UK - With government advice putting the decision-making onto the shoulders of the public and consumer confidence eroding as a consequence, the live events sector is stressed to the limit, says industry organisation #WeMakeEvents (WME).
Despite a devastating 2020 and a challenging 2021, businesses in the industry have worked hard to exceed revenues last recorded in November 2019 by the same month in 2021. But, says WME, the current climate has already eroded this by 80% during December 2021 and is forecast to continue through January.
From the UK’s first lockdown in Spring 2020 until summer 2021, companies in this sector only received around 12% of the Cultural Recovery Fund (CRF) awards whilst many of the freelance technical specialists who work in the industry are still catching-up on their finances, having had no work for over a year.
WME says in a statement: “While we are pleased to see the government recognise the existence and critical role of freelancers in the entertainment sectors, the chancellor’s announcement of £1.5m support will have little to no effect whatsoever. Added to this, local government grants are not sufficiently targeted to reach the supply chain, compounded by the ‘postcode lottery’ of these grants by the issuing local authorities, and exclusion for many within the recently announced CRF criteria. Over 25% of people had to leave the sector they loved over the past 20 months for more regular and dependable income to support themselves and families. Another talent drain like this will be fatal.
“While we fee

Croatia - Perinic Sistemi is the latest company to be appointed an exclusive distributor for Sixty82 and will be covering the Croatian market with immediate effect.
Perinic Sistemi has been operating in the Croatian market for over 25 years. Beginning life as a rental company for sound systems, the company expanded its business over the years to include the full range of equipment needed for the entertainment industry.
“The main reason we chose to be a Sixty82 distributor is because of the long term relations we have with the company’s top-quality and experienced personnel who have always been extremely professional, fast and patient with all our questions and requests,” says Iva Perinic from Perinic Sistemi. “The products are high quality, made to last, and at the same time easy to use.”
Perinic Sistemi will distribute the whole SIXTY82 product line, selling as well as renting out the products. They believe that the Perinic Sistemi rental department itself is great promotion: “If it’s good enough for us - and we use only high-quality products - than you can be sure that the Sixty82 is your right choice,’’ states Iva Perinic.
Perinic Sistemi believes that the best way to develop the brand in their market is by showing the products ‘in action’ to its customers. As a result, they invite customers along to live events or to their premises to discover the SIXTY82 products and show them its potential.
“You need to have a product that you can rely on, and if you have great support from the company and factory as well,

France - Dushow recently helped deliver the world’s biggest concert, Global Citizen Live, as lead technical partner for the Global Citizen Live event in Paris.
Serving as the main official service provider for the broadcast event which featured Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Black Eyed Peas, Christine and the Queens, Doja Cat and Måneskin, as well as special guest performances by Angélique Kidjo, Charlie Puth and Fatma Said, and raised more than US$1bn to fight climate change, famine and vaccine inequity.
Dushow partnered with its video-specialist subsidiary, Alabama, and sister company Magnum to deliver a complete technical solution encompassing audio, LED, lighting, video, cabling and power.
This tour de force was made possible thanks to the wider Novelty Magnum Dushow group offering organisers a single point of contact for the complex 20,000-person show.
This year, as part of its Recovery Plan for the World - a year-long campaign calling on governments, philanthropists and the private sector to commit financially to helping the world beat COVID-19, including funding 1bn vaccines for the poorest countries - Global Citizen planned its biggest and most ambitious show to date: Global Citizen Live 2021, a 24-hour broadcast event featuring live events across seven continents.
Screened live simultaneously from cities including New York, London, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Seoul, Los Angeles, Mumbai and Paris, 25 September’s Global Citizen Live was ‘the closest thing to Live Aid in the streaming age’, said John Taylor of Duran Duran, w

UK - Doughty Engineering was the supplier of choice for Audio Light Systems when the company was contracted to kit out a lecture theatre and public event space at Norwich University of Arts (NUA).
Neil McLucas, project manager at Audio Light Systems explained: “We were brought on board by NUA to supply and install cabling infrastructure with numerous facility panels, production lighting boxes, a bespoke truss/ hoist system, sound reinforcement and AV infrastructure, to allow for a multipurpose space.”
Audio Light Systems has worked with the team at Doughty on several projects over the years and knew that Dan Phillips, Doughty’s special project manager would understand the exact requirements of the project and deliver a workable solution. Dan commented: “Having been briefed by Audio Light Systems, we came up with a range of kit including all the facility panels, production lighting boxes, backboxes and internally wired bars, combining some of our readily available off-the-shelf products with some bespoke items designed specifically for NUA.”
Owing to the impact of COVID-19 and current supply chain issues, the project did experience some delays. Neil said: “Doughty did everything they could - back boxes, where free, were issued to the electrical contractor for install prior to our start date from Doughty. This has been an issue experienced by most contractors however and there is sadly very little that can be done about it. Needless to say, Dan pulled out all the stops to make sure we had the kit we needed at the earliest opportunity.”

