UK - Liverpool Public Health officials and scientists have found the city’s pilot events did not cause any detectable spread of COVID-19 across the region.
The city hosted four successful events as part of the national Events Research Programme (ERP), with a total of 13,258 people attending The Good Business Festival, two nightclub events hosted by Circus and the Sefton Park Pilot music festival.
All attendees were required to take a lateral flow test ahead of the event - a negative test would allow them access. Five people with the COVID-19 virus were identified through this process and were not allowed to attend.
Ticketholders were encouraged to take a PCR test on the day of the event, and a second one five days later.
This process identified four people as possibly having the virus at an event; and a further seven were identified with the virus four to seven days after they attended an event. Of those who tested positive, two attended the music festival, nine attended the nightclub and none attended the business festival. The study claims that many of the cases were friends who meet outside of events and may not have been infected at an event itself.
Everyone who tested positive was successfully followed up by the contact tracing team. Scientists found the testing, data and contact tracing systems worked well, with key information being available to public health teams before the events, which allowed contacts of potential cases to be traced quickly.
The research team also found that between 25 per cent and 43 per cent of peop

South Africa - The South Africa Events Council has published its review of the past year. “The SA Events Council is fighting to retain the headway we have made towards re-opening the events industry before the losses we are suffering reach a point of no return,” says the council.
“For 14 months, the associations that make up the SA Events Council have collaborated on various measures to re-open the industry. We have developed a stringent set of ‘Re-opening Guidelines’, sent scores of lobbying letters and hosted in-person, proof-of-concept events to show what is possible. We have also conducted awareness campaigns, hosted webinars, organised radio and television Interviews, provided information sessions and engaged with the various relevant government entities in person.”
As one of the first responders to the crisis, SACIA's Event Safety Council developed and disseminated the back-to-work guidelines, which set the parameters for a safe re-opening of the events industry. This development was the catalyst for the industry to start providing solutions for the re-opening of events.
A host of advocacy letters to Hon. Minister Kubayi-Ngubani, the Department of Tourism, Hon. Minister Mthethwa, the Department of Sports Arts and Culture and the Hon. Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, followed. These made a case for business events versus social events, called for re-opening and relaxations of the capacity limitation restrictions, requested assistance from financial institutions and the extension of TERS, sought clarification of regulations at each

USA - Costa Mesa-based manufacturer, QSC, will present Mental Health Amplified, a special virtual fundraising event to celebrate the healing power of music. This live, 90-minute musical event, to be held on 27 May from 4pm to 5:30 pm (PST,) will celebrate the magical power of music to transform peoples’ lives and enhance our mental, physical and emotional well-being.
All proceeds support The Priority Centre of Orange County California, whose mission is to deliver life-changing programmes to assist people in crisis by giving them the tools and support necessary to end the generational cycle of trauma- including prevention of child abuse and neglect, through early intervention and mental health services and advocacy.
Headlining the event are three of today’s top up-and-coming artists – singer/songwriter Lee Coulter, R&B artist Cedrice and Latin soul artist Andy Vargas & Soleras – each of whom have been lifted-up and transformed by music in their own lives.
The event will be hosted by Wesley Geer, founder of Rock to Recovery, which helps people heal and transform their lives through the powerful experience of writing, playing, and performing music as a group.
Sponsorship opportunities remain available through 20 May at all levels, some of which include dinner or appetisers as well as drinks delivered to sponsors’ recipients of choice in the local Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego areas.
https://one.bidpal.net/mentalhealth

The Netherlands – The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 is back on track following a one-year hiatus due to the Covid Pandemic. Heading up a new technical and production team is Netherlands based Erwin Rintjema, who takes on the position as ESC’s head of production.
An industry respected production manager, Rintjema was selected by ESC host broadcaster for his experience, knowledge, and proven ability to smoothly deliver international, large scale, televised events. He is supported by a carefully curated team comprising Dutch technical production talent, as he explains: “Key members of the technical management team include Gijs Vos as Broadcast Manager and Stefan Hoohenkerk as Show Manager.
“In addition, several of our key heads of departments came from official technical supplier to Eurovision, Netherlands based, Sightline Productions. They include Marcel Vellekoop as CAD manager; Christiaan van Oudenallen as technical producer for Other Halls (Delegation Bubble, Press Centre), Jaap Bouma as operations manager and Jeroen Veenman as technical producer, Main Hall + Contest.”
The technically ambitious, 65th international Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast globally from Rotterdam’s Ahoy arena.
“Eurovision is a unique event, both logistically and technically,” states Rintjema. “I am proud to be taking on this iconic role on the show, which is a complex and multifaceted marathon that combines the challenges of both live and multi-camera television production. Thankfully, my team brings unrivalled experience to every aspect of th

