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20 March 2025

UK - Poole’s Lighthouse staged its first Work Experience Day last weekend as 15 Year 10 pupils from local schools got a taste of life at one of the country’s largest multi-venue arts centres.

As well as hearing about the different jobs that make Lighthouse work, the young people were able to learn about how the different performance spaces are used and how sound and lighting function in them.

“I just wanted to thank you for the amazing opportunity today, I thoroughly enjoyed it,” said one young person.

“I also wanted to thank you for the sugar-free sweets and chocolate, it was really touching to feel my needs considered and I'm very grateful. I definitely learned a lot today and enjoyed learning from the best.”

The Work Experience Day was organised in response to the unprecedented number of requests Light

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20 March 2025

UK - Optimal Audio has introduced a new advanced level online course in its Optimal Audio Academy, ringing the bell for installers to earn the highest stage of certification. The Optimal Audio Academy’s doors are always open for installers to obtain any of the three level certification modules available from anywhere in the world at the most convenient time.

Simple to navigate, the Optimal Audio Academy complements the ethos of the brand so that system integrators and installers learn how to best maximise the portfolio and most importantly, WebApp. One of the benefits of the online Optimal Audio Academy is that installers are taken through standard installation scenarios so that everything flows as expected for a swift and trouble-free installation. The courses also prompt those extra ideas – the ‘nice to haves’ that customers might not realise will

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19 March 2025

Canada - Fulcrum Acoustic has appointed DataVisual as exclusive distribution partner for Canada. DataVisual Marketing will carry the wide portfolio of products and solutions from Fulcrum Acoustic, from high-performance loudspeaker ranges, through immersive systems and hybrid acoustic panels.

“DataVisual is the perfect representative for Fulcrum Acoustic in Canada,” says Val Gilbert, director of business development for export at Fulcrum Acoustic. “We couldn’t hope for a more skilled and customer-dedicated team to drive growth in the North American market. We’re excited for future developments together in the region.”

York Kislich-Lemyre, VP of sales at DataVisual, adds: “Fulcrum Acoustic is a key addition to our product range. The innovative technology within the company allows us to offer a unique and competitive solution to the Canadi

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19 March 2025

UK - With only one week to go until ISCVEx 2025, industry professionals and enthusiasts still have the chance to register for this premier event.

Taking place on Tuesday 25 March and Wednesday 26 March 2025 at Coombe Abbey Hotel, ISCVEx promises a blend of networking, education and product discovery for sound engineers, audio-visual professionals, consultants and system integrators.

Day one - Tuesday 25 March kicks off with the Members' Day and AGM, featuring an inspiring presentation by Andy Dockerty, founder of Adlib Audio, followed by the Networking Dinner. This is an excellent opportunity to connect with peers, share insights and build lasting professional relationships.

Day two - Wednesday 26 March centres on three engaging seminars and an exhibition that brings together the industry's leading manufacturers and distributors.

Atte

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19 March 2025

Italy - The entertainment world is gathering in Rimini from 23-25 March for the new edition of MIR – Multimedia Integration Expo, dedicated to technological innovation in the live events and audiovisual industry.

This year, Claypaky returns to the stage to showcase its most innovative lighting technologies in the Audiosales Live Experience Area. This space in Hall C2 will host the Claypaky Product Show, where visitors can see Claypaky’s latest innovations in action.

“In recent years, Audiosales and Claypaky have organised a series of events to introduce and provide hands-on experiences with new technologies and products, starting with the Experience Days, which welcomed hundreds of lighting professionals to Claypaky,” explains Stefano Rocchi, CEO of Audiosales. “For this year’s MIR, we have embraced an innovativ

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18 March 2025

Spain - HK Audio has been offering its distributors a look to the future with an exclusive event to explore the manufacturer’s market strategy and internationalisation efforts. HK Audio invited 100 of its international partners to a dedicated conference which also included an in-depth look at some of the products that are set to be launched later this year.

Taking place at the Holmusic Centre in Barcelona, the event provided the meeting point to discuss HK Audio’s plans for the coming months and years. The presence of key decision-makers from both the manufacturer and its partners ensured that high-level conversations could be had, and plans put in place to help the international growth of the company and align sales strategies with its distributors.

