USA - Last year, US-based charity Behind the Scenes’ Mental Health Initiative conducted a survey that revealed that bullying, harassment and intimidation are “a common experience” in our industry. Respondents said: “Emotional abuse is part of the culture,” and “harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are rampant”.
As a result, the Mental Health Steering Committee has launched a campaign (btshelp.org/stopbullying) to help workers and employers alike understand the signs and consequences of this behaviour. The aim is to raise awareness and encourage all who experience or witness bullying, harassment or intimidation, to speak up.
The resources provided include a set of posters to raise awareness of words, actions and behaviours that constitute bullying, harassment or intimidation; information to empower individuals to Be Informed, Be Aware, Show Support, and Take Action; and a sample policy and procedures to identify, investigate and resolve instances of bullying, harassment or intimidation and to provide support to those who experience these behaviours.
One survey respondent wrote: “My workplaces are decades behind in helping people with emotional wellness. That starts with the aggressive behaviour, belittling behaviour, yelling, throwing objects, etc. that I see on the jobsite constantly. Most folks feel that they have to just have a tough skin and take the abusive behaviour in their

USA - Behind the Scenes has announced that Light Touch Designs has become its newest Pledge-a-Service member by pledging fees from speaking engagements and online training to the charity.
Light Touch Designs is a Chicago-based design firm supplying lighting design services to the corporate meeting and special event industry. Owner Michael Sharon, a 30 year veteran of the profession, is happy to share his knowledge of design, programming and Vectorworks drafting with the community.
On making his commitment to the charity, Michael commented, “As freelance workers in a high-risk industry, we are all just one accident away from financial ruin. BTS has provided a crucial safety net to help people back on their feet. In times of pandemic, when we are all working to share knowledge and keep the industry alive, it seems right that I should take my teaching income and put it back into the community.”
BTS Foundation chair, Rick Rudolph, commented, “We were so pleased when Michael contacted us about joining the programme. As he rightly guessed, funds are needed now more than ever to care for our colleagues’ physical and mental health. This industry has always been a family and Michael’s desire to help those in most need during this time is a shining example of that. There is so much wonderful online training and webinars happening right now and we hope others will follow Michael’s example of giving.”
The Behind the Scenes charity provides entertainment technology professionals, or their immediate dependent family, who are seriously ill or i

UK - Le Mark donated 38 home-practice dance mats to The Sarah England Dance School to enable participants to perform in aid of BBC Children in Need.
The Greater Manchester school is set to participate in “Tapathon”, the national dance marathon, which will take place on 15 November as an online event, with participants recording their performances at home.
Ahead of England's second national lockdown, school owner and tutor Sarah England had the foresight to prepare, and had everything in place to bring back online classes when the restriction measures were re-introduced. But how could she get 38 tap dancers to take part outside, on hard ground, without damaging their tap shoes and respecting social distancing rules?
Not wanting her students to miss out on this opportunity, Sarah called Le Mark’s flooring manager, Hannah Tuohy. "When I spoke to Sarah, she told me what the mats would be for," says Tuohy. "I was so excited to help. We always recommend our Nocturne flooring for hard shoe work such as tap, so what better floor to donate."
Le Mark offered all 38 dance mats free of charge, enabling the students at The Sarah England Dance school to perform and help raise money for an amazing charity whilst keeping their floors at home protected during home-practice.
“We can now take part individually, and will be tapping away in our kitchens, gardens and safe open spaces," explains England. "We will happily and probably most appropriately be 'Singing & Dancing' in the rain. Well, this is England!”

USA - Elections for the ESTA board of directors concluded at midnight on Saturday, 31 October. An outstanding number of ballots were submitted this year, the organisation reports.
There were four positions up for election to the board. Tracey Cosgrove will fill the office of vice president; Elmer Veith of Reliable Design Services will serve as secretary; Evan Williams of Riverview Systems Group is the new production services director, and Mark Wofford of PC&E was elected to serve as rental company director. All will begin their three-year term of office on 1 January 2021.
ESTA and its members wish to thank outgoing board members Orestes Mihaly (PRG) and John Cini (High Output) for their dedicated service.

