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General News
Thursday, 23 September 2021
UK - #WeMakeEvents, the campaign to amplify the voice of the live events supply chain, has now raised over half a million British pounds through fundraising efforts over the last 18 months, supporting charities which have helped industry professionals through the pandemic.
The milestone was reached during PLASA Show 2021, where #WeMakeEvents hosted a dedicated hub to promote wellbeing and mental health throughout the live sector which featured several industry charities and initiatives and welcomed a steady stream of visitors.
80% of the funds raised have gone directly to Backup, the campaign's chosen industry which supports professionals throughout the technical entertainment industry in times of ill health or financial need. In turn, Backup funnels vital funds to Acting For Others, Music Support, Stage Hand and Make It Blue UK, each one providing specially designed services to guide and support.
Matt Lloyd, charities and sponsorship co-ordinator for #WeMakeEvents, comments: “It is a fantastic achievement to have reached half a million - something that would have been impossible without the generosity of the people. The #WeMakeEvents team is truly humbled by the support we have received along this journey, showing that the live events supply chain is a valid and viable part of the cultural sector. It is with this financial support that our industry’s companies and workforce can get back to doing what they love best and show the world why live events and entertainment are not only important, but crucial to society.”
There have been severa
Tuesday, 21 September 2021
Punk Values - The "only known footage" of two Sex Pistols gigs which ignited Manchester's music scene and “spawned a generation of bands” has sold at auction for £15,000. Music fan Mark Roberts' Super 8mm films captured the punk band's shows at the city's Lesser Free Trade Hall in 1976. Future members of Buzzcocks, New Order, The Smiths and The Fall, and Anthony Wilson, who founded renowned label Factory Records, were at the shows. Auctioneer Paul Fairweather said the gigs were "huge for bands that spawned off the back off them", adding: "It was the birth of punk."
No Fear - Noel Gallagher has said Oasis had "no fear" about playing to 250,000 fans over two nights at Knebworth, adding if his old band were to do it again now, they would be "petrified". The songwriter was talking before the premiere of the Oasis Knebworth 1996 documentary, marking 25 years since Britpop's crowning moment. The film views the biggest gigs the UK had seen through the eyes of the fans.
"Those of you that were there at the time will remember that I was so arrogant, it didn't really register," Gallagher told a London cinema audience, which included some of the fans whose touching and funny personal stories provide the backdrop to the piece. It's only since [2016 documentary] Supersonic, and this film that you try and put yourself back there and you start to get goosebumps about it, because I'm not sure there's many bands had that lift-off that we did."
Half of performing arts workers who are receiving Universal Credit will be thrust into further financial
Tuesday, 14 September 2021
Insurance Fears - Further guidance about the government’s recently announced insurance scheme for live events has been released, which experts have warned “confirms all the worst fears producers had”. The scheme, which will run until September next year, has been criticised for being too narrow in scope to apply to most theatre productions as well as prohibitively expensive.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has published an outline of the rules for the £750m scheme, prompting concerns that it will not help most theatre producers, who face ongoing risks of disruption, cancellation and closure. The guidance confirms that productions are protected only when they have been forced to cancel, abandon, relocate or postpone as a "direct result" of the introduction of new or amended COVID-19 laws.
This means that cancellations caused by self-isolation requirements among a show’s cast and crew or losses caused by any reintroduction of social distancing will not be covered. The guidance also confirms that the scheme covers both single and one-off events, as well as a run of events. However, for multiple performances, producers must specify which dates are being insured.
Redevelopment - The Barbican Centre is planning a £150m redevelopment project to make urgent changes to its London building to cater for contemporary artists and audiences. The City of London Corporation, which owns the Barbican estate, has published a design brief for its renewal plans, opening submissions for architects’ proposals to transform the 40-yea
Tuesday, 14 September 2021
UK - On Saturday 4 September, a cohort of industry professionals cycled from SFL in Reading to PLASA Show at Olympia London to raise money for Backup, the technical entertainment charity and mark the return of PLASA Show.
