0.000 seconds (0.000); 5.38 MB (5.377) - beforeSearch
General News
Friday, 3 July 2020
UK/USA -Media serving and pixel management specialist, 7thSense Design, has appointed Eric Nolfo as project manager as the company expands its North America operations to the West Coast.
Eric’s twenty-year career in the entertainment industry has seen him work in a wide range of project management and technical direction positions, including most recently with The Producers Group as technical coordinator for Bollywood Parks Dabangg Stunt Show and Motiongate Theatre’s Step Up Dubai
Matt Barton, CEO, 7thSense Design comments: “We are excited to be expanding our global operations with a new presence on the West Coast of the United States, and we’re very pleased that Eric has joined us in our first step of that expansion. Eric brings with him a wealth of project management experience that will be invaluable to the many exciting projects we have in the pipeline.”
Thursday, 2 July 2020
UK - Artists including Sir Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, The Cure, Radiohead, Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Annie Lennox, PJ Harvey, The 1975 and Blur are among the names demanding immediate action to save live music in the UK by signing an open letter to the UK government's Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden. The move is a bid to “show the vital importance of the UK’s live music industry, ensure the Government cannot ignore live music and make noise to get the public and financial support the industry needs to survive”.
The full letter reads as follows:
“Dear Secretary of State,
“UK live music has been one of the UK’s biggest social, cultural, and economic successes of the past decade. From world-famous festivals to ground-breaking concerts, the live music industry showcases, supports, and develops some of the best talent in the world – on and off-stage.
“As important as it is, our national and regional contribution isn’t purely cultural. Our economic impact is also significant, with live music adding £4.5billion to the British economy and supporting 210,000 jobs across the country in 2019.
“Like every part of the entertainment industry, live music has been proud to play our part in the national effort to reduce the spread of Coronavirus and keep people safe. But, with no end to social distancing in sight or financial support from government yet agreed, the future for concerts and festivals and the hundreds of thousands of people who work in them looks bleak.
“This sec
Tuesday, 30 June 2020
Brit Awards - Next year's Brit Awards have been pushed back by three months to May, to have a better chance of staging a full live ceremony featuring live performances. The 41st edition of the music awards show was due to take place in February at London's O2 Arena. But uncertainty around the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the music industry to delay it.
Organisers said they want “outstanding production levels, superstar performances and live excitement”. Geoff Taylor, chief executive of The Brits and industry body the BPI, said: "We believe that the best way to achieve this in 2021 is to move the show back a few months to May. We are already at work planning a spectacular event that will remind us how important music has been in getting us all through these difficult times."
On The Campaign Trail - The Rolling Stones have warned US President Donald Trump that he could face legal action if he continues using their songs at his campaign rallies. A statement from the band's legal team said it was working with the performing rights organisation, the BMI, to stop the unauthorised use of their music.
The Trump campaign used the song You Can't Always Get What You Want at a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The same song was used by the Trump campaign during the 2016 US election.
In a statement released on Saturday, representatives for the group said that “further steps to exclude” Mr Trump from using Rolling Stones material in future presidential campaigning was necessary after previous “cease and desist directives” had bee
Wednesday, 24 June 2020
USA - The 2020 Behind the Scenes holiday cards are on sale now at the BTS Boutique.
This year, BTS is offering new file formats and customisation options for the electronic cards and an expanded array of price points starting at $20. These join the printed card packs of 10 with a standard greeting and personalised cards with a company logo and custom message.
Six new designs are featured this year. Robert Mark Morgan and Lynn Muniz join returnees David Gallo and Robert Mendoza, and Scenic Art Studios has contributed designs by Michalyn Monson and Angelina Vyushkova.
Sending a BTS holiday card helps spread the word about the charity and lets your recipients know it’s important to you to assist industry colleagues who are seriously ill or injured as well as support the Behind the Scenes Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative.
Orders for printed cards will be taken until 1 October, 2020 to arrive by late November. Electronic card orders will be taken until 18 December. View and order cards at www.behindthescenescharity.org/holidaycards.