Alongside the presentations, HK Audio also took the opportunity to recognize the efforts of its p

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18 March 2025

South Africa - Johannesburg-based rental and production company MGG has made a sizable investment in new Robe moving lights, taking delivery of 76 x fixtures from Robe’s Southern Africa distributor, DWR Distribution, including the first iForte and iForte LTXs and the first SVB1 luminaires on the continent of Africa.

The total order comprised 24 x iFortes, 48 x SVB1s, and four iForte LTXs which are for use with the four RoboSpot BaseStations they already own.

MGG – which this year celebrates its 25th birthday – started as a small company when owner and managing director Mark Gaylard was still at school and running mobile discos. It has steadily grown and become a highly successful and visible technical supplier in South Africa. MGG purchased its first Robe products in 2008 – eight ColorMix 250 ATs.

“Robust build quality and longevity

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18 March 2025

Next Generation - A major entertainment centre is fundraising to invest £20m into a new academy to develop the next generation of musicians. The Glasshouse in Gateshead is aiming to support young musicians throughout their education and help them build a career in music. Over the next two years, the academy will open four ‘music learning hot spots’ in Middlesbrough, Carlisle, Sunderland and Kendal.

The organisation said the scheme had been designed to ensure young musicians could take their next step in developing their talent, whether that be picking up an instrument for the first time or pursuing a career.

Glasshouse CEO Abigail Pogson said the centre, previously called The Sage, had worked for the last 20 years to be a place people of all ages could make and experience music. She said: "The Glasshouse Academy builds on this f

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17 March 2025

UK - Adlib returned to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall stage earlier this month for the largest annual music industry careers event for young people in the North of England. The team engaged with attendees to discuss career paths and showcase the inspiring roles available in the live events industry.

Over 700 people attended the 2025 Liverpool Philharmonic Music Industry Careers Fest, which was delivered in partnership with Universal Music, Spotify, UK Music, PLASA, LIPA, Revere Arts, and LIMF Academy.

Adlib has a long-standing tradition of supporting the next generation of talent through regular open days at Adlib HQ, as well as providing work experience, apprenticeship opportunities, and participation in Early Careers events.

Lisa Mitchell, training and development, Adlib comments: "We’ve been delighted to support the Liverpool Phil

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17 March 2025

UK - Rise AV, an organisation dedicated to promoting gender diversity and professional development in the AV, live, and residential technology sectors, has announced the launch of its inaugural UK Mentoring Programme Agenda. Starting in May, the six-month initiative is designed to empower women by providing invaluable support to those with up to six years of experience, as well as those at the start of their career journey.

The Rise AV Mentoring Programme is made possible through the essential support of leading industry organisations that share the programme’s commitment to empowering women and upskilling the workforce to safeguard the future of the AV sector. Thanks to the generosity of Rise AV’s industry partners and the dedication of its esteemed mentors, participation in the programme is free of charge.

Rise AV extends its thanks to headline

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17 March 2025

China - On 13 March, Absen hosted its Spring Launch event, to present its latest innovations for the ProAV market. The event, themed Pioneering Pixels: Shaping the Future, brought together more than 70 clients and partners from around the world to connect, gain valuable insights into emerging trends and showcase Absen's latest innovations and strategic vision for the future.

The event kicked off with keynote speeches by Absen’s senior leadership team, outlining the brand’s positioning and strategy for the coming year. The team emphasised Absen's commitment to pioneering advancements in pro AV technologies with an in-depth introduction to the company's latest product launches.

The new products pre-launched included the Absen X V2 Series, featuring all-in-one LED display solutions for conference and corporate applications with 2K+

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17 March 2025

South Africa - For over two decades, Johannesburg-based Keystone Productions has delivered quality shows, product launches, and conferences. Their team of experts provides full technical support, including live audio, lighting, screens, streaming, video mapping, stage effects, and staging.

Recently, Justin and Jonathan Le Roux, the brothers behind Keystone, identified a gap in their audio department. After years without a major console upgrade, they knew it was time to invest in a solution to elevate their productions. Following a few months of research and consultation with trusted sound engineers, the decision was clear – a DiGiCo S21 from DWR Distribution.

