Business

Details

26 November 2024

Elephant Trap - Members of the House of Lords have expressed “profound concern” about the UK’s arts sector following chancellor Rachel Reeves’ autumn Budget, with one peer dubbing it an “elephant trap” for culture.

Kick-starting a debate about the impact of the Budget on arts, heritage and cultural organisations on 14 November, conservative peer Amanda Sater cited the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre’s warning that 40% of theatres and performing arts venues face closure over the next five years.

SOLT and UK Theatre’s appeal for an urgent pot of funding to stave off these closures was snubbed in a Budget that outlined plans to increase government spending by almost £70 billion a year over the next five years – almost half of which will be funded by tax increases.

Sater called on the government to consider the impact

Details

25 November 2024

UK - The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) has announced the launch of three new MA degree courses in technical theatre, with courses in Theatre Costume, Stage Management, and Performance Lighting Design commencing in September 2025.

These MA programmes aim to bridge the skills gap in the industry by training the next generation of technical theatre professionals in highly specialised areas essential to live performance. Each new course has been developed in response to the evolving demands of the industry, underscoring RADA’s commitment to equip the sector with supported technical specialists through in-depth and hands-on training.

The MA in Performance Lighting Design will enable students to have a sustained and lifelong career as lighting designers. Students will examine what it means to use lighting as a powerful creative tool for storytelli

Details

25 November 2024

USA - Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Integrity Lighting has invested in Ayrton Cobra2 laser source luminaires for its production and rental inventory. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.

“The Cobras are our first Ayrton fixtures and they won’t be our last,” says lead lighting designer, Joshua K. Hall. “When ACT demo’d several Ayrton fixtures, we were so impressed by the Cobras that we couldn’t not buy them. Their versatility as a searchlight and a great hybrid light on stage is great for us.”

Hall likes “the smoothness of the overall beam – no hot spot, very even throughout” and Cobra’s IP65 rating, which is “absolutely essential for any kind of weather, and we get it all.”

Lighting designer and marketing director, Carter Nance, notes that the fixture’s “CMY mixing system gi

Details

22 November 2024

APAC - Naostage, creator of automatic, beaconless 3D tracking solutions for live events and immersive experiences, has announced three new distributors in the APAC region. These strategic partnerships with Novatech, in Australia, ArcSource in Hong Kong and EZpro in mainland China, cater for the growing demand for Naostage’s tracking solution, K System.

In Australia, Naostage will be represented by Novatech Creative Event Technology, a family-owned event production company based in Adelaide, South Australia, focusing on providing innovative, creative turnkey solutions for events of all sizes, while offering a one-stop shop for event organisers and promoters. The partnership with Naostage sees Novatech become the exclusive distributor for Naostage in Australia, where it will focus on introducing artists, event producers, and production and performing arts co

Details

22 November 2024

Europe - Belgian loudspeaker manufacturer Audiofocus has named Audio Acoustics as its exclusive distribution partner for The Netherlands.

From its headquarters in Alphen aan den Rijn, Audio Acoustics will promote and support the full range of Audiofocus products, including the recently launched ARRoCC constant curvature system, Carys column PA system, and the new Isolde AP108 point source loudspeaker.

Audiofocus founder and CEO Ann Leroy comments: “Pro audio is still very much a people business, so it is vital to find partners who are fully embedded in their country’s audio community. Jeroen Knol [Audio Acoustics commercial director] and the Audio Acoustics team are familiar faces in the industry and have extensive experience of supporting top brands and high-profile projects. We are delighted to have them on board as our distributor for The Neth

Details

22 November 2024

UAE - Q-Sys Middle East Electronics Trading has announced the opening of its Q-Sys UAE Experience Centre in Dubai. This new centre offers an immersive and interactive environment to explore, test, and experience the latest advancements in AV technology.

Strategically located in the Dubai Supreme Court Complex, this Experience Centre spans more than 4,000sq.ft and delivers an experiential tour through the capabilities of the Q-Sys platform. From the moment visitors arrive they will be immersed in Q-SYS solutions throughout the divisible meeting room and training room, large boardroom and demo lab. The Experience Centre also features an open events area with a café/bar where customers can explore demonstrations of Q-Sys in an entertainment environment.

