South Africa - #Feedourcrew, supported by DWR Distribution’s SOS Charity Fund, are hoping to give a final push to raise funds internationally for event industry freelancers and theatre technicians in South Africa. This very hardworking and dedicated group of people have struggled to put food on the table during the national lockdown due to COVID-19 lockdown. Nicole Barnes of DWR reports: Over the past two months, the #FeedOurCrew initiative has been able to provide shopping vouchers for over 350 families, who’s primary breadwinners are no longer able to make a living due to the closing of the events industry. “The #FeedOurCrew fund has raised R280 000. Originally each recipient was given a voucher for R1000. Due to dwindling funds and a huge increase in applications, we are now giving recipients vouchers of R500 each. This has helped just over 350 freelanc
USA - Behind the Scenes reports that Concert Shop has become a Pledge-a-Product partner by pledging to donate a percentage of sales from their Blaklader Workwear line. Blaklader is Sweden’s leading producer of heavy working clothes. Newly launched, Concert Shop is a boutique online store providing personal gear tailored to meet the demands of people who work. Their offerings include clothing, personal equipment, accessories, and supplies. Upon announcing the pledge, founder Mike Aug comments: “At the Concert Shop, we believe in giving back to the industry that has supported our families for decades. We strongly believe in the work that the Behind the Scenes Foundation does to assist those in every facet of the entertainment industry. With that, the Concert Shop is proud to announce that we will contribute a portion of every Blaklader Workwear sale to the Behind t
Australia - LED display and lighting solutions provider Unilumin has appointed Exertis ProAV Australia to distribute its product line of LED displays in Australia, according to an announcement made by Exertis ProAV Australia president and CEO, Kevin Kelly. “Since its founding in 2004, Unilumin has grown to become a leading LED display provider with expertise in LED product development, manufacturing, sales and after-sales service in more than 100 countries,” Kelly said. “We look forward to bringing their industry-leading indoor and outdoor displays and lighting products to a broader range of customers across all of the verticals we serve.” Unilumin Australia director of business development Bo Li,comments: “Unilumin Australia commenced operations in 2017 and in a remarkably short period of time we have earned the respect of customers who expect the very be
Europe/USA - Yamaha Pro Audio has added an extended programme of webinars dedicated to the latest Rivage PM Series digital mixing systems. Demand for in-depth information about the newly-introduced compact Rivage PM5 and PM3 systems has been high, says the company. Joining the established Rivage PM10 and PM7 systems, they allow a much wider range of applications and budgets to benefit from Yamaha’s flagship mixing technology. Produced by, and co-ordinated between, Yamaha’s three main technical centres in the UK, Japan and the USA, all live Rivage PM Series webinars are streamed globally and many are presented twice, to ensure people in as many time zones as possible can take part. Yamaha also runs online Q&A sessions, where people from all over the world can directly interface with the company’s experts to get answers to any technical enquiries.
UK - Working to support government officials in understanding the unique issues facing the events industry due to COVID-19, PLASA has produced two infographics illustrating how the events supply chain will be impacted without further government support. The graphics reflect the number of people it takes to deliver just one performance - on average 443 professionals, spanning planning, design, preparation, warehouse and venue staff. Additionally, the graphics show how valuable the sector is, delivering £100 billion to the UK economy and employing approx. 589,000 people. It is hoped that information contained in the graphics will help highlight to government officials how many jobs are at risk in the events industry without support beyond October. PLASA says in a statement: “Whilst many industries will be looking to return to some normality from July onwards, ex
UK - ABTT Theatre Show organisers have released a seminar programme running across 10-11 June - the days when the postponed 2020 tradeshow would have taken place. "In light of the postponement of the 42nd ABTT Theatre Show until 2021, the ABTT felt that it was necessary to mark the occasion and provide our usual attendees with something to commemorate this event during the current pandemic," say the organisers. "While we cannot recreate or replace the experience of the ABTT Theatre Show, we hope to enable some of the conversations and discussions that take place when theatre people come together." The schedule comprises 10 seminars (five per day), each set to last no longer than 90 minutes including Q&A.