UK - PLASA ran a second online programme from 10-13 May, covering the most vital topics and trends for those who work across live events and entertainment sectors.
Following the successful debut PLASA Online in October 2020, PLASA Online 2021 attracted thousands of industry professionals who signed up to watch the four-day programme which featured expert panels, technical sessions, and presentations on creative projects and products.
The ABTT partnered with PLASA Online to host popular presentations each day. These included a panel of Health & Safety and production experts who discussed the challenges of returning to work; a talk with CREATEBritain co-founder Richard Woods who introduced the new features of the online platform for creative professionals; the 2020 updates to the Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment and Volume 1 of The Theatre Green Book, a collaborative publication for making theatre sustainably.
Electrical expert James Eade topped the bill yet again, this time looking at the myths and misunderstandings of electrical safety. He answered several questions and detailed the importance of electrical qualifications, PAT testing requirements, earthing and phase separation.
LSi magazine delivered two well-attended sessions diving into pioneering stage technology: James Simpson, author of the popular LSi column Future Tech, shared some of his favourite recent stories, including light fidelity, spatial displays, the Internet of Things and haptic soundwaves; plus Rob Halliday and Ryan Metcalfe

World - The programme of events for Virtual Showlight has been announced.
The online event, taking place on 25 May, gives delegates the opportunity to hear industry-leading lighting designers talk about their work, ask them questions and network with others from across the industry, for a flavour of the full Showlight experience.
The programme is as follows (all timings are BST):
15.00 - Introduction & welcome from Showlight chairman John Allen
15.10 - Paper 1 - The Disco Lighthouse - Hamish Jenkinson
15.45 - Break
16.00 - Paper 2 - Lighting a Comic Book Movie - Birds of Prey Case Study - Mike Bauman
16.45 - Sponsors Breakout Rooms
17.35 - Paper 3 - Lighting Around The World Without Leaving Home: The Story of Waitress in Japan - Ken Billington, Rob Halliday, Aaron Porter
18.15 - Networking, Sponsors Breakout Rooms & Meal Break
19.15 - Panel Discussion with Q&A - A Panel on Diversity - to celebrate, to listen and to learn
20.15 - Break
20.30 - Paper 4 - From Shipyard to Street Art Museum - Floriaan Ganzevoort, Isabel Nielen and Mike Evers
21.15 - Break
21.30 - Paper 5 - BBC Strictly Come Dancing - David Bishop
22.15 - Breakouts and Networking
23.15 - Conference finishes
For further information on each Showlight session, visit: www.showlight.org/vsl-programme
Tickets can be obtained via the Virtual Showlight website here: test

UK - Production designer Tim Dunn has joined the UK’s nvisible Agency, a group of independent live production professionals offering a dynamic range of project management and creative production services for events worldwide.
The nvisible Agency’s other core team members include some true entertainment industry mavericks! Founder and MD Mark Bustard and chairman promoter Harvey Goldsmith are joined by show and event producer Jim Baggott, technical director Tim Spears and project director Luke Carr.
For 24 years, Tim was based in South Africa and worked extensively throughout the African continent, Asia, and the rest of the southern hemisphere on some of the highest-profile and most interesting productions, including dealing face-to-face with governments, politicians, and world leaders.
These include the 2010 FIFA World Cup Closing Ceremony, multiple SEA Games and Nelson Mandela’s Funeral. Returning to the UK in 2018, Tim has been involved in numerous creative and ambitious projects with plenty more on the horizon.
Harvey Goldsmith comments: “Tim is a very valuable part of the team. He is a perfect fit, bringing some unique skills together with exactly the right personality and can-do mentality to consolidate and reinforce our future visions, long-term goals and dedication to excellence in the creative planning and global delivery of international shows and events.”