USA - Registration is now open for the 2022 New World Rigging Symposium, which will take place online on 5-7 April 2022. Produced by ESTA and USITT, the NWRS brings together professional riggers, engineers, manufacturers, venue managers, educators and students to further their rigging knowledge, hear about challenging projects, get up to speed on new technologies, discuss current industry challenges, and get their questions answered by a host of subject matter experts.
The NWRS also offers valuable information to those working in other areas of the industry who want to further their knowledge of rigging. The three-day symposium will also include breakout rooms where attendees can get in-depth information from our sponsors as well as virtual networking opportunities with attendees and presenters.
The event will carry ETCP education renewal credits for re-certification. Sessions for 2022 are being developed in response to comments received from previous attendees and will be posted at esta.org/nwrs when they are finalized. The cost of the NWRS is $99.
Sponsors for making the 2022 NWRS are: Electronic Theatre Controls and Sapsis Rigging, Kish Rigging, TAIT, Texas Scenic Company, Wenger|J.R. Clancy, Reed Rigging, Reliable Design Services, Stage Rigging, CM-ET, Geiger Engineers, and H&H Specialties.

Serbia - Sixty82 has continued the expansion of its global distribution network with the appointment of PSP Elektronik as its exclusive distributor for the Republic of Serbia, with immediate effect.
PSP Elektronik started its company in 1990 with its main activity being the service of pro audio and video equipment, before expanding into the sales and hire of this equipment to meet the increasing demand in the entertainment industry market for professional products.
On becoming Sixty82’s distributor for the Republic of Serbia, PSP’s Miodrag Tarailo says: “I have known many people from Sixty82 for many years and I have always had a very positive experience with them. With such great, professional and positive people behind the brand, the products are sure to be top level, which is why we choose to be a distributor for them.”
PSP Elektronik will sell the whole Sixty82 product line as well as holding rental stock of several products.
“Knowing PSP as a company for many years, it’s a big pleasure to have them on board as our Sixty82 partner and exclusive distributor,” says Sixty82’s executive account manager, Henry Schuil. “Their approach, experience and professionalism are a well-known fact in the Serbian market. I’m looking forward to meeting new challenges alongside the fantastic PSP team.”
To increase familiarity of the Sixty82 brand in Serbia, PSP Elektronik will promote the product range from within the company and across the internet. A programme of open houses and customer visits is also in their immediate plans.

USA - Responding to requests from riggers across the globe for additional time, the comment period on the International Code of Practice for Entertainment Rigging has been extended to 31 December 2021.
Copies of the current version of ICOPER and the Excel form for submitting comments can be downloaded from www.esta.org/icoper. You can also email icoper@esta.org to request a form be emailed to you. Completed comment forms should be emailed to icoper@esta.org.
ICOPER has been downloaded by over 1,100 people located in 59 different countries. It has been translated into Traditional Chinese and Polish, with additional translations underway in Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Romanian, and Russian. Comments on translated versions should be sent to the organization responsible for the original translation.
The International Code of Practice for Entertainment Rigging (ICOPER) was drafted by industry professionals from around the globe to promote awareness and safety worldwide by providing a model code of practice with a focus on arena rigging but applicable to all event production rigging disciplines. The authors determined ICOPER should undergo a comment and review cycle every four years as a response to changing work practices, technology and terminology.
Riggers and other stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments so their thoughts and suggestions for improvement can be considered in the review process. This is your opportunity to support an impor