South Africa - Viral video footage of an African National Congress (ANC) rally held at the Luthuli 9L Sports Grounds in Polokwane on Sunday, 8 November, attended by thousands not adhering to the social distancing regulations, has infuriated the region’s live events industry who have not been able to work for over eight months.
“We as the TPSA, SACIA and SA Events Council have lodged a complaint with the South African Police, in particular with the Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba,” said Sharif Baker, chairman of the TPSA. “We are absolutely disgusted at what has happened. It’s a smack in the face for the lives at stake, and literally a smack in the face of us in events who are abiding by the law.”
The Siyanqoba Rally in Ward 14 in Pokowane and issued by the ANC Peter Mokaba Region, included live entertainment and was attended by a massive crowd, with most attendees not wearing masks. The event disregarded the 500 outdoor capacity restrictions as dictated by the ANC government. The current Level 1 risk reduction strategy implemented to slow the spread of Covid-19, allows up to 500 people for outdoor gatherings and a maximum of 250 people for indoor gatherings.
“This event has taken place where thousands of people did not follow a protocol whatsoever while the live events industry starve,” said Baker. “We have not left this alone and have been in communication with Nkosinathi Emmanuel 'Nathi' Mthethwa, the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture while copying in Khumbudzo Phophi Silence Ntshavheni, th

USA - Chauvet Professional has presented a cheque to Behind the Scenes for $25,000 from its recently launched ReSet Fund to be used to support entertainment technology members and their immediate dependent family who are seriously ill or injured, and to fund emotional wellness resources and training.
Chauvet announced last week that it will be donating up to $50,000 in funds to help live event industry members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following this initial $25,000 donation, Chauvet will match donations up to an additional $25,000 from participants who buy special fundraising ‘ReSet’ jackets, caps, truss gloves, and other merchandise at www.chauvetprofessional.com/resetfund through 30 November.
Behind the Scenes executive director, Lori Rubinstein, commented, “Chauvet Professional’s generous donation comes at a particularly important time for the charity and those we help. ReSet is aiding us in continuing to develop programmes under our Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative that will assist industry members in maintaining their emotional and mental wellness through the pandemic and as they return to work.
“The Steering Committee for the mental health initiative has some wonderful ideas on how the funds can be used to have a direct and lasting impact on our industry.”
Chauvet CEO, Albert Chauvet, said, “Our goal is to get these funds into programmes that provide hope and support as our industry prepares for the good to come. We’ve watched with admiration, respect and empathy as members from every segment of o

South Africa - The South African live events industry once again joined hands with #WeMakeEvents to participate in charity bike ride #TheSurvivalTour and raise awareness of the plight of event industry affected by the COVID-19 disruption.
Similar to the action that took place in the UK, the South African cyclists embarked on a lengthy route, passing by some of the country’s iconic venues, now closed due to the pandemic. As many as 24 cyclists participated in a 60km route, visiting Constitution Hill, Teatro at Montecasino, Sandton Convention Centre, Nelson Mandela Square, Joburg Theatre, Market Theatre, Mary Fitzgerald Square, and the TicketPro Dome on 24 October in Johannesburg.
Many industry players cut their teeth at some of the venues on the journey, and there was a tangible feeling of loss amongst the riders, seeing the once busy spaces now standing empty. “A venue like the Sandton Convention Centre is where I learnt the trade and started my career in my younger days,” said Chris Pugh, who led the pack. “We all felt a sense of nostalgia and sadness, seeing the devastation COVID-19 has left behind.”
“Everyone loved #TheSurvivalTour South Africa,” adds Pugh. “There were a few complaints about the hills and heat, but there was great spirit amongst all the riders. It was so popular that I’ve had requests to do it again, and we hope to add a new route with more venues in the near future.”

UK - Arts Council England has opened its £18m Developing your Creative Practice (DYCP) fund to a wider pool of creative practitioners in light of the COVID-19 effects on the workforce.
Able to apply for a grant this year will be DJs, performer/creators, arts and cultural educators, community practitioners/engagement specialists, movement directors, cultural conservators, creative enablers and creative technicians.
“We know that COVID-19 has had a significant impact for individuals, and many will need to develop themselves and their work to respond to the new environment,” says the Arts Council. “We want to support as many people as possible to reshape and redefine their work and continue to make a positive impact on creativity and culture.”
The grants, ranging from for £2,000 to £10,000, will be awarded for development activities from practitioners working across music, theatre, dance, visual arts, literature, libraries, combined arts, and museums practice. This includes professional development or researching or creating new work.
The money will be allocated in four rounds running until October 2021, with the first round now open to applicants. To be eligible, practitioners need to have one year’s experience, be based in England, have a UK bank account, and be aged 18 or over.
The first round closes at noon on 5 November, with decisions announced in the week commencing 21 December.
To apply, visit artscouncil.org.uk/DYCP.