UK - Event catering and brand logistics specialist Global Infusion Group has launched the Tony Awards, an internal awards ceremony held in honour of the company's late founder and CEO Tony Laurenson, who passed away this January.
Established to bring the team together, the Tony Awards will be a celebration and allow everyone to have some fun after an incredibly difficult period for the business. The ceremony will be held on 21 May and t he winners of the tongue-in-cheek categories will be decided upon by Global Infusion Group employees who have all been invited to take part in a public vote.
Alongside the ceremony will be a formal presentation to Stagehand, the PSA’s Welfare & Benevolent Fund, for the ‘Donations not Carnations’ JustGiving page that was set up for those who wanted send tributes to Laurenson. Nearly £21,000 has already been raised.
Global Infusion Group’s management team reached out to partners, suppliers, clients and friends from across the industry to secure sponsorship for the awards. A host of recognisable industry names include Coldplay, who the company has supported on tour for almost 20 years, with the band sponsor

Europe - LED manufacturer Absen is set to hold three online round table panels on immersive LED experiences. The sessions will cover immersive LED in virtual studios, retail spaces, and corporate spaces, with each round table session hosting a variety of expert brands in each sector.
Hosting all the roundtables will be Jessica Golding, Absen’s European brand manager. The first roundtable, upcoming on 19 May, will discuss the impact and rise of virtual studios on the AV industry over the last year. With a panel of the industry’s virtual studio experts, including Christian Czimny, Absen’s industry product director, the panel will discuss what virtual means in the industry, where virtual studios can be used, and what the benefits are of using LED over traditional ‘green screens’. The event will provide a multitude of perspectives, from end user to integrator, on the reality of virtual studios and the way they are perceived and used in a post-pandemic landscape.
The second roundtable on the 26 May will discuss the nature of virtual environments and why retailers should consider LED experiences in store. The panel, made up of brands such as Trison and Gensler, as well as Absen’s retail industry director, Ben Phelps, will discuss LED not only from a global retail market viewpoint, but will also analyse leading regions in LED adoption, such as China. The experts will give advice to retailers on how to create immersive spaces, and how to effectively use LED to their advantage to create experiences that customers will not forget.
The final sessio

UK - Following on from the latest Scottish Government announcement and in light of UK guidelines summarising clear plans for the return of the events industry south of the border, event industry leaders across Scotland have warned of a critical juncture in the recovery of the Scottish sector, as there still remains no indication of when gatherings of scale will be permitted and when social distancing parameters will be removed.
Whilst restrictions on retail and leisure are lifted in Scotland, the events sector remains largely locked down and unable to plan ahead under current policy and plans.
Geoff Crow, director of 21CC Group and member of the Event Industry Advisory Group comments, “We need consistency and clarity. The event sector in Scotland is at a standstill, which is difficult to watch when we see other sectors opening up and the rest of the UK and parts of the world gearing up for an imminent return. It doesn’t seem logical that gatherings and events can go ahead in England from July, but in Scotland we have no dates to be able to do the same.”
The frustrations follow on from the Scottish Government's decision not to work with the UK Governments plan or levels framework, but instead create their own, more cautious policy structure. Over the last few months successful pilot events and festivals have taken place around the world, including 5,000 people gatherings with no social distancing or masks. These pilot events have demonstrated that with sensible mitigation measures and testing, the risk of transmission can be less than the na

UK - Eyes in the UK and across the World focused on Liverpool’s Bramley Moore Dock successful test events, at Circus, hailing the return of live music from lockdown, with two nights of dance music (30 April/1 May), with over 6,000 people in the audience and Symphotech managing the health & safety.
Symphotech worked from the conception of the test events, supporting the organisers, Circus Music and The Events Company UK, to create a Covid safe event. With the emphasis on the research and test event aspect of the shows, protocols had to meet the criteria required by the scientists and multiple stakeholders.
Symphotech director Eddy Grant was their project leader, producing a detailed, constantly evolving risk analysis for the staff and the audience. He explains: “When the roadmap out of lockdown was announced by the government, in February, I spoke with Sam Newson (The Events Company UK), Richard McGinnis (Circus Music) and Culture Liverpool, aware that DCMS were favouring Liverpool as a location. All were enthusiastic to ‘Make Events Happen’ and the ensuing months have been spent considering the additional challenges to working a normal gig.
“The almost daily shifting sands of the science meant we weren’t certain which elements the scientists were going to look at, with the additional protocols each brought into the frame adding to our planning.”
Speaking on site, Sam Newson states: “Eddy has worked very closely with me in the weeks leading in to these shows. The science has been changing daily to trigger us figuring out wh

