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04 February 2025

Fire Aid - Sir Rod Stewart was one of many big names who took to the stage as part of a star-studded benefit concert featuring over 25 major artists across two Los Angeles venues to raise funds for victims of devastating wildfires. The fires, which began in early January, claimed 29 lives and destroyed more than 16,000 buildings across Los Angeles. The concerts were held at the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome in Inglewood, two large arenas approximately a mile apart.

Billie Eilish and Green Day opened the show with a poignant duet of Last Night On Earth, singing: ‘If I lose everything in the fire’. Performing at the Intuit Dome, Sir Rod Stewart flew from the UK specially for the event, saying, "LA is very special to me, I've lived here for 50 odd years."

Elsewhere, Joni Mitchell delivered a stunning rendition of Both Sides Now

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30 January 2025

UK - The Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) has announced Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros) as the winner of the 2025 Excellence in Sound for a Feature Film award.

On the winning film, AMPS chair Andrew Wilson said: “The sound for Dune: Part Two was astonishing, and key to immersing the audience in Denis Villeneuve’s expansive world of Arrakis. It is a deeply impressive piece of filmmaking demonstrating the power of sound as a storytelling device.

“From the power of the Sandworm ride to the tiniest grains drifting in the lightest of winds, the sound is detailed and nuanced, creating a memorable experience. AMPS is honoured to recognise the work in sound of Gareth John, Tom Harrison, Martin Kwok, Richard King, Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill and their sound teams.”

The Dune: Part Two sound team said: “We are

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28 January 2025

Theatres at Risk - RAAC infected theatres the Brunton, the Harlequin and Motherwell Concert Hall have been added to the Theatres Trust’s ‘Theatres at Risk Register’ as the list approaches two decades of advocating for building preservation. The three venues, two of which are facing imminent demolition following the discovery of potentially dangerous concrete (RAAC) in their infrastructures, are among five new additions to the register alongside Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre and Arts Centre and Cannock’s Prince of Wales Theatre. All five are local authority-owned, mid- to small-scale venues located outside of major cities.

Announcing the 2025 register, Theatres Trust director Joshua McTaggart noted that RAAC was proving a "particularly tricky" problem, and warned cash-strapped local authorities that cutting arts provisions would rob communities of "vita

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24 January 2025

UK - Production Futures’ final On Tour event of 2024 took place at Production Park in Wakefield during November and proved to be another success. Young people from across the North of England were able to connect with representatives of its industry partners to explore paid opportunities and free training, as well as taking advantage of workshops, presentations and discussions.

In keeping with the Production Futures ethos, a team of apprentices from global production specialists PRG, designed the systems and installed all the technical requirements for the event’s focal point, the Talks Stage. With 38 locations in 29 countries across six continents, PRG specialises in lighting, audio, video, rigging, automation, digital services, camera, broadcast, and design for events of every size and scale, from concept to execution. The company is strongly

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23 January 2025

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) has announced the launch of the third edition of its annual proactive conference day, the ABTT Make A Difference Conference, which is committed to finding solutions to current industry issues. The 2025 conference will be held on Friday 28 March 2025 at Rose Bruford College in Sidcup.

The theme for this year’s discussion is Rethinking backstage technical teaching and apprenticeships with and for Industry.

The conference is designed to be more than simply talking. There is no passive sitting and listening at the conference and if you attend, you are to committing to taking action by sharing your thoughts and views. You will spend the day developing ideas and strategies to achieve solutions for the issues discussed.

Following the success of the 2023 conference, which covered t

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21 January 2025

Cambridge Blues - One of the oldest and most prestigious folk festivals in England has been cancelled, for what would have been its 60th anniversary. Organisers of Cambridge Folk Festival said they would use the resources from this year's event to explore new opportunities ahead of its return in 2026.

The annual four-day folk and roots music festival, organised by Cambridge City Council, first began in 1965 and has been hosted on the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall. Labour councillor for the area, Robert Dryden, said the festival had lost money in 2024, but the cancellation came as a "big shock" that would "disappoint lots of people". The decision to cancel a folk festival in its 60th anniversary year has been described as "surprising" and "disappointing" by fans and musicians.