For more information about Behind the Scenes, to donate, or to apply for a grant, visit www.behindthescenedscharity.org. For more information about Holiday Cards please contact 212-244-1421 or holidaycard@behindthescenescharity.org.
Tuesday, 23 June 2020
Operatic Moves - Glyndebourne Opera House in East Sussex is planning to present live opera outdoors in August, seven weeks on from cancelling its entire summer season. Mesdames de la Halle (1858), Jacques Offenbach's one-act opera about vegetable sellers in Paris, will be staged with 12 singers but no chorus. Props and costumes will come from past operas, while the number of musicians will be reduced from 40 to 13. The audience will be limited to 200 people, with tickets costing £100 each.
Audience members will be seated outside in accordance with social distancing guidelines, while performances will be cancelled on the event of bad weather. "Experiencing live music and theatre, together, in an inspiring environment is what Glyndebourne is all about," said artistic director Stephen Langridge. "We are fortunate in having plenty of outside space available to us, and with a little imagination, we saw exciting musical and theatrical opportunities for performance in the gardens."
With coronavirus lockdown measures being gradually scaled back nationwide, some UK opera and theatre companies are tentatively contemplating a return to live performance. Last month the organisers of the BBC Proms said they hoped musicians could perform at the Royal Albert Hall for the last two weeks of the two-month classical music festival.
Cease and Desist - The family of late singer Tom Petty has issued Donald Trump with a cease and desist notice after he played one of his songs at a rally. The family said the president was not authorised to use the singer's m
Tuesday, 16 June 2020
Coachella Cancelled - The Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals have been cancelled this year. Both events were meant to have taken place in California in April, and had been rescheduled for October. But health officials have said they are "not comfortable moving forward" - especially given how Coachella is one of the world's biggest music festivals, bringing half a million fans to an open-air site east of Los Angeles.
Cameron Kaiser, who signed the order cancelling the festivals for 2020, said: "I am concerned as indications grow that COVID-19 could worsen in the fall. Given the projected circumstances and potential, I would not be comfortable moving forward." Kaiser stressed that the decision was not taken lightly - and he acknowledged many people will be affected. "My first priority is the health of the community," he added.
Fringe Benefits - The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has been given a special funding package from the Scottish Government to help the festival survive its cancellation this year. A £1m interest-free loan has been granted to the Fringe Society, which is the charity that oversees the annual performance festival. It will also receive £249,000 in grants from the City of Edinburgh Council (£100,000) and the Scottish government’s relief fund for businesses deemed vital to the country’s economy (£149,000).
This year’s fringe, along with all of Edinburgh’s summer festivals, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first time the event has not taken place since it was founded more than 70
Thursday, 11 June 2020
UK - Le Mark has released a rolling screen suitable for protection against sneeze and cough particles suitable for enclosed spaces, such as rehearsal studios.
Originally designed for hairdressers and beauty salons that require a simple, clear screen that could be regularly sanitised yet remain as unrestrictive as possible, the vinyl screen has lockable castor wheels and a metal frame and measures 122.5cm wide by 188.5cm high. (4ft x 6ft 2). It is available for purchase online.
Tuesday, 9 June 2020
Arts Sector Exposed - A cut in public funding has left the arts sector more exposed to the threat of COVID-19, new figures suggest. The latest Arts Index, published annually, showed public investment in arts per head of the population fell by 35% in the last decade. However, earned income by arts organisations from things like box office ticket sales increased by 47%.
The Arts Index is published by The National Campaign for the Arts (NCA), and acts as a snapshot report of the health of England's arts and culture. It is published in partnership with the Creative Industries Federation and King's College London and compares year-on-year figures using 20 key indicators.
The latest index, published on Monday, puts the recent figures in the context of the last decade, which saw a UK recession prompt a shift in the income streams for arts organisations.