UK - A recent study conducted among 25,000 concertgoers has shown fans are overwhelmingly in favour of providing COVID certificates to be admitted to a live event.
75% of those surveyed have said they would be happy with the idea of COVID certification, and over 50% have said they are ready to attend music events right now, with a further 25% stating they would attend once the right mitigations are in place.
This is welcome news for the live events sector, which is currently in talks with the UK government over the type of access control measures that should be put in place to allow events to resume in the summer.
The #ReviveLive survey was released by LIVE (Live music Industry, Venues and Entertainment), a federation of live music industry associations representing 3,150 businesses, over 4,000 artists and 2,000 backstage workers. Members include Association of Festival Organisers, the Music Venue Trust, National Arenas Association, Concert Promoters Association, and more.
In further encouraging news, 85% of those surveyed have said they are planning on attending either the same or higher numbers of live music events compared to the period before the pandemic, with 55% having already bought tickets to events taking place in the coming months.
The survey also revealed strong appetite for the market of virtual music events, which flourished in the past year, with one in four stating they would still want to engage with online events even after the resumption of live concerts.
Chris Carey, chief economist of LIVE who led the res

UK - Only Helix, known for its work with artists like Years & Years, Bat For Lashes, Amy Macdonald and Bombay Bicycle Club, has launched a new travel service that’s designed to meet the specific needs of touring professionals. OH Visas is rooted in an understanding of how the entertainment industry works, and has been developed to take the travel stress out of touring.
Only Helix’s Steven Down and Tom Nicol are the masterminds behind the service, which will be headed up by travel industry specialist, Ben Young.
“OH Visas was borne from our combined experiences, frustrations and successes with travel over the years,” explains Down. “Brexit and Covid-19 has obviously also shifted things quite dramatically and we wanted to find an easier process for ourselves and our clients.”
Nicol elaborates: “We realised this solution was something that others would probably benefit from too, so we’ve decided to make it a bigger part of our agency offering. We’ve got some great expertise in Ben, and we’re excited about getting it out there.”
As the shifting political landscape has made touring more complex than ever before, travel schedules that previously required no or minimal visas, may now need multiple visas and additional paperwork to ensure a smooth passage from one country to the next.
The new service handles the entire visa process from start to finish - covering applications, appointments and embassy visits. Learning from previous experiences (and challenges) of tour and production travel, OH Visas has streamlined the

Europe - Showlight has revealed the speakers for its one-day online Virtual Showlight on 25 May.
In a snapshot of the full Showlight event, a series of papers will be presented by international keynote speakers, interspersed by a series of video shorts from the likes of Peggy Eisenhauer and Bill Klages. There will also be a discussion panel based on the subject of diversity in the lighting industry, chaired by award-winning lighting designer, Paule Constable.
The speakers for Virtual Showlight 2021 are:
David Bishop - BBC Strictly Come Dancing - BBC Strictly Come Dancing’s award-winning lighting designer, David Bishop, will outline the challenges of re-designing an icon of UK television after 15 years, the latest season of which required the incorporation of live augmented reality into the show.
Ken Billington, Rob Halliday, Aaron Porter - Lighting Around The World Without Leaving Home: The Story of Waitress in Japan - When Japan closed its borders just after Christmas, the production team for the musical Waitress were no longer able to travel to put the long-scheduled Tokyo production on stage. But the show must go on - so they figured out how to do the show remotely. For lighting, that meant LD Ken Billington and his associate Aaron Porter in New York, programmer Rob Halliday in London, and the crew in Japan.
Isabel Nielsen, Floriaan Ganzevoort, Mike Evers - From Shipyard to Street Art Museum - Floriaan Ganzevoort, Isabel Nielen and Mike Evers, are

