On Tuesday at 8.30pm Bristol-based event industry workers turned College Green and the Bristol Council building red as part of the #WeMakeEvents campaign, highlighting that the industry is at ‘red alert’ and on the brink of collapse. Over 100 event professionals also took part in a socially distanced art installation on the green, titled ‘one hundred unseen’, wearing all black with red masks.
PLASA, a leading membership body for those who supply technologies and services to the event and entertainment industry, commenced the #WeMakeEvents national campaign, now at Red Alert, 19 trade bodies have joined forces, along with event companies and freelancers, all calling on the government to ‘throw the industry a line’. This includes extending furlough, extending the self-employed income support scheme, and making grants available to businesses in the events supply chain.
The scenes on college green were made possible by a collaboration of Bristol based event businesses SLX Hire & Events, Fineline, Enlightened, Utopium, Cirque Bijou, BES Marquees, Pytch and Okoru Events.
Alastair Currie, CEO at SLX Hire & Events, says: “It was so important that Bristol participated in this national campaign, as so many brilliant and innovative event businesses exist here in the city – along with exceptionally talented employees and freelancers.
This awareness campaign is about the entire supply chain and flagging to the public and the government how extensive the impact of this crisis has been to a huge variety of businesses involved in the industry. Whilst many are now able to go back to work, event businesses remain unable to generate meaningful income and will no doubt be the last back to work. Our industry is in serious difficulty and we risk losing both the talent and expertise of an industry that is world leading.
We would like to thank Bristol Council for giving us permission to undertake this activity. College Green is an iconic location at the heart of our city – a city which embraces and thrives from events held within it.”
For more information about the campaign search #WeMakeEvents or visit: https://www.plasa.org/
