Registration opens for #WeMakeEvents day of action
- Details
#WeMakeEvents is raising the alarm for the live events and entertainment sector affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a series of events taking place in London and other UK cities next week.
With demonstrations on the river Thames and its banks, campaigners will urge the UK government to ‘throw us a line’ before the talent and expertise that makes the UK’s live events and entertainment industry world-leading is lost.
Journalists and politicians have been invited to board a boat at Westminster Pier, from where they will sail through a series of ‘arenas’ which will feature many of the capital’s iconic landmarks lit up in red. Industry members wishing to take part in the action are being asked to line up, socially-distanced, on river banks and bridges to create a Red Alert route. In key locations, supporters will lower down red rope lights to the boat as it passes, to symbolise the throwing of a line.
Those wishing to join the route must wear face coverings during the event and must pre-register via EventBrite, where they can also select their preferred location to join the action. Participants are asked to wear red and download the MyLight - Flashlight mobile app to turn their phone’s flashlight red.
Andy Dockerty, managing director of Adlib, comments: “The events sector has been absolutely devastated by the COVID-19 crisis and there are few signs of any significant restart in the near future. Without immediate support the entire live events supply chain is at risk of collapse and some 1m highly skilled professionals face many more months of financial uncertainty. We need the government to understand the urgency of the situation and so we call on industry members to make their voices heard and join us on the evening of 11 August.”
In addition to the London action, a series of regional events will also take place. More details can be found on the event Facebook page WeMakeEvents: Red Alert - day of action.
The industry bodies now involved in #WeMakeEvents include: the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT), the ALD - The People in Performance Lighting, the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), Association of Sound Designers (ASD), Community Leisure UK, Creu Cymru, Curtain Call Online, the Federation of Scottish Theatre (FST), Freelancers Make Theatres Work, the Institute of Sound & Communications Engineers (ISCE), MUTA, the MIA, the Music Venues Trust (MVT), the National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA), Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), PLASA, Production Managers Forum (PMF), Production Services Association (PSA), Society of London Theatre (SOLT) & UK Theatre, Sustainability in Production Alliance (SiPA) and Theatre & Dance Northern Ireland.
For full details and to register, visit wemakeevent.eventbrite.co.uk.