UK - A daredevil walk the plank challenge which kicked off this year’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here on ITV, was designed and rigged by Unusual Rigging.
ITV bosses are no strangers to the feats that Unusual is able to pull off, having contracted director Robin Elias as crew chief on several stunts for various different shows. Robin said: “Pre-pandemic, ITV had brought me on board to work with them on the show in Australia. Then when Covid hit in 2020 and the show hurriedly relocated from Oz to Wales, none of the trials involved any rigging - there simply wasn’t the time to devise them. We fully expected to be back in the jungle in 2021, but because of the continuing pandemic, it was once again re-routed to Wales, and I was retained as a consultant.”
This year’s opening trial – the one which sees the celebrities first enter the camp was called Walk the Plank. The team on the show had a rough idea of what they wanted to achieve, basing it loosely on a similar trial that had been filmed from the top of a high rise building in Australia some years back. But, the landscape of North Wales is somewhat different to Sydney. So, Robin and crew chief Sam Carter, travelled to north Wales to conduct a number of site visits and came up with two locations and two different stunts.
The chosen location was Moel Tryfan - a slate quarry in Gwynedd. One of the biggest challenges faced by Robin and Sam, was how to overcome the complexities of the location, to ensure the trial was safe for the contestants and all those operating it.

Russia - Manufacturer of trussing and staging systems Sixty82 has expanded its global distribution network with the appointment of Stagemarket as its exclusive distributor for the Russian Federation, with immediate effective.
Stagemarket has been a provider of professional staging solutions to the Russian market since 2010. Throughout this time, Stagemarket has proven itself as one of the main players for high quality equipment and bespoke structures.
With over 21 years of experience in the live events industry, Stagemarket has a wealth of experience and technical knowledge in recommending solutions to suit their customers’ needs.
“We look forward to working with Stagemarket,” says Fokko Smeding, CEO of Sixty82. “The new arrangement will be a great help in satisfying customer demand in the Russian Federation. Stagemarket has an excellent reputation, and I have personally known Sergey for years. I am very happy to have him and his team on board.”
“Sixty82 has a huge amount of experience in the entertainment industry and a commitment to innovation combined with a level of craftsmanship that is in high demand,” says Stagemarket managing director, Sergey Rybinskiy. “We are very excited to be able to work with them and bring their products and expertise directly to our market.”

UK - Stage One Creative Services has announced a partnership with automation specialist Mark Ager, who will take an associate consultant role. The partnership is intended to elevate Stage One’s automation capabilities
Known for designing some of the first modern automation systems, Ager’s expertise has seen him play a key role in the engineering development of the innovative Bridge Theatre, London, and establish one of the foremost suppliers of live entertainment automation systems, Stage Technologies. In 2009 he and co-author John Hastie published Automation in the Entertainment Industry: A User's Guide.
Mark Ager comments: “I’m honoured and excited to be supporting Stage One. Mark, Tim, and Karl have built an incredible team that delivers world class projects! I really am looking forward to being part of the adventure.”
Managing director at Stage One Creative Services, Tim Leigh, adds: “In the world of automation there are few individuals who are as experienced as Mark. I’m delighted to have him on our team and excited about the opportunities this will bring.”

UK - Prolight Concepts has added the Kuzar - K-10 7m 500kg ground support tower system to its product offering. The K-10 is an easy-to use ground support tower requiring only one person to setup. It is erected using the integral winch, hoisting the tower over the base’s pivot joints into the vertical position, whilst the rigid steel base gives stability.
The rest of the tower is built with 30 × 30cm Kuzar truss composed of 50mmØ thick tubes with integral brake runner, giving the user an overall height of 7m. Once the tower is erected, the max. 500kg load is lifted with the manual hoist, and non-slip and adjustable supports are used in the base. Adaptors are available separately to integrate with Global Truss F34PL or Global Truss F34 Standard horizontal truss sections.

South Africa - Faith Broadcasting Network has consolidated a vast following of approximately 264m viewers worldwide since its inception two decades ago, with satellite, terrestrial and digital broadcasts reaching worshippers all around the world. With headquarters in South Africa, and studios in the USA and the UK, MyFaithTV is the largest religious broadcaster on the African continent.
To accommodate such growth, the Faith Dome - the ministry’s base in East London, South Africa - has been undergoing renovations for many years. Parts of the premises have been refurbished to house different aspects of the ministry’s work: including a number of television studios, humanitarian aid warehouses, activity spaces as well as their main broadcasting studio.
In 2015, work commenced on the ceiling to replace it with the dome we see today. Stage Audio Works were called upon to design and integrate a sophisticated audio, lighting and rigging solution for the main arena based on d&b’s A-Series loudspeakers, Cameo and Hog4 lighting with Stage Plus truss.
In early 2021, the ultimate round of renovations to the main broadcast studio was concluded, and the Faith Dome was officially completed. At maximum capacity, the indoor arena holds a staggering 10,500 live attendees, making it the largest in the Eastern Cape.
SAW’s brief was to provide the Faith Dome with audio and lighting solutions to support their existing broadcasting channels, as well as live events. Dr Andre Robert, founder and CEO of the River Group, comments: “It was important for us

