Light’s 70,000sq.ft location in Nashville as part of its ongoing initiative to expand into a coast-to-coast, full-service production and systems integration provider.

3G Productions has taken over Main Light’s Antioch neighbourhood building, its full inventory, and all seven employees, who have now joined the 3G team. The shop’s complement of industry-leading lighting equipment is broad and deep, including brands like Robe, MA, Ayrton, Martin, Elation, Chauvet, Astera, and Tyler Truss, among others.

“The Nashville market has been a key focus as we execute our strategy of growing into a national full-service production company,” says 3G Productions CEO Keith Conrad. “With the acquisition of Main Light’s Tennessee branch, we get a world-class production warehouse, an experienced team of experts in th

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03 July 2025

USA - LEA Professional has announced its partnership with Audio Visual Associates (AVA), a manufacturer’s representative based in Missouri. This partnership promises to bring LEA’s technology catalogue to Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Southern Illinois customers.

This partnership will bring LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity to AVA’s customers. These series allow integrators to utilise cloud-based remote control, monitoring, notifications, and more from any internet-enabled device, allowing them to stay connected anywhere in the world.

“We’re excited to bring LEA Professional’s intelligent amplifier technology to our customers throughout the Midwest,” said Ben Shipman, president, AVA Reps. “Our team focuses on represen