On Friday, September 28th, Austin hosted its first #EmptyEvent to demonstrate the impact Covid19 has had on a once trillion dollar industry in the United States. But that’s certainly not where the movement to #SaveLiveEvents began. As we all now know, the live events industry has been one of the most hard-hit in both the American and global economies. It was the first to close and will likely be one of the last to “re-open” as individuals and corporations struggle with comfortability and liability issues. We recognize that many are struggling but the metrics behind the shutdown are far more telling than just retoric.
By The Numbers
All metrics from www.PLSN.com
A Brief History of the Live Events Coalition
“The Live Events Coalition was formed by industry leaders who rallied around a Change.org petition launched on March 19, 2020 by Isaac Rothwell immediately following the halt of all live events due to the evolving national public health emergency and the worldwide pandemic caused by COVID-19.”
Since March, the mission of the Live Events Coalition has been to advocate for and support the diverse group of individuals who make up the live events industry. Out of that mission came the goal of drawing attention to the catastrophic impact the pandemic has wrought on people’s lives and livelihoods and enacting change though legislation. In July, “The RESTART Act“ was introduced to the House of Representatives by Jared Golden (D-ME) and Mike Kelly (R-PA) in an effort to leverage congressional support.
““The RESTART Act provides a solution to the desperate need for capital faced by cinemas, theaters, live music venues and performing artists, agents, and touring teams, events management professionals, restaurants, places of amusement, recreational businesses, and health and fitness clubs whose operations have been severely crippled by the pandemic. The aim of the legislation is to establish a loan program tailored to the circumstances of small and mid-sized shuttered businesses that have experienced more than 25% in losses. The RESTART loan program provides access to partially forgivable seven-year loans covering six months of expenses, a lifeline for our businesses that have been left behind by existing loan programs.””
Since the formation of the LEC, we’ve seen activism across the country to raise awareness about an industry on the brink of disaster. First efforts were made at Salt Lake City’s “Walk for Work,” Philly’s rally at City Hall and Florida’s statment-making stand-in outside Senator Rubio’s Office. Most recent iterations have included something more publicly visible and emotionally visceral - the #EmptyEvent. We’ve seen these pop up from New York City’s Time Square to LA’s Walk of Fame to The National Mall in Washington DC and they have underscored the pervasiveness of the issues we face.
Working in collaboration with the Texas Live Events Coalition, Meritage Events spearheaded the #EmptyEvent here in Austin. A call for volunteers was put out along with requests for the physical set-pieces that make an event identifiable. Our team assembled at 11:30am at the Long Center on one of the hottest days this summer, a blistering 106 degrees, with a dedication that was unparalleled. Women and men from across the industry, many of whom are usually overseeing entire sight set-ups from behind clipboards, schlepped tables and chairs, folded napkins, placed name cards and labored with a smile (and a few water breaks) to honor those who have been out of work for almost six months now. What we produced was something equally striking and chilling…
Sincerest thanks to the following for their on-site efforts…
The Long Center graciously offered their terrace for set-up. Big House Sound Incorporated, Fidelis Sound & Lighting and Roadway Productions collaborated on audio and visual services and staging. Booth Easy set up a wonderful photobooth and provided photo coverage of the event. Jerry Hayes Photography captured the event in both video and photo formats.
Townsley Designs provided large scale props and decor. Full Spectrum Ice created a stunning ice sculpture for display. Shag Carpet Prop Rentals created and provided the Texas Live Events Coalition standing signage for our centerpieces. Premiere Event Rentals volunteered delivery and use of their table linens and chargers. Green Dot Events made our cocktail tables shine with custom Austin cube lights and American Color Labs printed the #SaveLiveEvents banners for our display.
Special thanks to Nikko’s Worldwide Chaffeured Services who displayed a luxury sedan, SUV and mini bus to represent their sector. Nikko’s fleet was dispatched just days prior to help evacuate those in Hurricane Laura’s path. We appreciate ALL you do for our industry and our community!
And finally, we cannot forget the incredible individuals who volunteered their talents and time with us. Laurie Sprouse of Ultimate Ventures DMC, Fallon Allison of McGuire Moorman Hospitality, Gary Jones of Green Dot, Lauren Chumbley of Eclipse Event Company, Wendy Reed of RMC DMC, Tammy McCormick and Todd Zint of Access DMC, and Skeeter & Vanessa Miller with County Line Inc. Thanks also go out to Becky Navarro with Pearl Events & Woodbine Mansion for the Starbucks drop-off that kept us going!
How Can I Help?
If you’re reading this and are, like us, anxiously awaiting help from our government, please take action!
You can also contribute to the movement by sharing the following hastags in your social media posts…#WeMakeEvents, #SaveLiveEvents, #RedAlertRESTART, #WishIWasThere
- Stratton