USA - The 2022 New World Rigging Symposium, produced by ESTA and USITT, will take place online 5-7 April 2022 whilst the USITT Conference and Stage Expo will take place in person early March. “We’ve heard from presenters and attendees alike that continuing the NWRS conversation virtually is the best choice,” say the organisers.
“The 2022 virtual symposium will allow the widest range of entertainment technicians to further their rigging knowledge, hear about challenging projects, get up to speed on new technologies, discuss current industry challenges, and get their questions answered by a host of subject matter experts.”
The three-day symposium will also include breakout rooms where attendees can get in-depth information from sponsors as well as virtual networking opportunities with attendees and presenters. The symposium will carry ETCP education renewal credits for re-certification. Registration will open in December and the cost will be $99. For information on sponsorship opportunities contact riggingsymposium@esta.org.

UK - The new fly tower at Theatre Royal Drury Lane has been dedicated to Unusual Rigging founder, Alan Jacobi, LVO (read Rob Halliday's report on the theatre's two-year refurbishment in LSi November 2021). Jacobi passed away in April 2020 and due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, a funeral was restricted to immediate family only.
But last Monday, in the company of 500 friends, family, colleagues and industry peers, Jacobi’s life was celebrated on the stage of the restored Theatre Royal with tributes from those who knew him during his early years, through to royalty and his closest friends and family members who were with him in his final days.
The plaque, unveiled by Jacobi’s wife, Peta, during a livestream from the fly tower at Monday’s event, reads: ‘The refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane Fly Tower was completed in 2020. Dedicated to the memory of ‘AJ’ Alan Jacobi LVO, Managing Director of Unusual Rigging Ltd. AJ’s determination, vision and passion for theatre is embodied in this fly tower and his legacy is clear to see for future generations of large scale productions to grace this magnificent stage’.
The celebration concluded with a performance of Jacobi’s favourite West End musical hits from Dynamic Vocals followed by an elaborate Abba Medley from drag collective - The Globe Girls.
Jacobi’s son Tom Harper who has succeeded him as managing direc

Romania - A Kinesys Apex automation system with new Kinesys Vector control console was used to create kinetic effects created with six 7m diameter motion-controlled trussing circles each rigged with 10 moving lights above the audience of the Galaxy Stage at the 2021 Untold Festival staged in the BT Arena venue at Cluj-Napoca.
The Kinesys system and services were supplied by Denmark-based automation specialist Motor Stage Automation to ABT Motion Rigs, with the system design and specification developed by Adrian Visenoiu, rigging manager for six of the seven stages at this years’ event, and Motor Stage Automation’s Blake McNally.
The Galaxy Stage presented a strong line-up of techno talent - Charlotte de Witte, Paul Kalkbrenner, Nina Kravitz, Amelie Lens, Tale of Us, Seth Troxler, and many, more over the three days.
The initial Galaxy stage design with a big centrepiece came from Mindscape Studios, and the moving circles were an idea from Andrei Predut of Apart Productions, lead lighting designer for all of Untold’s periphery stages. Adrian was tasked with making everything move and ensuring that lighting didn’t interfere with projections and other visual elements that were key to the aesthetic of the space.
Adrian already had plenty of ideas about how the circles should look, move, and bring a true additional dimensionality to the visuals, and flying objects above the audience, it was essential to have only the safest kit, so he was happy to go with the Kinesys Apex system as this meets all requirements for ‘live’ flying of obje

UK - HireHop, the company behind the cloud equipment rental software of the same name, has opened agent offices in Australia and South Africa.
Due to the ever-increasing number of HireHop users in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, it was felt as a necessity for HireHop to better serve their users by opening local offices to provide support, implementation and training, says the company.
Since its release, HireHop has grown in popularity, with not just large rental companies moving to HireHop, but also smaller ones, as HireHop also offers a free for life version, designed for small start-ups to help them grow their business.
HireHop was originally launched in 2016 in the UK to offer “future proof, powerful and affordable equipment rental software to hire companies all over the world”, and in that short space of time, it has attracted numerous large and small companies to its user base.

