UK - Throughout February, LSi and PLASA hosted a blind auction for an industry-related number plate reading ‘A1 DMX’, donated by a prominent TV lighting director who has chosen to remain anonymous. The aim of the auction was to raise funds for the #WeMakeEvents campaign, with the winning bid coming in at a generous £2,500. #WeMakeEvents, LSi and PLASA would like to thank everyone who took part.
Every penny from the auction will go to the #WeMakeEvents campaign and their chosen charity, Backup which supports industry professionals and their families through times of ill health and financial crisis. Backup also allocates #WeMakeEvents funds to a number of specialist charities, including: Acting for Others, Music Support, Stagehand and #MakeItBlue. 
The number plate

Summer of Love - More than 200 events are to be staged in and around Chester as Storyhouse prepares a reopening programme, which it promises will be a ‘barn-raising’ open air season. The arts organisation said it would begin activity from May, with theatres and cinemas allowed to operate from 17 May under the government reopening roadmap. Storyhouse said its Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre would open earlier than normal – possibly as early as 22 May – while Moonlight Flicks open-air cinema will also run from the May half term.
Storyhouse artistic director Alex Clifton said

Germany - Neutrik has acquired Connex GmbH. The Oldenburg-based company, founded in 1990, produces and develops components for professional event industry and industrial applications.
The Connex product portfolio comprises solutions for mobile or stationary applications. These include power distribution systems, fibre optic solutions, video products, ethernet components, splitters, patching systems, stage boxes, cabling and measuring devices.
Connex focuses not only on standardised products, but also develops individual solutions and delivers comprehensive consulting service

UK - Unusual Rigging has welcomed the outcome of yesterday’s Budget and what it means for theatres and other arts venues. The chancellor’s pledge to give an extra £410m to the arts is intended to help the sector recover as lockdown eases.
The funds are earmarked for theatres, museums, galleries and live music venues. But, says Tom Harper, managing director at Unusual, for the funds to be used most effectively, the industry should be regarded as an ecosystem, echoing the National Theatre’s Rufus Norris’ idea that the funds should be pumped into productions and not venues.<

UK - Budget 2021 included several measures relevant to theatres including additional funding for the arts, an extension to the Job Retention Scheme and a new Community Ownership Fund.
The Chancellor also announced other measures that could help some theatres: extension to the business rates holiday until the end of June followed by nine months of the rate being discounted by two thirds; VAT cut to 5% on leisure and hospitality sales will stay in place until 30 September, after which the rate will be 12.5% for a further six months, and Restart Grants of up to £18k per premises for

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