After the 2008 financial crash, the arts sector witnessed a significant drop in public funding, business support and philanthropic giving. The chair of the NCA, Samuel West, said: "Arts organisations rose to the challenge following the financial crash; we salute them for increasing earned income in response to a triple whammy of cuts to public funding, business sponsorship and philanthropic giving.
"It's bitterly ironic that the arts sector's resourceful response to the 2008 financial crash is now the very thing that makes it vulnerable to the COVID-19 crisis, with theatres closed and income from tickets and bars dropping off a cliff."
Providence Pays - Sky News reports that
Tuesday, 9 June 2020
South Africa - Due to the COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa all events and large gatherings have been put on hold. As a result, Theo Rood from MJ Event Gear is taking on extra work as a forklift driver and warehouse manager for Viral Armour Sanitiser based in Johannesburg. Viral Armour Sanitiser is also now also available for purchase at DWR Distribution.
“I was very fortunate as a good friend of mine owns Mad Giant Brewery, the makers of my favourite craft beer,” Theo explains. “I have been a fan of their product for a few years.” With a ban on alcohol sales in South Africa - which was only lifted at the start of June - the Mad Giant Brewery has ingeniously been converted into a sanitiser manufacturing plant. Not long after, Theo was offered a job to keep himself busy during the lockdown.
Meanwhile, DWR Distribution is now, thanks to Theo, also selling Viral Armour Sanitiser. “In a time where people are adapting to continue to employ their staff, we have to commend Mad Giant Brewery,” comments Duncan Riley of DWR. “I realised that Viral Armour Sanitiser was a well-priced product and that it was something that we could offer to churches, schools, theatres and businesses or for personal use. Discount will be given on bulk orders and clients can expect the same level of service - with a smile - from our team, whether they are purchasing sanitiser or equipment. We look forward to hearing from you.”
Tuesday, 2 June 2020
Blackout Tuesday - The music industry is calling for a ‘Blackout Tuesday’ in response to George Floyd's death. Major record labels have shared a message on social media promising "a day to disconnect from work and reconnect with our community". Employees have been given Tuesday off as "a day of action", intended to "provoke accountability and change". Interscope vowed not to release new music this week, while Apple Music's Ebro Darden cancelled his radio shows.
"We stand together with the black community against all forms of racism, bigotry, and violence," said Columbia Records, which is home to Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, Lil Nas X, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Adele. "Now, more than ever, we must use our voices to speak up and challenge the injustices all around us."
"In the words of Dr King, 'There comes a time when silence is betrayal.' When you have a responsibility to raise your voice for change. That time has come," added Universal Music Group on social media.
Universal's chairman, Sir Lucian Grainge, also issued a memo to staff laying out plans for a task force, headed by chief counsel Jeff Harleston, to "accelerate our efforts in areas such as inclusion and social justice".
The British record industry's trade body, the BPI, also confirmed it would participate in the ‘Blackout Tuesday’. "Like many of our members, we will suspend normal business tomorrow," it said in a statement. "Our staff will share in this moment to reflect on the recent tragic events, stand in solidarity with all those who suffer discrimination and enco
Tuesday, 2 June 2020
USA - A theatre lighting designer has launched a podcast to explore what it takes to financially sustain a career in the arts.
The Artistic Finance podcast is the brainchild of New York City-based LD and producer Ethan Steimel, who speaks to workers in the entertainment field on how they deal with their personal finances, addressing questions such as why some practitioners do well whilst others never break through to financial security.
“Our first interview is with Tony-award winning theatrical lighting designer Peter Kaczorowski,” says Steimel. “We learn how he came from Buffalo, New York all the way to Broadway. His career has spanned more than 40 years, and we learn what his finances looked like through it all.”
Steimel is a theatrical lighting designer from Saint Charles, Missouri, who moved to New York City in 2013. He has designed lighting for Masters of Illusion--Live! (US/Canada tour), La Boheme (El Paso Opera), Boys From Syracuse, (Theatre Row), Julius Caesar (Trinity Shakespeare), The Graduate (Forestburgh Playhouse).