Fourteen cyclists made the journey, representing Autograph, Avolites, Backup, Collaborative creations, Creative Technologies, Event Decision, PLASA, SFL, SLX, TSL and White Light. One team cycled 40 miles direct to London, while the other traversed the challenging Surrey Hills - together they have so far raised over £1,300, with donations still coming in.
BikeFest follows several industry bike rides in recent years coinciding with PLASA Show, which have all raised funds while promoting mental health and support. In the wake of the COVID lockdowns, the 2021 cycle felt more pertinent than ever.
PLASA’s managing director Peter Heath, comments: “These fundraising events are always important, but this year meant so much more as a huge number of our colleagues have suffered both mentally and financially due to the pandemic. As a team, we were honoured to fundraise for Backup which does superb work for those in need. Here’s to the 2022 ride where we look forward to many more of you joining us!”
White Light’s John McEvoy reported from the 80-mile route: “After negotiating a few busy roads getting out of Reading, the miles soon ticked off to get us to our first stop just outside Farnham. Suitably refreshed on coffee, and fig rolls provided by our support driver, PLASA’s Nicky Greet, we set off to tackle the toughest pa
Monday, 13 September 2021
UK - East London art deco venue Troxy unveiled a substantial restoration project ahead of its 88th birthday on 11 September.
The venue, which reopens this month with a series of events, including a gig with ska band The Specials on 25 September, has completed the first stages of an ambitious transformation project. The team has been working for over 12 months, to create a new stage, enabling larger productions, restored the foyer and entrance area and created new facilities for visitors to the venue.
The project design has been led by historic building specialists Ian Chalk Architects with on site management by M Bradbrook Electrical Services. The owners of Troxy have invested heavily in the refurbishment with significant support from Arts Council England. The works have been championed by the Theatres Trust and Tower Hamlets Council, ensuring every element is in line with its Grade II-listed status.
On arrival, visitors to the venue will immediately see the return of the impressive travertine floor in the foyer thanks to the removal of the 1990s box office and renovation by stonemasons. This space has been completely transformed in line with its original design.
The stage has undergone considerable work to expose the original fly tower within the original proscenium arch, not seen since the 1970s, and bring it up to date with cutting edge production. The stage has moved back to where it was situated in the 1930s. The non-authentic rear wall has been removed to expose the huge original stage area, behind the proscenium arch. One huge stage
Thursday, 9 September 2021
USA - Magmatic atmospheric effects is offering two new snow machines in its Polar series of high-volume snow effects that ‘make it easy to create wintry scenes of natural-looking snow’. Suitable for any seasonal production, in stock and ready for delivery are the compact and lightweight Crisp and the road case-protected Crisp Max with 20-litre fluid tank.
With its small size and easy mobility, Crisp is a set-it-and-forget-it snow effect. The unit weighs 33.5 lbs. (15.2kg) with a hanging bracket that doubles as a convenient carrying handle. Crisp uses Magmatic’s specially formulated dry-on-impact snow liquid (APS-4L) to create a snowflake that mimics the look and feel of actual snow.
Crisp Max includes a 20-litre fluid tank hidden inside a road case with durable casters for extra protection and easier portability. The unit’s 10m-long hose can be rigged on a standard truss or tripod stand and fluid can be extended up to 50m horizontally or vertically using 10-meter extension tubes with couplers that are available as an accessory. An optional 120-degree pan motor is available that increases the coverage area. Crisp Max uses Magmatic’s specially formulated dry-on-impact snow liquid (APS-2L, 4L, 20L) to create a snowflake that mimics the look and feel of actual snow.
Both the Crisp and Crisp Max are capable of producing high volumes of naturalistic snow with the capacity to adjust snowflake size for greater versatility. Small flake or large, short throw or long, these 1250W high-volume snow machines can project snow up to 12m with the flexibi
Tuesday, 7 September 2021
Light Night Leeds - Digital lightning bolts and a light sculpture of a giant endangered marine mammal are among the spectacles set to light up Leeds as part of the city's annual Light Night festival. The two-day event starting on 14 October will see some of the city's well-known buildings and landmarks lit up with light projections - and this year's theme is nature and climate change.
More than 40 installations and artworks will be on show including a large-scale replica of the Earth by artist Luke Jerram and an illumination of lightning bolts on the front of Leeds Civic Hall by artist Seb Lee-Delisle, the city council said.