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
USA - Four draft standards have been posted for public review on ESTA's Technical Standards Programme website. Materially affected parties are invited to review them at http://estalink.us/pr. BSR E1.6-1, Powered Rigging Systems. ANSI E1.6-1 – 2019 is being opened for limited revision, with the scope of revisions applying only to section 6.6 of the standard. The revisions are necessary to correct errata in that section only. No other revisions will be considered or made at this time. Comments are due no later than 28 June. BSR E1.39, Entertainment Technology - Selection and Use of Personal Fall Arrest Systems on Portable Structures Used in the Entertainment Industry. This standard establishes minimum requirements for the selection and use of personal fall arrest systems (PFAS) on portable structures in the entertainment industry. In addition, the standar
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 A
USA - Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has announced that Aldridge Marketing, Inc. (AMI) has been appointed as its manufacturer’s representative serving Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. “Aldridge Marketing’s stellar reputation and proven results made them an obvious choice to be EAW’s representative in the South-Central U.S. region,” says TJ Smith, president for EAW. “We selected Aldridge because of their customer service as well as the company’s history of brand-building. We look forward to working together with Aldridge in creating long lasting relationships with our existing as well as new customers in the area.” Based in Austin Texas, Aldridge Marketing is an AVL sales and marketing firm that has been serving the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana since 1992. AMI offers more than just products, it assists its customers throughout
Belarus - Ayrton has announced A17 Stage Systems as its new, exclusive distributor for Belarus with immediate effect. A17 Stage Systems was established in 2019 with the mission to service its customers’ projects from concept to completion using only the best, most reliable brands in the industry. The company is composed of experienced technicians with many years of expertise in the lighting, sound, rigging, staging, conferencing and video markets. Its customer base includes VVIP and government organisations. “From the very beginning, A17 Stage Systems has hunted out the best brands in all areas of its activity,” says A17’s engineering director, Vitaly Kazakevich. “We look for future leaders, not just current brands, and see that Ayrton is a fast-growing company with interesting new technologies, and a very good, professional team. “The Ayrton product
Europe - PEARLE and the European Festivals Association have published The sixth edition of the EFA RISE series, What you didn’t know about Europe - The Ultimate Cookbook for Cultural Managers, with an update on visa legislation. Although mobility is on hold and live performance is coping with the challenges of reopening its physical doors to their artists and audiences, the sector will tour again, have residencies and co-productions as cross-border working is deeply rooted in the DNA of the live performance sector. How we travel will be rethought. Considerations on more sustainable forms of touring are not new and have quite some supporters. This booklet gives information on visas for the Schenghen Area, what types there are, who needs them, how and where to lodge your application as well as useful advice and tips to help visa applicants and performance
UK/The Netherlands - Kinly, a specialist in video collaboration services, headquartered in Amsterdam, has announced the acquisition of AVMI – an AV-integrator and managed services provider, headquartered in London. Says a statement, “Together, Kinly and AVMI will offer a compelling proposition in the virtual collaboration space to customers globally. Kinly and AVMI operate in over 20 locations throughout Europe, USA and APAC, serving clients in over 125 countries with over 1,200 talented and passionate employees.” Robbert Bakker, CEO of Kinly comments: “We are very excited to announce that AVMI, a leading UK based global AV integrator, will join and strengthen the Kinly team. The combination of our businesses will support our strategy to expand our international presence. Together, we offer our clients a truly global service and holistic portfolio of high qua
UK - Solid State Logic is providing a range of educational offerings centred on its SSL Live range of consoles for applications in touring, installation, houses of worship, theatre and more. SSL Live training — which is being offered as on-line certified courses and well as off-line modules and learning aids — provides a comprehensive overview of SSL’s advanced live production tools for engineers and operators who are looking at SSL Live as well as experienced professionals looking to enhance their workflow. SSL offers its live certified training - a six-hour intensive on-line video course led by live product specialist and live sound veteran Fernando Guzeman. Currently, SSL is offering certified training courses in both English and Spanish during June. For those looking to become acclimated on SSL Live consoles at their own pace, a six-part introductory v
UK - Stage Electrics has announced that it has won a contract for the design, supply, and installation of specialist production lighting, sound & video projection systems to the new Nottingham College, City Hub facility at a value of over £200,000. This new building will offer students a modern facility including a large performance hall and drama studio, both of which will feature new lighting fixtures including the Chauvet Professional Ovation E-910FC and CYC 1 FC units. Stage Electrics worked closely with both the main contractor Wates Construction and Nottingham College to develop a specification that was within budget and met all the technical requirements whilst utilising the colleges existing sound equipment. Work commenced on site in May and is anticipated to be completed in early August.