New episodes of Artistic Finance are published every Monday and are available from all popular podcasting apps.
Thursday, 28 May 2020
Australia - Exertis ProAV Australia has announced that it has been appointed to distribute the Airtame wireless screen sharing and collaboration platform in Australia and New Zealand.
“Airtame’s wireless screen sharing and Digital Signage platform creates a better environment for learning, sharing and creating together,” Exertis ProAV Australia president & CEO Kevin Kelly says. “The addition of Airtame to our portfolio of offerings means that resellers will have an innovative new communications and collaboration solution to offer their business and education customers.
“Airtame has helped more than 20,000 businesses and schools across the world cut the cables, unlock collaboration and use screens better and our team of sales professionals is going to help many more schools and enterprises do the same.”
Alongside its wireless screen sharing solution - which help schools and businesses increase productivity and engagement in meetings and classrooms - Airtame recently launched Airtame Cloud, which provides customers with one unified platform to remotely manage and monitor their Airtame devices, along with a range of digital signage features.
According to Thomas Ibsen Nielsen, head of sales at Airtame, “We are excited to partner with Exertis ProAV Australia to bring the benefits of Airtame to a large market of corporate and education customers throughout Australia and New Zealand. The Exertis team’s track record of providing their partners with outstanding sales, support and training is going to help us achieve our business dev
Tuesday, 26 May 2020
Royal Patronage - The Prince of Wales has raised concerns about how orchestras and theatres will survive the coronavirus crisis. He said it was important to “find a way of keeping these orchestras and other arts bodies going”. The prince, who is patron of dozens of arts institutions, noted they were of “enormous importance” to the economy. “It's absolutely crucial that they can come back twice as enthusiastic as before,” he said in an interview with Classic FM.
The heads of the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and the Southbank Centre have all warned they are facing financial collapse without additional government assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Royal Opera House, of which Prince Charles is a patron, says it has seen 60% of house income fall away since the start of the crisis. “They're in terrible difficulties, of course, because how are they going to be able to restart?” said the prince. “It is a very expensive art form, but it is crucial because it has such a worldwide impact... and so we have to find a way to make sure these marvellous people and organisations are going to survive through all this.”
“I was completely inspired by that... Which is why it's so important, I think, for grandparents and other relations to take children at about the age of seven to experience some form of the arts in performance.”
Southbank Warning - The UK’s largest arts and cultural organisation, the Southbank Centre, has warned that it will have used up its financial reserves by September, forcing its clo
Friday, 22 May 2020
UK - Philip French of UK technical production company Peachy Productions has just relocated to Wiltshire after being based in Guildford, Surrey for eight years.
But during the coronavirus crisis, he is making the journey back twice a week to volunteer for the Surrey Drive Campaign.
This is a locally-based crowd-funded initiative that delivers around 2,500 cooked meals - with locally sourced ingredients - each week for hardworking staff at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust hospital.
The Surrey Drive Campaign includes some of Surrey’s live event experts. After seeing heart-breaking stories of exhausted NHS workers finishing their arduous frontline shifts and being unable to buy food at this critical time, Steve Page and Hannah Sheppard thought it was time to step up.
Having furloughed all his staff while the UK continues in a largely restricted lockdown scenario with no live shows and events, Philip volunteered for some Surrey Drive driving / delivery slots and has been part of this operation ever since.
One day whilst dropping off meals at the Surrey Royal he was gazing at the city’s famous cathedral opposite and thought it would be amazing if it were lit up at night to show support for everyone! He thought that this could tie in with the nationwide Clap for Carers action every Thursday evening.
“Worldwide people are sending messages of goodwill and support using the medium of light to everyone battling and dealing with the pandemic,” he commented, “and I thought that this could also happen in Guildford.”
He ap
Friday, 22 May 2020
UK - Record industry charity the BRIT Trust has announced a donation of £30,000 to Music Support, the peer-led music industry charity that provides confidential mental health and addiction services.