Last year a considerably slimmed-down festival saw lasers mounted on seven city centre buildings because of coronavirus and social distancing rules. Organisers say this year's event "will mark a return to a more familiar format" but the programme has been adjusted to allow for additional safety measures as it expects to attract thousands of visitors.
Carbon Footprint - Scientists at the University of Manchester have produced a ‘roadmap’ to help the music industry reduce its carbon emissions to stop climate change. The roadmap for live music was based on tour data supplied by the band Massive Attack. Since 2019, scientists at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research have been poring over every detail of Massive Attack's last tour. They then used lessons learned to create a roadmap for the whole industry.
Their recommendations for "super low carbon practices" deal with how musicians, promoters, tour m
Wednesday, 1 September 2021
UK - At this year’s PLASA Show, on stand D4, Data Strategy will showcase QC-Check’s integration with SimplyPATS, a software programme that specialises in providing the download of data from over 50 PAT Testers.
This integration was developed to allow QC-Check to import into its database the test results from other manufacturers’ Portable Appliance Testers. It offers the facility to use the powerful QC-Check database to selectively filter equipment requiring a test into manageable chunks of data and download it to the client testers.
The new SimplyPats integration will be demonstrated on an operational, two-bay QC-check workstation. New and existing customers will see the simplicity of adding test results to one database of equipment for which a portable PAT tester is the only logistical solution.
The two-bay QC-Check workstation, custom engineered for Data Strategy by SES Entertainment, features the robust test hardware capabilities of Out Board’s PAT-4 PAT Testers, CAB-5 cable testing, as well as RCD (distro) processors.
Wednesday, 1 September 2021
USA - Behind The Scenes has reminded that September is National Suicide Awareness Month - “and while we may be getting back to work, the need for awareness and action is greater than ever,” says the charity.
“Underemployment, new demands in the workplace, and worry about the future are all contributing to the negative impact on mental health. The reality is that many are not coping well and reports of suicide are on the rise,” adds BTS.
Running from 5-11 September, National Suicide Prevention Week is an opportunity to learn what you can do to help those you may be concerned about on the job or at home, as well as find resources that may help you today or in the future. Visit btshelp.org/bethe1 to learn how to recognise the warning signs of suicide, as well as the five steps you can take to save a life: Ask, Be There, Keep Them Safe, Help Them Connect, and Follow Up. Practical guidance and situational examples are provided for each of the five steps.
Most people want to help if they see someone at risk for suicide, but they don’t know what to say or do, or are afraid they will make things worse or damage their relationship with the person. However now, more than ever, we need to remain vigilant to the signs that someone may be at risk. National Suicide Prevention Week also coincides with Labour Day. This Labour Day, think of those who are here now and how we can honour one another’s contr
Tuesday, 31 August 2021
Socially Distanced - The Royal Shakespeare Company will host a series of socially distanced performances of its new musical throughout November and December to cater for audiences that do not want to attend a full-capacity show. Seven socially distanced performances of The Magician’s Elephant have been scheduled throughout the three-month run, which marks the reopening of the RSC’s main house in Stratford-Upon-Avon for the first time since the pandemic began.
At each of the designated performances, audiences will be seated with an empty row in front of and behind them, and with one empty seat between parties to ensure one-metre-plus social distancing. Audience members attending these shows will also be asked to wear a face mask throughout their visit unless exempt. The RSC is currently only staging shows at its outdoor theatre, which is running at full capacity. It has made face masks optional in all settings, including inside the parts of its main building that are open to visitors.
Immersive Theatre - An arts hub hosting immersive theatre and offering affordable rehearsal space is launching in London’s Elephant and Castle this September. Founder and artistic director Sarah Davey-Hull took over the building, which was formerly an office block and originally a brewery, in March 2020, just before the pandemic began. She has been running some activities – including producing a series of short films, from the building during the pandemic – but will officially open the arts hub, which is called BOLD, to the public in September.
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Friday, 27 August 2021
UK - Industry charity Backup has long recognised the technical entertainment industry as an exciting, but challenging place to work and is committed to helping those who face the pressure and stress involved by providing further help and support.