“We still had a few of our older consoles in rotation, but as our broadcast and live event workload grew, we needed a desk that could keep up with demand,” says Justin Le Roux. “We talke

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17 March 2025

USA - New Jersey-based Squeek Lights has expanded its inventory by adding Elation’s new Paragon LED profile moving head, becoming one of the first rental companies in the US to stock the award-winning fixture. With the acquisition, Squeek Lights currently has the largest inventory of Paragon lights in the US, enhancing its capacity to deliver top-tier lighting solutions for live events.

“Paragon really checked all the boxes for us,” said Victor Zeiser, managing partner at Squeek Lights. “We compared it to similar products and found it had features that others didn’t. Plus, its versatility as a multi-purpose light was very attractive. Paragon does everything we need it to.”

Zeiser first encountered Paragon in its prototype phase and later saw the market-ready model at the LDI tradeshow in December, where it won the Best Debuting Product Aw

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17 March 2025

Australia - CPC Production Services is a leading live event and broadcast production company in Ipswich, Queensland. It has recently chosen to invest in Prolights solutions, supplied by Show Technology, the official distributor for Australia and New Zealand.

Recognised for delivering a full spectrum of live event and broadcast production services, the company has invested in Prolights EclProfile CT+IP and Prolights EclSoft LinearIP fixtures, along with additional EclPanel TWC and EclPanel TWCJr panels to enhance its stock.

“We've got a large outside broadcast truck, and our Prolights gear is great for that work,” commented Murray Keidge, managing director of CPC. “However, we love them for all of our work, particularly overhead lighting on theatre stages, for which they are stunning.”

Before investing in a Prolights inventory, Keidge

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14 March 2025

Europe - Following the successful launch of Milan Manager at InfoComm 2024, d&b audiotechnik and L-Acoustics have announced the launch of milanmanager.com, a dedicated website for accessing this network management solution.

The platform serves as a unified resource for audio professionals and manufacturers seeking to implement Milan-AVB networks across various applications. The website provides a centralised, manufacturer-neutral location where all users can download Milan Manager software free of charge.

The launch of a dedicated Milan Manager website coincides with the release of Milan Manager V2.0. This major upgrade includes many new features, the most significant being the addition of an advanced offline mode that enables the pre-configuration of Milan-AVB networks using

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14 March 2025

UK - The O2 has appointed digiLED as official LED OOH screen supplier. The announcement follows a multitude of successful LED screen installations at the venue, spearheaded by the new super-sized LED screen in the main entrance, which went live in early March. Measuring approximately 192sq.m, it will be the largest standalone screen at the venue. Additionally, two other LED installations are set to follow, the larger of these being a high-resolution replacement for the existing outdoor cylinder screen.

digiLED has supplied multiple LED screens to The O2 over the years, most recently a new screen installed in the Entertainment District. Further installations include the upgrade of the arena’s mid-tier LED banner system – delivering brighter, more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable performance.

"We were chosen as the LED screen partne

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14 March 2025

Vietnam - UK amplifier tech manufacturing partners XTA and MC² have appointed Viet KTV Electronics Company of Hanoi as their exclusive distributor for Vietnam. Viet KTV is an established and trusted distributor of leading global AV brands in Vietnam, as well as a successful integrator of audio and video systems across the country.

Commenting on behalf of XTA/MC², Richard Fleming looks forward to developing a productive relationship with Viet KTV: “Led by Vu Phi Diep, the Viet KTV team comprises a group of highly motivated AV experts who have vast experience in supplying and advising clients, as well as carrying out their own wide-ranging projects using world-leading brands. We are delighted to have such strong representation in this fast-growing emerging market.”

Vu Phi Diep, director at Viet KTV comments: “XTA/MC² has an excellent internati

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14 March 2025

UK - Zeal has made a major investment in Martin MAC Viper XIP fixtures, reinforcing its commitment to delivering high-quality lighting solutions for live events and productions.

“With LED technology advancing rapidly, new fixtures are constantly being released,” says Steve Hough, managing director at Zeal. “But when it comes to spots, our priority is finding a fixture that provides consistency, quality, and longevity. When [exclusive Martin Professional UK distributor] Sound Technology demoed the MAC Viper XIP, we expected something similar to what we’d seen before – but this one really stood out. It impressed both our design and production teams enough to investigate it further and, ultimately, make it our go-to spot fixture.”