Singer-songwriter Fran Lusty, who played at the festival for the f

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20 January 2025

USA - The 2025 NAMM Show will take place at the Anaheim Convention Centre this week as planned, with events beginning on Tuesday, 21 January running through to 25 January.

As previously reported, there had been fears the wildfires in Northern Los Angeles might cause a postponement.

“We have been in constant contact with our partners and city officials all week, and Anaheim is still unaffected by the wildfires in northern Los Angeles,” said John Mlynczak, president and CEO of NAMM, at the weekend.

“We have confirmed that the air quality is safe, that traffic between LAX and Anaheim will not impact relief efforts, and that our hotel rooms will not displace any evacuees. We want to be sure that we can gather for a safe, successful NAMM Show while also supporting the ongoing relief efforts.”

Mlynczak continued: “The 2025 NAMM Sh

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20 January 2025

UK - After a year of development, UK-based company Automated Film Props is offering new automation solutions designed to be utilised with film, television and stage props.

“We do this by delivering enterprise-class prop automation software and components that turn narrative events into actions from your props. We use industrial design to build PCBs, modules and subassemblies that you can use in your props during the build process, and the 'grip-equipment' to drive BTS kit like lighting and movement,” the company says. “Your props can display real values and respond to stimuli in a believable fashion.”

Extensive (and costly) production time is taken up between takes and rehearsals in order to reset props for the next one. By creating the infrastructure that allows props to be instantly set/reset, this can help ensure a more efficient, less str

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15 January 2025

UK - A new UK Festivals Data Map has been launched, mapping over 850 festivals that took place in England, Wales and Scotland in 2024, where music was a key part of the entertainment.

The free, publicly available UK Music Festival Resource is designed to be updated and help the industry count festivals, artists plan tours, and fans discover new events in their area.

Commissioned by retiring Association of Festival Organisers general secretary Steve Heap in partnership with EIF and LIVE, this UK Festival Data tool has been created by Chris Carey of FastForward Events, with funding from the Events Industry Forum (principal funder) and LIVE (supporter).

Launched on 14 January 2025, on the EIF website, the content will be monitored and updated by the Fast Forward Events team for the first three months, then its upkeep will transfer to th

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14 January 2025

USA - The NAMM Foundation has created the 2025 LA Wildfires Relief Fund, committing $50,000, and they are accepting additional contributions. This fund was established in response to the fires in Greater Los Angeles and their devastating impact on NAMM members, music programs, and music professionals in the area.

Needs-based assistance will be provided to NAMM members, employees of NAMM member companies, music education programmes, and music makers affected by the January 2025 fires. The NAMM Foundation is currently performing a needs assessment and will provide more information soon on the distribution of and application process for these funds.

"The NAMM Show has been in Anaheim for 49 years; the LA community is our home and our family,” said NAMM president & CEO, John Mlynczak. “NAMM is committed to supporting the relief and recov

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14 January 2025

Europe - IBC has announced that the call for Technical Papers is now open for the IBC2025 Conference.

The Technical Papers Programme offers an opportunity for forward-thinking technologists and companies to unveil their ideas and research to media industry leaders hungry for new technology concepts, their possible uses and practical applications.

The programme welcomes entries from all sectors across the media, entertainment and technology industry. Entries can come from every discipline, whether the entrant is a professional or a professor, a member of an R&D team, working alone or with a global brand – from across any part of the broadcast, communications, electronic media and entertainment fields.

Dr Paul Entwistle, chair of IBC's Technical Papers Committee, said: “Unsurprisingly, AI was our most popular Technical Papers session at

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14 January 2025

UK - PLASA has announced changes to its Executive Board and Membership Governing Body (MGB). After seven years of dedicated service as chair, Adam Blaxill of Stage Electrics steps down to join the association’s Executive Board as a non-executive director, replacing fellow former chair, Ed Pagett.

Having previously served as PLASA’s treasurer, Matt Lloyd of 3LR Lighting Ltd now becomes chair, with Koy Neminathan of Elation Professional B.V stepping into the role of treasurer, having previously been PLASA’s manufacturer representative. Adlib’s Andy Dockerty continues in his role as vice-chair. Joining the MGB, Mark Cooper of SES Entertainment Services Limited has been appointed as PLASA’s new manufacturer representative, while Chris West of West Training Services Ltd has been elected as the educational and training representative.