Now, the charity has launched a free helpline that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide a centralised access point for both urgent and non-urgent well-being support.
The helpline offers a number of options, from a dedicated Backup counsellor, to direct transfer to other industry charities, including the Music Support Helpline, Theatre Helpline and the Samaritans. Upon selecting one of the above options, you will be transferred directly to the support you require.
The Backup Counsellor option is a free, independent and confidential phone service with a certified counsellor who has a broad experience of the industry and will provide initial support or signposting on mental health and well-being to people working in the live technical entertainment industry. If further sessions are needed, The Backup certified counsellor is available to offer support and to assist with Backup grants.
“Whilst we already have information about a number of resources that can be accessed on the wellbeing section of our website, we understand that it’s never easy asking for help, so we wanted to make it as simple as possible for people to get the direct help they need,” says Backup chairman, John Simpson. “Our hope is that the addition our dedicated helpline will encourage more people to take adv
Tuesday, 24 August 2021
Pilot Programme - Further findings from the government’s Covid pilot programme claim that mass participation events "can be conducted safely", with case numbers from four months of crowds remaining in line with, or below, community infection rates. Little to no coronavirus cases were detected among audiences that had attended several theatre pilots, including indoor and outdoor performance.
The second release of data from the Events Research Programme, covering phases II and III of the pilot scheme, concluded that major events can take place in a safe way and demonstrates how certification can be "effectively implemented at large events". The findings cover all 37 test events, which took place in England across a four-month period between April and July, however the latest research includes pilots specifically intended to test events of increased size and scale.
According to the data, fewer than five Covid cases were recorded over 10 indoor performances at the Grange opera festival, at four shows at Grosvenor Park Outdoor Theatre in Chester or at seven performances of Leeds Playhouse and Opera North’s A Little Night Music.
The data does show spikes in cases across the country on the days after England’s Euro 2020 matches, which "highlights the need for members of the public to remain cautious in all settings" the government said. "A cautious approach should be taken at unstructured events involving attendees being in close proximity for extended periods of time, when spectators are at high-density pinch points at venues, when travelling
Friday, 20 August 2021
USA - After a storied career in the entertainment industry, ESTA’s membership manager, Frances Thompson, will be retiring at the end of 2021. For over two decades, she has been a vital force in the growth of the association and a galvanizing presence at trade shows and events.
In 1996, Frances was appointed to the ESTA Board of Directors, after being a part of the Business Resource Group for several years. She then served as manufacturer director until early 2000, when she was appointed as an affiliate director. Around 2001, Frances joined the ESTA staff and has since held several titles.
On her retirement, Frances remarked, “I will miss engaging with members and staff. We are irreverent, creative, resourceful, opinionated, and uproarious. But most of my family and friends are as well, so I will be happy.”
As her successor, ESTA has appointed Laura Hoepker as its new programme manager for membership and events, effective August 17, 2021. Like her predecessor, Laura also has a long history in the entertainment technology industry. Previously, she was the marketing events specialist at Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc. She also held sales and marketing positions with PLASA, before acting as a consultant to NAMM.
“I’m very excited about this new challenge,” Laura said. “I’m looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and colleagues and talking about the tremendous value of ESTA membership and events.”
Tuesday, 17 August 2021
Reselling Regulations - The UK's competition watchdog has said ticket resale firms such as Viagogo and StubHub should face tighter rules. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said current laws meant it was not possible to act swiftly and effectively against touts. Another problem came from resellers who speculatively sold tickets they did not own, the regulator said.
The CMA has previously taken action against both Viagogo and StubHub, which have made changes as a result. In February, a year after Viagogo bought StubHub for $4.1bn (£3.1bn), the regulator told Viagogo to sell all of StubHub's business outside North America to satisfy competition concerns. The CMA's latest intervention comes as big music and sporting events are set to resume in the UK in the next few months after the Covid pandemic, fuelling fans' demand for tickets.
The watchdog's recommendations include a ban on platforms allowing resellers to sell more tickets for an event than they can legally buy from the primary market plus a new licensing system for secondary ticket sites that would enable an authority to act quickly to take down websites, withdraw a business's right to operate in the sector and impose substantial fines. While bulk-buying of tickets by professional resellers - who then sell them at inflated prices - may be illegal, swift and effective action by authorities is not possible under the current law, the regulator said.