The funding will help Music Support at a critical time when many people in the artist and music industry community are in urgent need of its help. It will also go towards Music Support’s ambition of giving 10,000 people access to Thrive, the NHS-approved mental health app.
Matt Thomas, chair of trustees of Music Support, comments: “We are hugely grateful to The BRIT Trust, the BPI and the recorded music sector for their valued support when we are seeing a sharp rise in the number of vulnerable industry peers coming to us for help. Technology has provided a lifeline to many during the of COVID-19 emergency, and this timely funding will enable us to give thousands of people access to the Thrive app so that we can support their well-being and mental health.”
John Craig, chairman The BRIT Trust, adds: “The music ‘family’ can always be relied on to come together to help those in times of great need. The BRIT Trust was primarily founded to promote education and well-being through music, but it also recognises the vital importance of supporting mental health - in particular during this exceptionally challenging time for the artist and music creator community.
“We've supported this great charity since its inception and have a long relationship with Music Support’ and their innovative Thrive app helps to do just that.”
Friday, 22 May 2020
UK - During Mental Health Awareness Week, Unusual Rigging is urging its industry counterparts to consider what mental health in the workplace will look like in a COVID-adapted world.
As the entertainment industry has been knocked sideways by the global crisis, Tom Harper, managing director at Unusual Rigging believes the time is right to tackle the growing problem of work-related mental health problems head-on and to nip it in the bud rather than simply putting a sticky plaster on it.
MD Tom Harper comments: “If ever there was a time for it to be OK to not be OK, it’s now. With the world as we know it turned on its head, those who can put their hands up and say they’re ‘absolutely fine’ are, without doubt superhuman. With lives and livelihoods lost or at least put on hold, this year’s Mental Health Awareness week is really shining the light on the problem – but also on the solution. What can we do to look after our own mental health, but also ensuring the wellbeing of our friends, family and colleagues?"
He continues: “Our business revolves around theatre, museums, live events, sporting events - all of which have been closed until further notice, postponed or cancelled. A number of our staff have been put on furlough while we navigate this tricky period. But they’re still our colleagues and friends and so we embrace the amazing technology that wouldn’t have been accessible a decade or two ago.
“WhatsApp and Microsoft Team meetings are vital to help employees that are on furlough stay in touch with others. We’re also mak
Tuesday, 19 May 2020
Global Warning - Shakespeare's Globe Theatre has called for urgent funding to avoid going out of business due to the "devastating" impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The London venue has been shut since 20 March and has warned MPs it is "critically vulnerable and at risk of closure in the wake of COVID-19". It said it would need at least £5m to get back up and running.
It was ineligible for Arts Council England's relief and said it had been "left without any emergency support". In evidence to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee, the theatre said: "Without emergency funding and the continuation of the coronavirus job retention scheme, we will spend down our reserves and become insolvent. This has been financially devastating and could even be terminal."
Conservative MP Julian Knight, who chairs the committee, said in a letter to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden that it would be a "tragedy" if the theatre was to close. "Shakespeare's Globe is a world-renowned institution and not only part of our national identity, but a leading example of the major contribution the arts make to our economy," he wrote.
The Globe does not get annual funding from Arts Council England (ACE), meaning it can't access ACE's main £90m emergency relief fund.
From A Distance - American Idol's 18th winner, Just Sam, celebrated alone on Sunday after taking part in the finale under lockdown in Los Angeles. Samantha Diaz from Harlem, New York, was told she'd won the public vote by host Ryan Seacrest, who was broadcasting from
Monday, 18 May 2020
UK - AVIXA has elected Visual Displays founder and displays consultant, Greg Jeffreys, as new chair for its Standards Steering Committee, which advises the main board on issues relating to industry standards.
The Committee will provide recommendations for standards development within the context of AVIXA’s strategic plan, and approve completed standards before they are sent for American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ratification and subsequent publication.