UK - At the beginning of the year, in his role as director of Polar’s Integrated Solutions Division, Stuart Leader was travelling around the UK, overseeing progress, managing the team, developing customer and supplier relationships, and bringing new brands into the Polar portfolio. Then, by mid-March, like the greater proportion of UK citizens, Stuart was in lockdown. Stuart already had an office at home, but the realisation that it was to become his base for the foreseeable future, prompted him to make some improvements. The occasional conference call was one thing, the daily demands of increased phone and video call traffic was another. “There’s no question that access to good technology can make things a lot easier when working from home. At Polar, we work closely with customers to help them deliver the solution that best fits the job - whatever the siz
South Africa - When South Africa went under strict lockdown on 26 March, the entertainment industry had been out of work for a couple of weeks already, with all shows on the events calendar either cancelled or postponed indefinitely. It was a grim picture, and Jannie de Jager of DWR Distribution believed that the very least he could do was use this opportunity to set up training sessions for the industry during this time. While there was no shortage of training videos and webinars provided by international suppliers, which are still being shared on the DWR Distribution Facebook Group page, Jannie and colleague Dylan Jones, wanted to create a platform where training and personal contact with the industry could continue, allowing all parties to be motivated and to share knowledge. The only obstacle was navigating the best way to do this. “We definitely had to get used
UK - A recent prosecution at Luton Crown Court has highlighted both the human and financial cost when work at height is not properly planned and managed, the Ladder Association reports. The court heard that on 5 September 2016, an engineer testing a sprinkler system for leaks at a site in Hemel Hempstead, fell almost 3m after the extension ladder he was using slipped away from him. The engineer fell into the gap between the internal roof and the external wall resulting in a fractured vertebrae, soft tissue damage and severe blood loss - amounting to around half of his bloodstream - and led to him requiring a blood transfusion and 14 stitches to the head. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that reasonably practicable measures had not been taken to prevent a fall from the internal roof for both the engineer and other contractors working on th
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 res
Australia - Assistive living specialist Contacta has appointed Exertis ProAV Australia, part of Stampede and Exertis ProAV, to serve as its value distribution partner to drive sales of its hearing loop and speech transfer systems in Australia and New Zealand. In announcing the appointment, Exertis ProAV Australia president & CEO Kevin Kelly credits the hard work of Exertis ProAV Australia general manager Nick Cocks in forging the new distribution agreement. “Nick’s 17 years of industry experience played a major role in reaching this agreement with Contacta, a market leader in providing assistive living solutions, and this was a top priority of the company.” Amplifying Kelly’s point, Nick Cocks notes: “As a new player in the market with a strong global presence we want to create long term supplier partnerships as a base for our business. We select the com
UK - New guidance from PASMA is helping managers keep scaffold tower users safe during the coronavirus outbreak, whether they're off on a training course or using towers in the workplace. The industry body has offered its advice on the challenges being faced by those responsible for the health and safety of tower users as they plan a return to work. In a new guidance document released free to the industry, PASMA delves into issues such as how long the virus lasts on aluminium, how rescue plans will be affected and how workers can avoid passing instruction manuals around. The body shares recommend ways to assemble a tower while keeping your distance from everyone else, suggesting that the most reliable method could be buying
USA - Harman Professional Solutions has added 10 free Live Workshops to its Learning Sessions programme in conjunction with Harman Professional University. Scheduled through mid-June, the workshops feature lighting or audio experts who have extensive industry knowledge and experience working with various acts including Earth, Wind & Fire, Janelle Monáe, Lea Michele, Mary Mack, Rae Sremmurd, Rebelution, Sublime with Rome, Tabula Rasa Opera, Tegan and Sara, The Avalanches, Tinashe and others. The sessions now open for registration include: Transitioning Between Studio and Live Environments with Mike Sutherland (2 June), Soundcraft Vi1000 Basic Training with Gabriel Le Roux (3 June), Headroom of a Sound System with Jan van Zyl (4 June), Soundcra
UK - As Unusual Rigging's managing director Tom Harper prepares to moderate an ABTT seminar on Sustainability in Theatres on 11 June, the company is releasing a series of short videos on its social media channels and its website to stir the debate. Harper is passionate about making positive change in the live production industry's ecosystem - especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and will argue the need for companies to move on from the sustainability argument and to think more circularly instead. He says: “For years, under the sustainability model, companies have been looking at how they can do 'less bad', whereas what we really need to be doing is looking at how we can actually 'do better' and the circular economy model really captures the essence of this.<
Russia - Scena has joined the Prolyte family as the latest authorised dealer in Russia. Founded in 2016 by specialists with more than 10 years of experience in the culture, social, and entertainment industry, Scena is recognised for its involvement in the development of European projects, brands and theatre complexes. “When searching for a partner, Prolyte asks a couple of important questions: can they be our friends? Can they be a part of our family? Do they share the same values of loyalty, honesty, competence, and quality? When the answer to all these questions is a yes, then we jump right into that relationship,” says Eddie Slotboom. Nikita Safonov and Alexey Barkovski already have a high level of experience with Prolyte over many years. Slotboom adds: “We are convinced that there is an experienced team at Scena with a lot of knowledge. Henry did a gre