UK - Entourage Pro is an initiative in production industry crew resources. This free-to-join global networking platform “bridges the gap between artists and the production world and is set to revolutionise how production personnel are sourced, accredited and availed to the wider production and music industries”. The scheme has the backing of industry names including Avolites, d&b audiotechnik, ChainMaster, MDG, Neutrik, Robe and Yamaha.
Entourage Pro draws on director Joel Perry’s 20 year-plus association with live music production, as well as its partnership with Showcase Music, which has 52 years of industry heritage to add to the platform’s offering.
“With the global events sector starting to re-emerge, we knew the time was right to launch a service that has real relevance for the live music industry,” says Perry. “It’s an idea that has been in the making for some time and it took considerable resources to define, but that’s because we wanted to make sure we got it absolutely right.”
Entourage Pro has to be as comprehensive as possible and relevant to the industry, both now and in the future,” adds fellow director, Showcase Music’s James Stanbridge. “We are in a critical window of opportunity, and we want this to be our way of helping the industry get back on its feet and bringing it closer together.”
Entourage Pro covers 140 professional freelance roles, from front of house engineer, backline tech, lighting designer and rigger to video content creator, LED technician and more. It has been designed to be a qu

UK - BroadWeigh’s SensorSpace Remote Monitoring from Mantracourt has been awarded the Best Innovation Runner Up in the 2021 Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) Awards. SensorSpace, was selected as one of eight finalists for the industry awards’ Innovation category and on Saturday 5 November at a gala event at the Grosvenor Hotel in London, was recognised as ‘a product that is truly innovative, providing a unique value proposition and tangible benefits to the lifting equipment industry’.
The awards are open to LEEA members who have done the most to raise standards, allowing them to be recognised as among the best companies in the industry by their peers and their customers. The entries were judged by a panel of industry experts, with the 2021 Best Innovation Award entries needing to demonstrate how they address a need, solve a problem, seize an opportunity or create a new market.
Speaking after the ceremony, Robert Wilmington Badcock, Mantracourt’s managing director, comments: “We are thrilled to be taking home the runner up award for Innovation at this year’s LEEA Awards. When the COVID-19 pandemic all but shut down the entertainment industry, we were keen as a company to really invest in our R&D in order to bring some innovative and exciting new products and services to our customers.”
SensorSpace is an ‘add-on’ service for users of BroadWeigh load shackles. A rentable service, it combines hardware and software to collect, visualise and store data from load/ force and wind speed sensors which can be accessed via a

Germany - Prolight + Sound Frankfurt is set to return from 26 to 29 April 2022, with emphasis on sustainability.
With the Green Event Day on 27 April, the fair is offering for the first time a theme day all about the responsible use of natural resources. Companies and associations will present their green initiatives and underline that commitment to sustainability can also pay off economically.
Among the players who have already declared their participation in PL+S 2022 are ADJ, Area Four Industries, Ayrton, B. & C. Speakers, Bosch Rexroth, Bütec, Cast, Chainmaster, Chauvet, Clay Paky, ComputerWorks, dBTechnologies, DTS, Elation, ETC, Eurotruss, FBT Elettronica, GLP, Highlite International, HOF Alutec, InEar, JB-Lighting, Kling & Freitag, König & Meyer, KS Audio, Kvant, L-Acoustics, Lawo, Layher, LEDitgo, Lightpower, Link, MA Lighting, Meyer Sound, Movecat, nivtec-flexibel, Robe, SBS Bühnentechnik, SGM, TAIT, TMB, Tüchler, Ultralite and Waagner-Bir.
“The event industry is ready and hungry for a reunion. This is a clear signal we have received from companies and professionals. The positive overall mood creates a promising framework: not only for presentation and business, but also for talent acquisition and for the high-profile presentation of industry-relevant topics,” says Kerstin Horaczek, vice president technology shows at Messe Frankfurt.
Mira Wölfel, director Prolight + Sound, adds: “In this context, I would like to express my respect to the industry, which has managed to further expand its commitment to more sustai