As one of the committee’s founder members, Jeffreys had written the previously published projection best practice paper, in conjunction with international consultants, experts and dnp’s R&D team in Denmark. As a result, the PISCR (Projected Image System Contrast Ratio) standard was amongst the first task groups out of the blocks. He then assumed InfoComm leadership roles in preparation for becoming president in 2012, while continuing to lead the DISCAS (image size) standard group and undertaking other standards writing activities.
Greg reports: “When our first standards were published, we innocently assumed a grateful AV world would beat a path to our door and adopt them enthusiastically. The reality sadly did not match the expectation. At this point the InfoComm/AVIXA leadership stepped in. After producing articles, seminars and creating CTS courses I’m pleased to say the tide has turned and we’re now in a mature phase whereby impactful developments will affect the entire AV ecosystem.”
The refreshed 2020 Standards Committee had been due to meet at AVIXA’s Virgini
Tuesday, 12 May 2020
Glyndebourne Cancels - All remaining Glyndebourne Festival 2020 performances have been cancelled. This follows the earlier cancellation of Festival performances up to 14 July, as announced. Following Government advice, the Glyndebourne site remains closed.
Executive chairman Gus Christie states: “We maintained our optimism for as long as possible. Glyndebourne is a relatively small charity but with big ambitions, driven by the belief that opera can transform lives. The Festival receives no public subsidy and our financial independence means that we are reliant on ticket sales to be able to operate. With this source of income now gone, it’s not just our future that’s at risk – the immediate livelihood of over 400 seasonal staff and artists has vanished. We have started a COVID-19 Emergency Appeal to help us to help them, and to secure Glyndebourne’s long-term future for all.
“To help keep the spirit of Glyndebourne alive during the closure, please join us every Sunday from 24 May as Glyndebourne Open House brings world-class opera to you at home. Tune in on YouTube every week for free access to classic Glyndebourne productions and, together, let’s create a taste of the Festival experience.”
Under The Hammer - The guitar used by Kurt Cobain during Nirvana's famous MTV Unplugged in New York concert is going under the hammer, with a starting estimate of $1m (£810,000). The 1959 Martin D-18E featured in the band's performance in November 1993, five months before his death at the age of 27.
The guitar is the headline item for
Thursday, 7 May 2020
South Africa - Carolyn Steyn, South African philanthropist, actress, founder of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day and Classic FM1027 radio host personality, has donated R100,000 (around £4,400) to the Feed Our Crew initiative established to help theatre and entertainment crew and freelancers who most need assistance.
As an accomplished actress, Carolyn was concerned about the welfare of the theatre crew, especially after the lock-down in South Africa was extended. The entertainment business has been one of the hardest hit industries in the country. When Carolyn saw a Facebook post by one of her friends, Debra Batzofin, theatre practitioner in the industry for the past 46 years, it ultimately enabled her to pay it forward.
“Carolyn immediately assisted me, and we were able to feed 50 people,” explains Debra Batzofin. “But when she wanted to donate additional funds, I suggested we approached Duncan Riley of DWR Distribution and the SOS Charity fund to help come up with the best solution.”
Riley advised the monies would make an enormous difference to the Feed our Crew campaign. “Everyone is fighting a financial battle right now, but there are those who are unable to feed their families, and this is where Feed our Crew comes in,” comments Riley. “I was humbled by this act of generosity and believe that if there were more people like Carolyn and Debbie, the world’s problems would be so much less. Thank you so much for this contribution.”
Feed O
Tuesday, 5 May 2020
Missouri Breaks - Missouri is the first US state to resume live events. The latest measure was included in Gov. Mike Parson’s Show Me Strong recovery plan, which also outlines how the state’s economy will begin reopening this week, Billboard reports. Large events and gatherings are no longer forbidden; residents will be able to attend concerts and go to movie theatres and stadiums, where “seating shall be spaced out according to social distancing requirements”.
A Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services rep explained that concerts don’t have to follow the same capacity guidance as retail businesses. Still, concertgoers must remain at least six feet from each other. “There are currently no limitations on social gatherings as long as necessary precautions are taken and six feet of distance can be maintained between individuals and/or families,” the Show Me Strong recovery plan states.