“We are excited to open our new Q-Sys Experience Centre in Dubai,” says Chant Utukian, managing

Details

22 November 2024

UK - Rise, the advocacy group for gender diversity in the broadcast media technology sector, has announced the winners for this year’s Rise Awards.

Rise received 424 nominations from across the globe, with attendees from Australia, United States, Malaysia, United Kingdom, France, Norway and Spain, at the ceremony. Winners in 14 categories were celebrated at Troxy in London, in partnership with Sky and EMG / Gravity Media. Rise also presented a Special Recognition Award and the Rise Woman of the Year Award, for outstanding work in 2024 and significant contributions to the broadcasting world.

More than 400 guests attended the sold-out event, to recognise the achievements of winners and nominees across a host of media and broadcast technology roles. The ceremony was streamed globally on the Rise YouTube channel, supported by

Details

22 November 2024

Japan - The Metaverse Production project, a collaborative initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving process efficiency in video production through advanced technology, has launched Studio PX Anzen, an LED facility located at Factory Anzen Studio Red in Tokyo, established by Dentsu Creative Cube Inc.

Powered by Brompton Technology LED processing, the studio provides a setup for virtual production filming. It is also the first studio in Japan to adopt the ‘Carbon Calculator for Movie Production’, a tool designed to accurately measure CO₂ emissions throughout video production.

Studio PX Anzen’s LED display systems leverage Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors, delivering exceptional performance and colour accuracy essential for high-quality virtual production. For the main background screen, ROE Visual’s Ruby 1.5F

Details

21 November 2024

Australia - LEA Professional has announced a new distribution partnership with Victoria-based Snap One Australia, now part of ADI, showcasing the company's ongoing global expansion efforts. This distribution relationship will bring LEA’s technology catalogue to customers in Australia and New Zealand.

Snap One empowers its network of professional integrators to deliver entertainment, connectivity, control, and security solutions to residential and commercial end customers worldwide. Expanding its portfolio with LEA Professional’s award-winning Network Connect series of professional amplifiers, and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity, supports Snap One's continued commitment. These series enable integrators to utilise cloud-based remote control, monitoring, notifications, and more from any internet-enabled device, allowing

Details

21 November 2024

USA - The 2025 NAMM Show (Anaheim, 21-25 January) will place a strong emphasis on pro audio. NAMM (the National Association of Music Merchants) has “maximised the show’s exhibit and demo space, so professionals will have their best-ever opportunity to get hands-on with the latest in pro audio technology. These new product introductions will be complemented by a full suite of educational sessions and training opportunities for professionals in live sound, recording and music technology.”

“One of the main reasons that audio professionals come to the NAMM Show is to hear the latest equipment from the biggest pro audio brands,” said John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO. “We are making that easier than ever before with more demo space for our exhibitors and more opportunities for our members to hear what state-of-the-art truly sounds like.”

Details

21 November 2024

UK - Martin Audio is making ‘significant strides’ in reducing its environmental footprint through the strategic use of recycled materials, particularly post-consumer recycled plastics. This commitment is a critical part of its overall sustainability strategy, aimed at integrating recycled materials into its manufacturing processes and contributing to a circular economy.

Martin Audio’s approach involves using detailed data to make informed decisions about sourcing recycled materials. This ensures that the use of recycled plastics does not compromise the quality or performance of its products. “The focus is on extending the lifecycle of materials and products, thus minimising their environmental impact from the outset,” confirms marketing director James King.

So how will this work in practice? Over the coming months, Martin Audio will gradual

Details

20 November 2024

Europe - ETC has announced that Matrix Sales will now serve as the official dealer in Denmark following the successful acquisition of long-term ETC partner Atendi A/S’s Protech division.

Matrix Sales – a leading distributor of professional lighting, stage equipment, audio and AV across Danish market – brings extensive experience in the Danish entertainment industry and will provide access to an even larger segment of the market for Atendi A/S.

Atendi A/S’s Protech division includes the activities of the company’s theatre, event and architectural lighting department with employees Søren Jørgensen, Hans Henrik Schmidt, and Henrik Sundahl continuing their work now as part of Matrix Sales.