Ring Fenced - Production of the new Lord of the Rings television series will move to the UK from New Zealand, Amazon Studios ha
Wednesday, 11 August 2021
USA - Behind the Scenes reports that NATEAC, the North American Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference, has made a $10,000 donation to support the work of the charity. NATEAC is a quadrennial conference which had been scheduled to take place in New York City last summer and was turned into a highly successful virtual conference held 20-22 July, 2021.
On presenting the cheque, NATEAC founder, Bill Sapsis, commented, “All of us at NATEAC are very happy to provide this donation in support of the terrific work the Behind the Scenes Foundation offers through its grants program and mental health initiative.” In 2016 NATEAC donated the proceeds from its conference dinner at Sardi’s to the charity. In 2021 the pandemic forced NATEAC to cancel the dinner but the conference organisers were determined to continue the support for BTS.
NATEAC’s mission is to promote communication between the architects, engineers, consultants, and manufacturers responsible for designing and building new theatres and renovating existing facilities in North America. It is also their goal to promote a higher level of interaction between these professionals and the end users of their facilities.
Lori Rubinstein, executive director of the Behind the Scenes Foundation, gratefully accepted the cheque, saying “NATEC represents a coming together of individuals from across our industry to share their expertise to create even better performance spaces that benefit those who work in and attend them. That ethos is kin to what Behind the Scenes represents–a coming togethe
Tuesday, 10 August 2021
Virtual Fundraising - Musicians including Annie Lennox, Ed Sheeran and Sir Mick Jagger will join with Bollywood stars to raise funds for Covid relief work in India. A virtual fundraising event entitled We For India: Saving Lives will take place on Sunday 15 August, in both London and Mumbai.
The three-hour event, ran by social impact enterprise The World We Want, will be livestreamed over Facebook. It will feature more than 80 Indian performers such as composer AR Rahman. Nile Rodgers, Sister Sledge, Jay Shetty and Nancy Ajram will also take part in the event. Rajkummar Rao, star of Oscar and Bafta-nominated film The White Tiger, will host the event.
Prohibitively Expensive - Theatre heavyweights Cameron Mackintosh, Michael Harrison and Sonia Friedman have criticised the government’s recently announced insurance scheme, labelling it “prohibitively expensive” and warning that it does not cover shows forced to cancel due to enforced isolation. Producers have also warned that the expensive insurance would only be viable by increasing ticket prices, with leading pantomime producer Harrison adding that the scheme will be “prohibitive and unworkable for the pantomime season”.
The £750m scheme was announced by the government on 5 August, offering insurance cover for live events forced to close by Covid restrictions. Jointly announced by HM Treasury and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Live Events Reinsurance Scheme is offered in partnership with insurance market Lloyd’s and will involve the governm
Friday, 6 August 2021
UK - The live events sector is set to get a boost with a government-backed insurance scheme worth over £750m, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced yesterday (5 August).
The news comes after many months of campaigning by the events sector and the wider music industry for the introduction of such a scheme. However, it comes too late for many, with over fifty per cent of scheduled festivals – both large and small – cancelled or postponed.
The government has partnered with Lloyd’s to deliver the Live Events Reinsurance Scheme as part of the Plan for Jobs. The scheme will see the government act as a ‘reinsurer’ – stepping in with a guarantee to make sure insurers can offer the products events companies need.
This scheme will support live events across the UK that are open to the general public - such as music festivals and business events. It will cover costs incurred in the event of cancellation due to the event being legally unable to happen due to Government Covid restrictions.
A number of prominent insurers in the Lloyd’s market, including Arch, Beazley, Dale, Hiscox and Munich Re are supporting the scheme which will provide events companies with the option of purchasing cover from next month, alongside standard commercial events insurance.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said: “The events sector supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country, and I know organisers are raring to go now that restrictions have been lifted. But the lack of the right kind of insurance is proving a problem, so as the econo
Thursday, 5 August 2021
China - Resulting from the heightened popularity and massive growth within the eSports industry, Tencent China and Riot Games recently joined forces to create TJ Sports, Asia’s first large-scale eSports remote production centre. As the eSports industry continues to expand across the globe, production companies are looking to streamline operator workflow.
