Martin Audio has been supporting the PLASA-led #WeMakeEvents campaign that highlights the plight of the UK live events industry and the dire need for additional government support to this technical and specialized sector.
The campaign culminated with a day of action on August 11 with up to 5,000 people lining the banks and bridges of the River Thames to raise awareness of the crisis with politicians and the wider public.
The live events industry was the one of the first to be impacted by the global shutdown as a result of the pandemic and will be the last to return to work. It can only exist when large-scale gatherings can be held safely, which is simply not possible until sometime next year and even then, the future is uncertain.
Without additional grants, extensions to the furlough scheme and protection for freelancers, it’s inevitable that companies in the country will collapse, mass redundancies will ensue and many freelancers will be lost to the industry. The resulting impact will harm the economy and negatively impact British culture.
The day of action was coordinated across the industry, with Martin Audio joined other entertainment technology manufacturers in backing the campaign. Alongside supporting the industry with social media – its Facebook posts alone reaching 1 million people on the day – Martin Audio helped organize a full TV production and livestream of the activities in London, including a helicopter swoop across the city. These included many of the capital’s major landmarks being lit up in red and people gathering along the banks of the River Thames and bridges, dressed in red T-shirts, wearing red masks and waving their own red lights. Martin Audio also supplied its loudspeakers as the main PA for the boat that took members of the press and industry professionals on a trip along the River Thames past the illuminated landmarks.
Closer to home for Martin Audio, the company also supported the Wycombe Swan Theatre and High Wycombe Town Hall being lit in Emergency Red, alongside its own headquarters.
“Martin Audio has been extremely lucky to continue to operate during Covid-19 with the amazing support of our worldwide sales partners and end users, but most of our friends in the UK live event industry have had zero revenue since this all began,” states Martin Audio managing director Dom Harter. “Without further funding from the government the industry is at risk of collapse and we simply wanted to do everything we could to support their plight.”
Go here to find out how to get involved with the #WeMakeEvents campaign, View the livestream here. In addition. go here for more information on the overall situation and day of action.