USA - Symetrix has launched its newly designed, mobile-friendly website complete with a new community forum.
Visitors to the website will find a visually enhanced, user-friendly format with improved navigation, functionality, and responsiveness on all screens and device types. The site features redesigned vertical focus pages, images and testimonials from real Symetrix projects, along with an online warranty claim form, and more robust support pages.
“It’s important to us that the Symetrix universe of users can easily find what they need from our website, whether it’s technical information, product documentation, or project inspiration, and be able to do it all from a phone or iPad if they’re not in front of a computer,” explains Symetrix owner and CEO, Mark Graham. “The new website provides that functionality, along with a cool new forum to give us a place to connect.”
The new Symetrix Symposium forum is a user-generated platform where visitors can ask questions, provide answers, and build community in the AV industry. Moderated by the Symetrix Technical Support Team, the forum is broken up into three main categories (audio processors & software, control solutions, and Intelligent Modules & Lua scripting) to provide vital information to AV users of all levels of expertise.
The forum interface is available in eight languages and provides 24/7 access to user-based technical information.

UK - Technical entertainment charity Backup has set up a new fund to help industry workers who have received no or limited government support during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
The Hardship Fund will provide financial assistance to crew/production personnel, and people working in the technical supply chain across the UK entertainment sector, including those from live events, theatre and TV and film.
The fund has been allocated an initial £200,000, with further fundraising in progress. £100,000 was raised by Backup and its supporters, including #WeMakeEvents, whilst charity Light Relief matched this with a further £100,000.
Backup chairman John Simpson comments: “The technicians and their families in our industry, particularly freelancers, are experiencing incredible hardship at the moment and, with the lack of ongoing financial support from the government, there are many people who are in desperate need of help. As an industry, we are trying to help ourselves, and Backup is now in a position to be able to offer a small measure of assistance. We still need more donations to help many more of our colleagues in distress.”
The first application period is running from 8am on 19 October to 8pm on 30 October and Backup is targeting resources to people who have received no government grants (e.g. from the furlough scheme and self-employment income support scheme) and no grants from other charitable funds (e.g. Theatre Artists Fund, Arts Council, etc.). All successful applicants will receive funds two weeks after the closing date, says the cha

UK - Stagehand, the PSA live event production industry’s welfare and benevolent fund, has received £100,000 from PPL to boost the charity's new COVID-19 Crew Relief Fund.
Launched by Stagehand trustees in September, the fund was deemed a necessary move by the charity as a means to support crew, technicians and live events industry workers that have fallen through the cracks in state aid. Open from mid-October, the fund will help those struggling to meet the cost of basic living - a roof over their head or food on the table.
Mike Lowe, chair of trustees, comments: “We are extremely thankful to PPL for coming on board so generously at the beginning of our campaign. As a sector-specific charity, we’ve already seen devastating effects suffered by some of our workforce caused by the lack of work and financial support. The relief of having rent paid and mouths fed will no doubt ease the undoubted mental anguish caused by the pandemic.”
Peter Leathem, PPL chief executive officer, adds: “The live events sector has been one of the communities hardest hit by the pandemic and so we welcome the opportunity to be able to provide this support. This funding adds to the contributions we have made to hardship funds for musicians, freelancers and venues - all of which are part of the music ecosystem.
“We need to safeguard the jobs and livelihoods of crew so that they are there when our members get back out on the road post-COVID to do what they love most - performing. This is a much-needed initiative from Stagehand and we are pleased to be able t

USA - The BTS Boutique is offering a range of festive decorations. Add some unique holiday decorations to your home this year and support your colleagues who are seriously ill or injured as well as Behind the Scenes’ new Mental Health and Suicide Prevention initiative. These ornaments have been generously made and donated to Behind the Scenes by Mike and Sue Wood, so every penny goes directly to helping your colleagues in need.
Have cut-outs of your favourite tools hanging on your tree this Christmas by choosing from a crescent wrench, shackle, paintbrush or scissors as well as holiday designs. Available in 3” round acrylic disks in red (in keeping with the #WeMakeEvents theme) or clear.
There’s a BTS ghostlight etched on clear acrylic. Ghostlight Tree, a garlanded Christmas tree features a ghostlight star that’s available in three styles: etched on clear acrylic, as an LED night light in multi colour or solid blue, and as a portable mini LED with remote control that will brighten any room or window with the holiday spirit.
For those celebrating Hanukkah there is a portable mini LED with an etched menorah topped with a ghostlight shamas candle and a Star of David night light in multi-colour or solid blue.
For more information about Behind the Scenes, to donate, or to apply for a grant, visit www.behindthescenescharity.org.