Matrix Sales will have direct access to a wide range of ETC’s products, allowing them to meet the growing demand of ETC solutions across the regi

Details

20 November 2024

UK - Shure has announced its inclusion in the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP). MDEP is an Android-based platform designed to enable device manufacturers and software developers to deliver innovative solutions that meet the needs of all users. It is backed by Microsoft's reputation for security, trust, and management.

MDEP provides enhanced security, device pairing, accessibility, and management capabilities for Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android devices.

“We are excited to further expand our partnership with Microsoft through MDEP,” said Sam Sabet, chief technology officer at Shure. “MDEP provides another avenue for innovation on the highly popular Android platform, leading to the right solutions for our customers. This partnership ensures that our solutions, like IntelliMix Room software, can meet the highest security standards and de

Details

19 November 2024

USA - Audix is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a manufacturer of microphones. Since 1984, Audix has grown to offer a wide range of microphones for audio recording, live performance, and installed sound applications. Today, product families for instruments, vocals, and studio recording enjoy a reputation for audio fidelity, build quality and sensible pricing.

To celebrate its history and continued innovation, the company has produced a limited edition of the D6 kick drum microphone. The Limited Edition D6X microphone has all the sonic attributes that makes D6 a classic, plus additional filtering options. Only 100 units of the bead blasted D6X Limited Edition will be produced and will be available through selected giveaways throughout the next months.

In 1986, the Audix OM1 handheld dynamic mic was born. The OM1 began to amass a word-of-mouth reput

Details

19 November 2024

UK - Long-term Martin Audio rental partner, W E Audio, recently underlined its commitment to the British manufacturer, by making a massive investment across the latest Wavefront Precision line array portfolio.

Founded by Wayne Barker, W E Audio’s upgraded inventory is headed by Martin Audio’s flagship WPL large format line array, and SXH218 subwoofers, as well as FlexPoint FP12s, Torus, and XE500 wedge monitors. At the same time, in order to give them further scalability and flexibility, the company has also invested heavily in the smaller WPS and WPC line arrays – all delivered in recent months to its base in Oxfordshire.

Last month saw the production company’s highest-profile deployment of the large-format WPL to date – on Seal’s European tour. The core PA design is based around 12 WPL cabinets per side, with six WPS units for front-fil

Details

18 November 2024

UAE - Bose Professional recently celebrated the grand opening of a new sales office and experience centre in Dubai, with industry leaders and partners from the MEA region.

The Dubai office marks the 10th new international business location Bose Professional has opened this year, including new offices and experience centres in London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Singapore, Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Osaka, and Tokyo, with plans to open a new Bose Professional global headquarters and experience centre early next year in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

Located in the rapidly growing Sharjah district, conveniently accessible from the Dubai International Airport, the new office combines modern business spaces and meeting rooms with an experience centre, designed for education and demonstration and featuring Bose Professional’s line-up of loudspeakers, power ampli

Details

18 November 2024

Poland - Wharfedale Pro has announced Mega Music as its new distribution partner in Poland.

With over three decades of experience in the professional audio industry, Mega Music has built a solid reputation for supporting musicians, public facilities, and commercial venues with high-quality audio equipment and innovative solutions.

"We are excited to partner with Wharfedale Pro, a brand known for its commitment to quality and innovation in the pro audio industry,” says Mega Music’s Dariusz Adamowicz. “Our team is looking forward to bringing Wharfedale Pro's exceptional products to a broader audience in Poland and supporting the needs of our clients across various sectors."

“The team at Mega Music will play a key role in strengthening our presence and boosting Wharfedale Pro's visibility across major Polish markets,” says Danny Clarke

Details

18 November 2024

USA - Coppell, Texas-based Alford Media, an event services company with more than 220 corporate events worldwide to its credit annually, has invested in a large complement of Ayrton Rivale fixtures for use on its busy roster of projects. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.

The purchase marked the first Ayrton fixtures in the Alford inventory. “We have always been interested in the Ayrton line; they make a creative product, and we have been looking for an opportunity to jump in,” says lighting manager Blake Taylor. “The Rivale nicely filled a gap in our profiles line and had some newer features that helped drive our decision,” such as variable CRI, infinite pan and tilt and an IP rating. “These were improvements and upgrades over the profiles we already had.