Zeal first saw the Viper XIP in August 2024 – in the middle of a busy period. Despite the packed schedule, the

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13 March 2025

Europe - The deadline for Showlight’s new Emerging Professionals Bursary/Scholarship Scheme has been extended to Monday 31 March 2025.

Aimed at early career freelance professionals to help make attendance more affordable, this is a fantastic opportunity to win a ‘scholarship’ that gives you access to some of the most creative minds in the entertainment lighting industry.

Successful applicants will have free access to Showlight 2025’s full schedule of activities (ticket price normally €580.00) including the Papers Sessions, Workshops, Exhibition, Welcome Reception (in Dijon’s ornate, historic Salle des États), Company Dinners and the grand Conference Dinner in a glamorous, as yet undisclosed location! A hotel room will also be included with the bursary and we hope to offer some assistance with travel costs too.

“Showlight wants

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13 March 2025

World - Shure Incorporated has collaborated with two other international audio equipment brands to address a network in China engaged in the large-scale manufacture and export of counterfeit products, including microphones, headphones, and amplifiers.

In May 2023, Shure received information about a network of nine entities in China exporting counterfeit audio equipment to Southeast Asia. The network operated more than 80 separate online stores selling to customers in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines.

Shure, working through IP services business Rouse and its strategic partner firm, Lusheng, collaborated with two other audio equipment manufacturers to launch coordinated action against the counterfeit operation.

China’s police force in the province, the Guangdong Province Public Security Bureau (PSB) launched simultaneou

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13 March 2025

Egypt - Powersoft has announced the appointment of Audio Technology as its new distributor for Egypt. The distribution agreement will strengthen Powersoft’s presence in the region, leveraging Audio Technology’s strong reputation in the Middle East, built on engineering, planning, supply and after-sale services.

Established in 1993 in Cairo, Audio Technology has 450 employees and represents over 30 international manufacturers in the pro AV industry, providing a comprehensive portfolio of solutions across AV, security, professional systems and retail industries.

“We have always been aware of Powersoft’s reputation, including in rental staging, and kept being impressed by the products’ exceptional performance, reliability, and ease of use,” says Nermeen Iskander, marketing director of Audio Technology, who is looking forward to establishing

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13 March 2025

Greece - Martin Audio has realigned its distribution in Greece, appointing Athens-based ABAS Integrated Systems – whose origins date back 45 years – as its new territorial representative.

“We realised towards the end of last year that we were missing an opportunity for growth in the Greek market, so it timed in nicely that ABAS reached out to us at around this time, proposing a new partnership,” reports Suraj Vadher, EMEA sales executive, Martin Audio.

He was soon discussing strategies with ABAS project manager, Konstantinos Drosos, and his brother, sales director Themistoklis. “It was clear to me that ABAS knew their market well and had the right kind of plans to grow both ours, and their own business within Greece. They are well-established within commercial integration and public address and have the scope to expand into a wider range of

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13 March 2025

USA - TVNewsCheck’s Women in Technology Awards is taking place at NAB this year, “celebrating outstanding achievements and paving the way for the next generation of women driving innovation in media and entertainment technology”.

During the 14th annual awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 8, three women will be honoured for their contributions to the future of media technology. Swati Karkun Sen, Jacqueline Voss of Riedel, and Nina Walsh of Amazon Web Services will each receive the Women in Technology Futurist Award on the West Hall Main Stage at the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

Sen has played a key role in keeping NBC News, MSNBC, and CNBC at the forefront of breaking news and development of new consumer solutions. With a deep passion for media and a strong foundation in technology, she has introduced transformative operational s

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13 March 2025

Hungary - Lightware has announced its commitment to fostering strong relationships with top technology companies through its alliance and ecosystem partnerships. These collaborations help to create dynamic and flexible professional AV environments. By integrating Lightware’s advanced signal management technologies with leading products from manufacturers of video conferencing, audio and control solutions, customers benefit from improved performance and ease of use, whilst systems integrators and AV professionals can be confident that the systems they are installing or specifying will work well together.

“One of our core values is our philosophy of open integration,” says Gergely Vida, CEO of Lightware. “This ensures our devices work effortlessly within existing AV infrastructures. Through our integration partnerships, we go one step further, strength