UK - As part of the Let Music Live initiative, 400 freelance professional musicians from all parts of the industry will perform in Parliament Square and Centenary Square, Birmingham today, shining a light on the need for targeted support for freelance musicians and all those who work in the arts and entertainment sector.
They are also joined in solidarity by the Musicians’ Union, The Incorporated Society of Musicians, The Musicians’ Answering Service, Emily Eavis, Jools Holland, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Dan Smith of Bastille and more.
Conducted by renowned director David Hill in Parliament Square, the freelance musicians will perform a short section of Mars from Holst’s The Planets before standing in silence for two minutes. The 20% of the piece that they will perform represents the maximum 20% support that freelancers receive from the government through the SEISS grant. The two-minute silence represents the 33% of musicians currently not covered by the SEISS grant (MU). The event will be Covid-safe, adhering strictly to social distancing regulations, facilitated by support from #WeMakeEvents.
Covid restrictions have disproportionately impacted the music and events industries, resulting in an almost total loss of opportunity to work. Investment is essential so that freelance musicians can continue to support the intricate network of businesses that rely on arts and events for their footfall.
Jools Holland commented, “I fully support these wonderful musicians in their actions. They are part of an industry devastated by this c

UK - Prominent live events industry campaigns and trade bodies have formed a taskforce to better communicate the demands of the UK events industry to the government.
Three campaigns have aligned to form the new body: the PLASA-initiated We Make Events along with Let the Music Play and We Create Experiences. They are joined by three trade organisations - the Business Visits and Events Partnerships (BVEP) which represents the conference, exhibition and outdoor events sector and is hoped to liaise directly with government; the UK Live Music Group which represents the UK’s live music industry, and PLASA.
Simon Hughes, chair of the BVEP comments: “Many different industry sectors will be looking to government for additional help and assistance in the next few weeks, alongside the more public/corporate targeting with the narrative of confidence and expertise. So it will be critical to ensure that messaging with the various target audiences are aligned across the extended ecosystem that comprises the whole of the event industry in the UK and the extensive supply chain that supports many thousands of livelihoods and enriches the lives of millions of people from all parts of society.”
Greg Parmley, chair of UK Live Music Group, adds: “With a long dark winter ahead for many in the arts, culture and events spaces, it’s imperative that we work closely together. Bringing the campaigns under one collective cross group addresses the need to communicate both short and medium-term tactics as well as the longer term plans required to support the industry.”

World - In a collective show of solidarity, live events professionals from all corners of the world held peaceful demonstrations to once again raise awareness of the dire effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sector and its workforce.
The #WeMakeEvents #StandAsOne Global Day of Action held yesterday, 30 September, was the single largest coordinated global event to take place since the campaign launched in the summer.
Just as with the regional events that preceded it, the demo saw thousands of cultural buildings being lit up in red, whilst the #WeMakeEvents and #LightItInRed hashtags trended on social media.
Campaigners have continued to push for state support for an industry that’s been unable to resume sustainably due to COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings. After more than six months of uncertainty, the future of a once-thriving sector and its workforce has been further threatened as a second spike in cases has seen restrictive measures being re-introduced by governments.
A raft of celebrities and artists endorsed the campaign, including Coldplay, Radiohead, Elbow, Mumford & Sons, Melanie C, Noel Gallagher and His High Flying Birds, James Bay, Frank Turner, Keane, The Libertines, Faithless, Massive Attack, The Happy Mondays, Biffy Clyro, Madness, Fatboy Slim, Skunk Anansie, and many more.
Glastonbury Festival’s Emily Eavis also shared a message of support: "Right now, tens of thousands of people who carry the UK's hugely successful live music and events industry are out of work, through absolutely no fault of their own. The m

World - The #WeMakeEvents campaign has been ramping up activity in order to highlight how the global live events industry urgently needs to get back to work. Over 30 million people in 25 countries would usually work in the events industry, but with social distancing measures in place, there is no possibility of a financially viable return for the foreseeable future.
Over the past weeks, events have happened around the world - including in the US, Canada, Sweden, France, Germany, Spain and the UK - to raise awareness of those impacted in the event supply chain, from manufacturers, production companies, catering, transport, security and others, to the huge freelance community that works within the industry.
The majority of the industry has had no income since the beginning of the crisis in March, and with a global second wave of COVID-19 imminent, a date to return to work has become impossible to predict, leaving many companies and individuals devastated, both financially and personally.
The industry is now joining together as a worldwide force on 30 September for a Global Day of Action. This marks the start of a new phase of the #WeMakeEvents campaign which will continue to alert governments to the disastrous situation the sector faces.
“The situation in Spain is terrible and we’re working very hard to highlight that to our government,” says Juan Jose Villa, from Spanish trade association, AFIAL. “Our event on 17th September got coverage on most of Spain’s regional television and radio stations, and we believe that we have shown ho