UK - PLASA, the lead association for the entertainment technology industry, is hosting a second PLASA Online from 10-13 May, following on from a successful debut in October 2020. The programme will address the most pertinent issues facing the industry, present pioneering technology, and deliver several sessions on technical theatre in partnership with the ABTT.
The free-to-view programme will span four days, bringing you creative presentations, business panels, industry advice and technical training, each led by experts in their field. Furthermore, each day you will have the opportunity to watch live product presentations hosted by leading manufacturers. Running alongside the programme is a virtual Exhibitor Showcase featuring an extensive A-Z of brands from audio, AV, lighting, rigging and staging.
The ABTT will deliver the very latest amendments to their Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment which covers energy conservation, electrical installations and emergency lighting. They will also present an overview of Volume 1 of The Theatre Green Book, a project that brought together theatre-makers and sustainability experts to create a common standard for making theatre sustainably.
Electrical expert James Eade will return for another unmissable session, this time delving into the most enduring electrical misunderstandings, from qualifications and PAT testing, to earthing and phase separation. This session will also feature a Q&A, allowing to you get expert advice on your electrical safety concer

World - PRG has set up a worldwide network of 20 studio environments suited for scalable production of pre-recorded and live content in a COVID-compliant setting.
The studios are housed in the immediate vicinity of major facilities, to enable PRG to react to project-specific technical requirements from clients by utilising its portfolio of lighting, audio, video, scenic and digital solutions. Each studio has its own character, catering to the markets it serves, whilst an expert team is in place to supervise and staff each location. There are two types of environment – the PRG Virtual Production Studios, designed for productions that require more demanding technology such as extended reality (xR), and PRG Digital Studios for pre-recorded or live broadcasts.
The Virtual Production Studios – located in Hamburg, Los Angeles, and Paris – are equipped with xR technology, mixed reality and proprietary Enhanced Environments and Ncam® technology, making it possible to host green screen, standard capture or extended reality (xR) shoots. “From entirely imagined worlds to realistic scenery and backdrops, any environment can be brought into the studio with options for realtime visualisation of virtual elements,” says the company. “As a result, talent can interact with their setting in real time, while producers realize major savings in post-production and travel costs.”
The PRG Digital Studios can be found in more locations, including Chicago, Las Vegas, Nashville, New York Metro, Orlando as well as in The EGG in Brussels, London's Saatchi Gallery, M

World - Registration for Virtual Showlight is now open. Tickets for the unique online event can be secured via Hubilo, here. Tickets are free of charge but delegates are encouraged to make voluntary donations when registering, as all proceeds will go to support industry charities Backup and Behind the Scenes.
The event will be hosted on behalf of Showlight by MaxLive Events and takes place on 25 May between 15.00 BST and 23.00 BST.
“We have an exciting programme of speakers lined up for your entertainment and education,” say the organisers. “These will be interspersed by a number of ‘Video Shorts’ - short stand-alone papers, some of which will be forerunners to the full Showlight event that we hope will resume next year. A discussion panel of international speakers will focus on the issue of diversity in the lighting industry. In between sessions, there will be a number of breakout rooms, hosted by our sponsors, which delegates can enter to view and discuss sponsors’ products and services, and a networking lounge for general mixing and mingling.”
The organisers continue: “We would like to thank our generous sponsors whose donations have enabled Showlight to cover the cost of this virtual event, allowing the maximum of delegate donations to go direct to the charities. Robert Juliat is our headline sponsor, and is joined by Ayrton, ACT Lighting, Inc., Altman, ARRI, Claypaky, Copper Candle, ETC, Robe and Vectorworks. Virtual Showlight is also supported by