“ACT has always been great about g

Details

18 November 2024

Australia - Production company Chameleon Touring Systems has made a significant investment in Elation’s Proteus Maximus and Proteus Brutus power luminaires, greatly expanding their ability to deliver robust lighting solutions for high-profile tours and major events across the region.

The new fixtures, supplied in late September through ULA Group – the exclusive distributor of Elation products in Australia and New Zealand – have already seen action.

In early October, Chameleon upgraded the lighting rigs for two landmark events: the 2024 National Rugby League (NRL) Grand Final at Accor Stadium in Sydney and Knockout Outdoor, Australia’s largest outdoor music festival at the Sydney Showground.

Chameleon sought to replace several outdated lighting fixtures in their inventory from brands that no longer offer this category

Details

14 November 2024

Spain - The AV community in Spain has announced the formation of #AVforValencia (www.avforvalencia.org), an initiative that aims to raise funds to support all those affected by the devastating floods that decimated Valencia in October.

#AVforValencia is working with other Valencia-based charities (including Fundación-In Jóvenes contra el Cáncer and Casa Caridad) to provide direct assistance to all those affected by this unprecedented natural disaster. All funds raised will be distributed through the Unidos por Valencia initiative, which connects victims with volunteers and aid resources.

Over 200 people are known to have lost their lives in this disaster, which has also destroyed homes, businesses and infrastructure and left countless families heartbroken and home

Details

14 November 2024

UK - ETC Ltd has officially moved to its new eco-building and base in the UK, in London. The new site is more than double the size of ETC’s former premises boasting over 35,000sq.ft of floor space. The move marks a significant milestone in the company’s growth and expanding business offering.

ETC’s own in-house team has developed the design for the new building, which includes larger demonstration spaces and increased capacity for training, logistics, conferencing, collaboration and more. There is also a new visualisation suite in the building available for industry professionals to use and prepare their shows in. The additional warehousing space also holds significantly more inventory to meet the growing demands of the business and support the needs of ETC’s customers.

The new building is lit and controlled

Details

14 November 2024

Australia - Following the recent appointment of Audio Source as HH Audio’s distributor in Australia, the partners staged a two-day official launch event at Vision Studios, a rehearsal and recording facility in Perth.

The full range of HH Audio products were demonstrated to a range of audio specialists including system integrators, rental companies, retailers, installers, and contractors. Ian Wright, HH Audio global sales director for HH Electronics, offers an upbeat view:

“The event was a great success in what is acoustically a fantastic space. The team demonstrated the range to groups of visitors over the two days, rather than staging one big presentation, something which worked extremely well. I think we had 14 groups in total who were able to see all our products patched in and individually demoed or used in whatever combinations customers wan

Details

13 November 2024

UK - The bang was provided by the starter’s pistol as the Day at the Races themed quiz night got underway. The DiGiCo quiz night is a celebration of hire companies and the communities they serve, with all proceeds from those attending going towards their two chosen charities, Backup Tech and Stagehand, the PSA’s benevolent fund.

The Quiz represents a chance for suppliers, hire companies, manufactures and businesses to get together in a relaxed environment to connect, do badly at quizzing and most importantly raise money. The evening was a complete success with £14,000 being shared between both charities.

On the night Backup was represented by Lee Dennison, trustee and vice chair, Scott Arnold, trustee, and Sarah James, PR, all raising awareness of the way that Backup can help industry professionals and their families.

“Backup

Details

13 November 2024

Germany - Following the success of LEaT con 24 in Hamburg, LEaT X is returning in spring 2025 and will take place on 19-20 March at the Ofenwerk in Nuremberg. The pre-season event for the event technology industry was fully booked in record time – clear proof of the enormous demand and strong interest.

“The enthusiasm for LEaT X is overwhelming,” says Duc Nguyen, director of LEaT. ‘The fact that we were fully booked in such a short time confirms that we have hit the nerve of the industry with the compact and targeted format of LEaT X. We are delighted with the positive response and the trust placed in us by the exhibitors.”

This year, LEaT X 25 will once again be supported by leading brands from the event technology sector, who will be presenting their innovative products and solutions in Nuremberg.

Interested companies have the opp