These new measures don’t apply to the state’s bigger cities, St. Louis, Springfield, and Kansas City, where lockdown orders are still ongoing. “We will continue to be guided by data, not dates,” St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson tweeted on Friday.
Venues in smaller cities, like The Blue Note in Columbia, will also not reopen on Monday. The venue has chosen to continue livestreaming its Social Distraction concert series through May 15.
“We are currently assessing the details of the announcement and the latest information from health experts,” Matt Gerding of FPC Live, which manages The Blue Note, told Bill
Thursday, 30 April 2020
UK - Le Mark Group has switched its production focus from its well-known Road Case and Cable Label labels to a new range of tapes and heavy-duty floor stickers aimed at helping shops and places of work adjust to new social distancing requirements brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
From hazard tapes reminding people to keep a safe 2m distance apart, to floor stickers directing people where to stand and wait whilst shopping, the full range can be found online HERE.
Meanwhile, the popular Dirty Rigger line has been reconfigured and is now producing PPE equipment including PVC face masks and aprons.
MD Stuart Gibbons comments: "We wanted to be able to support the NHS and care workers as much as possible. We've added the new items to our Gaffertape.com website and have continued to produce to meet commercial demand."
He continues: "With 80% of our team furloughed or with managers working remotely, the company has a skeleton team working to maintain production. We are also able to support dealers in Spain and Germany that need translated versions of the social distancing range. In times we have to be prepared to be supportive to as many people as we can. We will keep going, we are all fighting hard to survive and be flexible. Le Mark will be there at the end of the coronavirus."
Thursday, 30 April 2020
UK - Music Support has launched weekly online support group meetings to allow the music industry’s 12 Step recovery community to continue to connect during the Covid-19 lockdown. Meetings will take place every Monday 18:00-19:00 GMT from 27 April to 28 September 2020.
Available to any music industry peers throughout the summer, Music Support will provide a confidential and non-judgemental space for people to share and encourage one another on the journey of recovery.
Music Support Services Officer, Joanne Croxford, states: “It might be that someone is in need of a secure virtual space to share their experiences, while others may want to take part in these meetings simply by listening in and feeling accepted and connected during isolation. Music Support will offer strength and hope as we all navigate our way through these testing times.”
Music Support Managing Director, Eric Mtungwazi, adds: “The 12 Step Support Group Meetings have been a key part of our work backstage at festivals during the typical summer season. This year, as we’re unable to offer this service in-person due to the Covid-19 lockdown - which has resulted in the cancellation of festivals across the UK - we’re delighted to be able to offer support online and keep this community connected.”
To receive personalised login instructions, please email: helpline@musicsupport.org with the subject ‘12 Step Support Group Meetings’. All data remains confidential.
Thursday, 30 April 2020
UK - When Projects Department Ltd won the contract to create two live studios and two breaking news spots for the Financial Times TV studio in London, Doughty Engineering was quickly brought on board to supply a range of broadcast kit.
Peter Daffarn, managing director, Projects Department Ltd explains: "The client briefed us to create the studios and news spots for presenting live news bulletins at short notice and for occasional use and, with Doughty being our go-to company for hoists and grids, we knew they'd be fundamental to the project from the start."
Building a bulletin studio meant that Projects Department Ltd had a smaller than usual space to work with, therefore the design and build needed to be imaginative. The studios were required to be integrated into a working office space and, with a number of high-profile guests visiting, the client wanted it to be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. The lack of height in the studios was a major factor as Daffarn explains: "Due to limited space, Doughty's Dan Phillips and I spent time creating a grid that was both aesthetically pleasing and functionally slimline. Dan has been central to the reason I work a lot with Doughty. I often share early design thoughts with him and we bounce ideas between us as no two studios are ever the same. Once we are on site installing, I know I could call Dan on a Sunday and he would try his best to help."
Doughty and Projects Department Ltd designed and installed the ‘Flat Grid’ which was first used at the Tate Modern and was essential to the clean look