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14 January 2025

City of Culture - Thousands of people braved sub-zero temperatures to watch an open-air spectacle starring magician Steven Frayne, formerly known as Dynamo, a 10-year-old rapper and a dozen aerial dancers to launch Bradford's year as UK City of Culture. Frayne told the audience he started his career performing street magic in City Park, where the opening ceremony was held, and that his home city was "going to make its mark on the world" in 2025.

Organisers said about 10,000 people turned out to watch the show, which took place in temperatures of -3C (26.6F). Bradford is the fourth UK City of Culture, a title that is awarded every four years. The scheme is designed to boost the chosen city's visitor numbers, economies and reputations, and Bradford's year has received £15m government funding.

Oh yes it is! - Robin Hood has be

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07 January 2025

Festival Finances - Glastonbury Festival has reported that profits more than doubled last year, as it faces criticism for being too "corporate". The festival brought in £5.9m in pre-tax profits for the year to March 2024 – up from £2.9m the year before. During the same period, the event also donated £5.2m to charitable organisations including Oxfam, Greenpeace and WaterAid.

A spokesperson for the festival said "successful, dry Glastonburys in both 2023 and 2024" had helped to "rebuild the event's vital financial reserves". The spokesperson said it also allowed them to "continue to support good causes and charities". Like many festivals, Glastonbury saw record losses during the pandemic, with the event called off in 2020 and 2021, "costing the festival millions", said the spokesperson.

In The Courts - A cyber hacker has pleaded g

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06 January 2025

USA - The McAllen Holiday Parade presented by H-E-B helped kick off the festive season in South Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. This nighttime holiday parade featured over 60 illuminated floats, 38 larger-than-life character helium balloons, 16 school bands and dance teams, and appearances by international and local celebrities.

The 2024 theme, Noche Mágica (Magical Night), was hosted by TV personalities Mario Lopez and Julian Gil, with special guest appearances by players from the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders.

This year’s parade drew over 265,000 attendees along the 1.5-mile route, with over a million more television viewers. It began at the McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, where spectators of all ages filled the stands for an evening of entertainment.

When approached for the project, Jeff Krebs, presi

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17 December 2024

UK - Staged at the conclusion of its recent On Tour event at Production Park in Wakefield, this year’s Production Futures Breakthrough Talent Awards proved to be a major success. The awards recognise and mark the achievements of young talent within the production industries, with a mission to inspire the next generation.

Designed in cooperation with awards sponsors, the 2024 edition once again based its ‘prizes’ around ‘opportunity and access’ in contrast to the customary ‘glass trophy’ recognition. Winners received either mentoring sessions with judges and sponsors, all of whom are leading industry professionals, training sessions, or travel bursaries to visit next year’s ISE.

21 categories were covered by the awards, including six for outstanding achievement, reflecting the wide diversity of opportunity within the

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17 December 2024

Ticket Tax - Glasgow councillors have backed the introduction of a new £1 levy on tickets for ‘mega-gigs’ in the city – with the proceeds used to support small music venues. The levy would apply to the 14,300-capacity OVO Hydro which regularly hosts major artists, potentially raising hundreds of thousands of pounds each year. A motion was passed with cross-party support at a meeting of the full council, and the authority will now look in more detail at how to implement it.

The Scottish Greens, who led the motion, said upcoming performances and events by Kylie Minogue, Sam Fender, Olly Murs, comedian Peter Kay, Strictly Come Dancing and WWE could alone raise £160,000. Campaigners including the Music Venue Trust, external have called for smaller venues across the UK to receive a contribution from the p

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13 December 2024

UK - The £100k Funding Campaign for 2030 Outdoor Event Sector’s Climate Transition Plan has hit 75%. Wide support from across the sector has secured production of the Show Must Go On Sector Transition Plan, which will set ambitious climate plans for 2030 for the festival and live outdoor events industry.

Chris Johnson, Vision: 2025 chair, states: “The working group is delighted by the widespread support from an industry struggling against the economic backdrop in 2024. This is an acknowledgement that now is the time to show leadership and ambition in taking action, meeting the urgent challenge of climate breakdown, and coming together as an industry to chart a clear path.”