Spain - Integrated Systems Events’ managing director Mike Blackman recently took part in the Barcelona reACT Conference, a four-day working event to relaunch the city’s economy after a year of pandemic.
Speaking at the conference and looking forward to June, Blackman said: “We recognise that the world needs events to get back to business and we are thankful for the support we have had from the national, regional and City authorities, the team at the Fira and of course to the pro AV industry for its enthusiasm in the face of what has been an incredibly difficult period. Whilst 2021 will offer a different experience we are confident of delivering a great event which will pave the way for ISE 2022 in Barcelona.”
Blackman added: “Whether joining online or in-person in Barcelona, attendees can access inspiring content from innovation leaders, networking opportunities and the latest technologies. This main ISE event, 1-2 June in Barcelona and online, acknowledges that we are at a stage where we can start to plan again for the future and these two days will assist the industry to build a new roadmap for a new era.”
In-person attendees can visit booths from exhibitors including Alfalite, Ampio, AVI-SPL, Barco, Biamp, Control4, d&b audiotechnik, Equipson, LANG, NEC, Panasonic, Sharp, Shure, WolfVision plus many more. Highlights from the exhibition will be broadcast from the Main Stage during the two days. There will also be a Pavilion by ICEX to highlight Spanish brands and business opportunities as well as a host of other features including:

UK - PPL, the UK’s music licensing company for over 120,000 performers and recording rights holders, has again chosen to support touring crews and event production workers during the live industry’s ongoing unemployment crisis, with a donation of £75,000.
PPL previously made a significant donation to Stagehand’s COVID-19 Crew Relief Fund earlier in the pandemic. Further strengthening its commitment to the future of live entertainment and the value placed upon its workers, PPL has stepped in to support the ecosystem surrounding the wider music industry.
As the roadmap to easing lockdown in the UK gets underway, Britain’s event and concert touring personnel remain unable to return to work in any meaningful capacity. While restrictions on audience gatherings remain in place, skilled crews are left without the opportunity to earn a consistent income. Funding from the recording sector has been invaluable.
To date, Stagehand charity, which was founded by the PSA, has been able to provide some of the 20% of people who have fallen through the gaps in governmental support with grants of up to £500 for food and housing bills.
Since its launch in September 2020, the Stagehand COVID-19 Crew Relief Fund has helped over 1,500 workers. The Fund has opened a fifth round of applications, made possible with PPL’s generous donation.
Mike Lowe, Stagehand chair of trustees states: “PPL and live event production workers are at opposite ends of the music business. It is so heartening that PPL regard the entire business as one ecosystem and at

Germany - Integrated Systems Events has released more details about its ISE Live & Online programme, which will run throughout June.
ISE Digital is a two-day web event of live and on-demand content powered by CISCO technology. ISE Digital will be launched to run concurrently with the Barcelona event on 1-2 June and will be available on demand in the weeks that follow, reactivated with live updates from the Munich, Amsterdam and London events. Registration for any of the four regional events provides access to this content from launch; online-only registration is also available.
Exploring The Future of AV, ISE Digital will highlight business growth and opportunities, while showcasing solutions, in the context of the industry emerging from the confines of the pandemic.
Mike Blackman, Integrated Systems Events managing director explains: “We are proud to be partnering with CISCO on ISE Digital. Working with the industry in this way, we will be providing significant opportunities for teams and individuals to meet their customers, for people to experience product innovations, and of course, for networking.”
Live content from the Main Stage, and focused Tech Tracks with insight from key technology sectors, aim ‘to inspire and spark lively conversations with an opportunity for attendees to interact, share ideas and ask questions’. Topic covered include Digital Signage, Live Events & Audio, Workspace Evolution, Digital Learning, Smart Building and XR in Today’s Reality.
Blackma

South Africa - Pixel Nation has recently inaugurated a new virtual production studio in the heart of Johannesburg’s vibrant Rosebank district with content delivery based on StreamWorks infrastructure from Stage Audio Works. StreamWorks is a new initiative from SAW that provides full end-to-end streaming services comprising hardware and software, as well as support and expertise.
Pixel Nation was created by a team of AV professionals who have always operated in the live event space, particularly in the corporate market. As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced in-person events off the agenda for the time being, Pixel Nation was formed in order to be able to deliver events virtually, and not just as a pre-recorded show, but as fully interactive, live events with participants from all over the world.
“In creating Pixel Nation, we’re leveraging our expertise in AV event content creation, production and delivery and transferring it to a virtual environment,” explains Pixel Nation director, Mike Fynn. “We’re still creating amazing events, but participants are now located all over the world instead of under the same roof.”
Already long-standing clients of SAW in the live events market, when it became clear that the business model would need to change, Mike Fynn and fellow director Bradley Hilton, turned to SAW for help with the live streaming element, an area in which they had little experience. “We knew what we wanted to do - we just didn’t know how we were going to do it! Fortunately, Nathan [Ihlenfeldt] and the guys at SAW were already work