Providing a technologically advanced, yet simple-to-operate control solution, TJ Sports selected TSL Products’ TallyMan Advanced Broadcast Control System to accomplish the management of large-scale video switchers, audio mixers and the AV matrix for its events.
“TSL enables us to produce more events that are more intensive and complex,” says Zhang Xuming, head of broadcast technology planning at TJ Sports. “The TSL TallyMan controller greatly reduces execution risk during production while improving the overall operator experience, and its price to performance ratio is extremely attractive. With TSL’s TallyMan, we have successfully accomplished off-site control of remote network production for major international events.”
With more teams, venues and cities involved in eSports, as well as an increase in overseas competitions, TJ Sports requires an advanced, centralized control system to carry out high-quality, telecast productions across multiple venues. With this multi-venue production workflow, flexibility of resource allocation and access to control are among TJ Sports’ top priorities when it comes to product selection.
With TSL’s TallyMan, TJ Sports can host centralised sc
Wednesday, 4 August 2021
UK - The partners behind 5G Festival have successfully completed the second set of trials to test critical aspects of the technology that will be used to deliver a music collaboration toolset and experience for artists, audiences and venues. The results will deliver the world’s first 5G powered hybrid immersive festival experience early next year.
The social and economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the live music industry has been severe. 5G Festival is part of efforts across the sector to create innovative platforms for musicians and artists to write, rehearse and produce music despite geographical barriers, and deliver new, engaging ways for audiences to interact with live performances.
5G Festival will showcase creative talent blended with the power of advanced digital technologies, broadcast live directly to audiences at remote locations from world-leading venues, and producing novel immersive in-venue experiences. The recent trials built on the practical testing and research established during the first stage trials held in March 2021 with the aim of having artists collaborate from different locations to see how an immersive festival experience would work both in a venue and at home.
A new group called The Remotes - the most data divided band in the UK - was put together especially for the trials, led by musical director Kojo Samuel, who has worked with Stormzy, Jess Glynne and Dave. A collaboration of experienced session musicians, The Remotes rehearsed and performed from physically separate locations. A vocalist and drummer wer
Tuesday, 3 August 2021
Vaccination Proof - Delfont Mackintosh Theatres has become the second major theatre group to require audience members to show proof of vaccination before seeing a show. The company follows Ambassador Theatre Group in introducing the requirement, after all social-distancing measures were lifted.
DMT owns eight West End theatres, including the Novello, the Noël Coward, the Sondheim and the Prince Edward Theatre. The company states on its website: “As capacity restrictions are lifted, we ask that all audience members bring with them proof of double vaccination, a recent negative lateral flow test or natural immunity.”
Audience members providing “proof of full vaccination” can do so through the NHS App. Those without both vaccinations are able to “present proof of a negative lateral flow test”, either via the NHS App or from a text message, and this test must have been taken within 48 hours of seeing the chosen show. Attendees under the age of 18 will be asked for verbal confirmation (by them or by a parent or guardian on their behalf) that they have not received a positive test for Covid-19 and are not displaying symptoms of Covid-19.
The theatre company is also requesting audiences continue to wear masks when they watch a show.
Hollywood Dream - Plans for a £700m "world-class" film and TV studios facility in the UK have been announced by a Hollywood studio. The owners of Sunset Studios in Los Angeles and an investment firm have bought a 91-acre site in Hertfordshire for £120m. Subject to planning permission, the production
Tuesday, 3 August 2021
UK - SES is moving from its Datchet base to a new facility in Colnbrook. Having continuously expanded over the last few years, SES has taken the decision to move to much larger facilities which will enable the company to expand further over the next few years.
“Our new home enables us to have all our manufacturing, design and production under one roof,” says group director Gordon Cooper, “and allows us to continue to develop industry leading products and facilitate customers’ requirements in a more efficient manner.
“The space that we will have will allow us to purchase our third CNC router, increase the number of production staff and increase stock holding of raw and finished goods. We will also have a separate R&D workshop, which allows us to increase the capacity of our already large test and inspect facility.”