Vision:2025 is working with the AIF and other industry organisations to raise the final 25% to reach the £100k target. The remaining funds will underpin the promot

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11 December 2024

Germany - Neumann & Müller has joined the United Nations Global Compact, which sees itself as the world’s largest and most important initiative for sustainable and responsible corporate management. As Martin Hartmann-Schüler, the sustainability manager at N&M, explained: “This step underlines our commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.”

The UN Global Compact is based on 10 universal principles and aims to support companies in incorporating sustainability as a strategic element in their business activities. The principles cover the areas of human rights, labour rights, environmental protection and the fight against corruption. At the same time, the initiative supports efforts to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Over 25,000 companies and organisations from all over the world have already signed

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10 December 2024

End of The Eras - Taylor Swift thanked her fans for making the Eras Tour "the most exciting, powerful, electrifying, intense, most challenging" experience of her life, as she played the closing show in Vancouver on Sunday. The Eras Tour kicked off in Arizona in March 2023 with an epic, 44-song setlist that lasted more than three hours.

The appetite for tickets was so great that Ticketmaster's systems broke down, prompting a hearing into the company in the US Senate. Despite that, more than 10.1m tickets were sold for the tour's 149 shows, spanning five continents, over almost two years.

Last December, it became the first tour in history to surpass $1bn (£786m) in ticket sales. At its conclusion, that figure totalled $2,077,618,725 (£1.63bn), said Taylor Swift Touring, the star’s production company. Merchandise has also proved to

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03 December 2024

UK - PLASA and NRAG (the National Rigging Advisory Group) have issued the following statement relating to recent fraudulent use of National Rigging Certificate (NRC) cards: “It has come to our attention that there are fraudulent NRC cards in circulation, and some individuals are falsely claiming to hold NRC accreditation.

“PLASA and NRAG highly respect the work of all those who have achieved the NRC, and are dedicated to preserving the high standards set by the NRC. We are taking the matter seriously and acting with urgency to ensure that this issue is resolved, promptly and permanently for the safety of all.

“If you are approached by anyone new, or work with anyone that you're not sure about, please make contact directly via nrc@plasa.org to check their credentials. You can also look up certified NRC riggers

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03 December 2024

Artistic Freedom - Theatres, opera and dance companies from across the European Union have warned the European parliament that "brazen attacks on artistic freedom" are posing an existential threat to creativity across the continent. Almost 250 artists and 178 cultural institutions from every EU nation are represented in the open letter to the parliament, which is also backed by UK figures including Battersea Arts Centre’s head of programming Pelin Başaran, reports The Stage.

The European Theatre Convention, Opera Europa, the Prospero – Extended Theatre platform, German and Swedish theatre academies and the national theatres of countries including Slovakia, Albania, Greece and Croatia are among those raising the alarm about an "orchestrated cultural-political strategy aimed at the disappearance of a diverse European culture".

According t

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26 November 2024

UK - Recent changes in product marking regulations have raised questions across industries, particularly for businesses navigating the dual requirements of CE and UKCA markings. On behalf of PLASA, consultant Roland Hemming provides an overview of what these changes mean and offers practical advice for compliance:

For 'Normal Products’ – meaning most products in our industry under the EMC and LV directives: in August 2023, the previous UK government announced indefinite recognition of the CE mark. This means CE-marked products can continue to be used and sold without issue. 

While it remains optional, I recommend companies consider also applying the UKCA mark. The process is minimal – typically just a few additional words in documentation – and provides futureproofing. Should legislation change, having both marks ensures you’re prepared wi

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26 November 2024

USA - Following the success of the recent Be Seen, Be Heard event in London, the Be Seen, Be Heard community is now bringing the conversation to prominent USA trade show, LDI.  

Organised by frame:work, Production Futures, and Disguise, the positive London event was hosted at Bluman Associates, London. It brought together thought leaders, industry pioneers, and emerging talents from the world of entertainment technology and design. Collectively, they presented panel discussions and storytelling sessions. These ignited insightful and forward-looking conversations around the value of diversity in the industry and how that might be achieved sooner rather than later.  

Additionally, the Be Seen, Be Heard manifesto was conceived at the gathering – a progressive living document and a call to action that outlines steps for c