UK - PLASA and #WeMakeEvents have launched a survey to investigate how the live events sector is recovering with the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey aims to draw a detailed picture of the events, entertainment and installations industries following 18 months of disruption. The results are hoped to provide an insight into the challenges still facing the industry and will be used as an evidence base to better inform lobbying.
The surve contains questions about the supply of components and finished goods, the availability of skilled workers, and the year-on-year changes in terms of revenue and income.
Once all the data is collated and analysed, a full report will be published on both the PLASA and #WeMakeEvents websites.
From freelancers and sole traders to manufacturing companies and venues, all types of industry professionals are invited to take part. The deadline for completion is Friday, 3 December.
Follow this link to take the survey: plasa.me/recoverysurvey

USA/Europe - An open comment period on the International Code of Practice for Entertainment Rigging has launched.
The International Code of Practice for Entertainment Rigging (ICOPER) was drafted by industry professionals from around the globe to promote awareness and safety worldwide by providing a model code of practice with a focus on arena rigging but applicable to all event production rigging disciplines.
The practices described in ICOPER are intended to provide a universal foundation for those engaged in planning, managing and executing entertainment rigging. ICOPER also provides guidelines for those who wish to develop policy, design training content or help establish certification criteria.
ICOPER was published in 2017 and has been downloaded by over 1100 people located in 59 different countries. It has been translated into Traditional Chinese and Polish, with additional translations underway in Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Romanian, and Russian.
The authors determined ICOPER should undergo a comment and review cycle every four years as a response to changing work practices, technology and terminology, and are now requesting detailed comments from the rigging industry.
Copies of the current version of ICOPER and the Excel form for submitting comments can be downloaded from www.esta.org/icoper. You can also email icoper@esta.org to request a form be emailed to you.
Completed comment forms should be emailed to icoper@esta.org and must be recei

Denmark - Motor Stage Automation is a new automation specialist based in Denmark with a strategy to deliver custom and off-the-shelf solutions for entertainment industry clients wanting safe and innovative ways in which to move any element of their shows.
The new start-up launched with an investment of Kinesys Apex 500kg and 1250kg hoists, Kinesys Vector consoles, Mentor controllers and all associated infrastructure, and is a joint venture between Christian Vigsø of Vejen-based rental and dry-hire company, Vigsø, and Blake McNally, who has been involved with numerous creative automation projects, together with Kasper Sønberg who is the venture’s commercial manager.
The two met - initially via LinkedIn - during the lockdown, when both were keen to use the extra time and headspace that this challenging period offered, to enact some positive and productive results. An in-person meeting followed in Amsterdam, they hit it off and realised they had similar visions and could see the potential for automation to become a key technical discipline over the next decade. So, Motor Stage Automation was born.
Christian started Vigsø six years ago, and in a short time it has grown to be a significant industry player in Denmark, his goals include wanting “to do something that’s truly ‘next level’ for the Danish entertainment industry and internationally”.
While Blake has had a lot of experience working with Kinesys, they considered several different options before choosing an automation brand to be at the base of the company.
They chos

UK - Industry charity Backup's Pumpkin Challenge is back for 2021. The competition aims to help raise awareness of the charity in a fun and creative way, encouraging interested parties to carve the most creative pumpkin.
“To enter, all that’s need is a pumpkin, your design and any props or tech you want to incorporate to bring your design to life. If you want to use the opportunity to fundraise too (though not a requirement) that would be welcome,” says Backup.
Competition categories are: Best overall design (judged by panel); Best use of tech (judged by panel); Most money raised (via Backup Pumpkin Challenge Fundraising Page); and Most overall likes (on Instagram, using the hashtag: #BackupPumpkinChallenge).
For 2021 long-time Backup supporter Lightpower Collection has generously donated a prize of one of their photographic books to the winner of the best overall design category.
Due to competition being open to anyone, anywhere, the charity is only able to send prizes to UK-based prize winners due to costs of shipping. All winners will be promoted on Backup’s social media pages, in marketing material and in industry press. “Plus,” adds Backup, “you get the prize of industry bragging rights!”
“Entries may be uploaded onto your Instagram by 31 October 2021 using the hashtag #BackupPumpkinChallenge along with your name or team name. Please make sure your Instagram privacy settings allow us to view your entry when you enter #BackupPumpkinChallenge. You can also email info@backuptech.uk when you post, that way we can doubl

Australia - Slovakian stage controllers production company SRS Group has appointed its new exclusive distributor for Australia and New Zealand - Showtools International.
Being an established player on Australian market, Showtools is already distributing a number of top industry brands. The two companies have collaborated on the design of touring and installation distros customised for Australasian market, which will help strengthen the presence of Slovakian firm in the region. Showtools will be representing SRS Power and Lighting sections.