SES is planning open house days customers and suppliers will be shown around the new building and introduced to the team.
The new address is: SES (Entertainment Services) Ltd, Unit 5 Air Hub, Arkwright Road, Poyle trading Estate, Colnbrook, SL3 0AA. Tel: +44 (0)17 5358 5050.
Wednesday, 28 July 2021
UK - Global event specialist, The Spendlove Group has announced the launch of THE Production TEAM. The new company will combine the skills and expertise that exist within the group to deliver a global event recruitment business.
Launched as the event industry makes a welcome return, THE Production TEAM will offer ‘a myriad of recruitment services to event management companies, venues and production houses operating within film & TV, events and theatre’. Offering complete transparency for both clients and freelancers with competitive rates of pay, all candidates will be vetted, pre-qualified and selected to fill job vacancies globally.
For UK clients interested in its contract recruitment services THE Production TEAM will renumerate employees, including sickness and holiday payments. This will also be the case in the Middle East, but the company will also facilitate visas for people out of country, whilst providing medical cover and insurance removing all the hassle from the employer. As a global operation THE Production TEAM will also be able to navigate the bureaucracy now attached to working in Europe following Brexit.
Spendlove Group founder and CEO, Ian Spendlove said: “This business is almost two years in the making, Covid-19 actually pushed back our original plans for the launch. We’ve subsequently had more time to build the foundations and as it turns out that, there’s now more demand than we were originally anticipating. We’re operating in a world where a senior production manager can be working from home and located anywhe
Tuesday, 27 July 2021
Hardest Hit - Music, performing and visual arts has been the creative sector hardest hit by the pandemic – losing 80,000 jobs and an estimated £4bn in gross value added for the UK economy, according to new data.
Before the pandemic, music, performing and visual arts contributed £10.6bn in GVA and employed 314,000 people. However, new data from Oxford Economics, published in a report by the Creative UK Group, estimates that these sectors have lost 39% of GVA, equating to a loss of £4bn to the UK economy. According to the report, music, performing and visual arts have also lost 26% of jobs – 80,000 – due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The creative industries as a whole – made up of nine sub-sectors also including film, tv, video, radio and photography; design; architecture; and museums, galleries and libraries – are estimated to have lost nearly £12bn in GVA, with job losses expected to reach more than 110,000 by the end of the year.
The report argues that the sector has the potential to recover faster than the UK economy as a whole, growing by more than 26% by 2025 and contributing £132.1bn to the economy in GVA – £28bn more than in 2020 and more than the financial services, insurance and pension industries combined. However, the research warns that the government must act immediately to support the creative industries to “avoid deep divisions, with key parts of the UK at risk of being left behind”.
Full-Capacity - The BBC Proms will welcome full-capacity audiences this summer, after initially making just 1,000 tickets a
Tuesday, 27 July 2021
UK - On Saturday 4 September, a group of industry professionals will band together for BikeFest, a fundraising bike ride from SFL’s headquarters in Reading to PLASA Show at Olympia London. BikeFest aims to raise funds for industry charities and mark the return of live events and entertainment following 18 months of unparalled challenge.
The organisers of BikeFest are calling for fellow cyclists to sign up and follow them on one of two routes: a relaxed 40-mile ride direct to London via flat roads and cycle paths, or a more strenuous 80-mile ride traversing the Surrey Hills. The two routes will cater for all levels of cyclists, from casual and commuting cyclists to serious road bikers. London-based cyclists are also invited to join for the last leg through the capital.
All money raised will go to Backup, the technical entertainment charity. Backup will then channel the funds to Stagehand, Music Support, Acting For Others and #MakeItBlue. Each charity has been a dependable source throughout the pandemic, ensuring the industry’s workforce is recognised and supported.
To join BikeFest you’ll need to make a one-off donation at least £50 which is payable upon booking your place. Places are limited to 24 cyclists per route, so it is recommended to book your place as soon as you can.
BikeFest follows in the tracks of several fundraising bike rides to cross the finish line at PLASA Show. In 2019, ten cyclists covered 100 miles