UK - A new cinema experience at Lighthouse, Poole’s centre for the arts, is set to bring cultural events by some of the country’s leading arts companies even closer to home for local audiences.
Presented in the familiar Theatre space at Lighthouse, Screen On Stage will show content in high definition on the largest roller screen on the market, with a newly installed hi-tech surround sound system and digital projector.
"We’re really excited about Screen On Stage - it represents offers a fantastic new experience for our audiences,” says Lighthouse chief executive Elspeth McBain. “We took the decision to dramatically expand our digital capabilities in lockdown and are enormously grateful to have received the funding that has enabled us to create this programme as one of a number of new developments.”
On sale from next week, the Screen On Stage programme includes showings of the 1967 Mel Brooks classic The Producers, Bob Fosse’s 1979 autobiography All That Jazz, Bette Davis All About Eve. Also scheduled for July is a screening of the fantasy Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Apart.
The Screen On Stage screenings are projected on a 7m x 5.25m Screen Int MajorC pro black case roller screen that can be unrolled by any amount to suit any picture ratio.
The sound processor is a Dolby 950 Digital sound processor and there are 16 JBL 8320 surround speakers - six on each side of the Theatre and four at the back - powered by three Crown XLS amplifiers. The centre, left, right and sub channels utilise the existing

UK - Industry collective #WeMakeEvents, joined by over 150 industry players, has called for crucial government support for the specialist transport vehicles - carrying artists, crew, and equipment involved in touring productions - which have been rendered inoperable post-Brexit.
An essential component to music, film, and TV tours, passenger transportation relies on operating freely in the EU. Under the current post-Brexit EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) hauliers are restricted, stopping the 30 companies in the sector from returning and UK artists from being able to tour. This is instead opening up opportunities for trucking companies to be set up in the EU and sacrificing specialist jobs. The industry is now writing to the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, urging the government to negotiate exemptions or waivers to the TCA and/or provide short-term workarounds.
Without freedom of movement to work across the EU, the demise of sleeper bus and splitter van businesses will threaten the UK’s entire creative export ecosystem and position as a recognised global leader in live events, say the campaigners. Unless the TCA is negotiated to provide an exception to the cabotage hauliers, the industry faces “another competitive disadvantage against EU-based competitors.”
To raise awareness, over 50 musicians have co-signed the letter including Frank Turner, Two Door Cinema Club, Maximo Park, Blossoms, Ghostpoet, Public Service Broadcasting, Melanie C and Jamiroquai. Also supporting are the producers and crew involved in music, film, and TV prod

Europe - Typically utilised before and after performances and during intermissions as practical audience lights, house lighting has traditionally played only a minor role in creating the atmosphere of a space. With the advent of dynamic LED house lighting however, that has all changed. Today’s house lights have taken on a more flexible and increasingly important role as an integral part of a broader and more immersive lighting design impression.
In Elation’s 1 April Coffee Break, Alistair Smyth and Frederik Afif delve into the adaptable aspects of Elation’s colour-changing Fuze Pendant. This LED downlight produces high CRI variable tones to flood a space in hues of colour or functionally wash a venue in shades of white light. Add in a multitude of control, connectivity, mounting and lens options and it is the ultimate lighting tool for modern house and area lighting applications.
The Elation Coffee Break on the Fuze Pendant will air live on Thursday, 1 April at 11:00 a.m. CEST. Tune in at www.facebook.com/ELATION.Pro.Europe/live/. No registration is required.
The Elation Coffee Break is an online presentation series from Elation’s European office in Kerkrade, the Netherlands that takes an up-close look at some of the company’s most popular product series. To view previous Elation Coffee Break webinars, please visit www.facebook.com/ELATION.Pro.Europe/live/.