Last week, PLASA launched the #WeMakeEvents campaign in order to raise awareness around the fact that the events sector urgently needs more support to survive the Covid-19 crisis. Like many organisations working in the live entertainment industry, WL is encouraging as many people as possible to get behind the campaign.

The world of live events changed on March 16th when the UK government officially closed all theatres, performance spaces, venues, conference centres and essentially anywhere else that could host a ‘mass gathering’. As such, the immediate impact this had on the industry was nothing short of catastrophic. Following a recent survey, over half of PLASA’s members expect to lose 70-100% of their business for 2020, whether they’re a company or a freelancer.  Businesses throughout the supply chain are also at significant risk with no sign of income until 2021.

Without additional support, the UK is in danger of losing its global position as a world leader in the planning and delivery of world class events. Furthermore, all of our incredibly skilled creatives and technicians could lose their livelihoods for good. As such, PLASA has launched the campaign #WeAreEvents in order for the industry to form a collective voice and rally the government for sustained additional financial support and to allow it to operate in a way that is not limited by social distancing policies.

In terms of what the campaign hopes to achieve, PLASA has outlined the following requests:

1. Grants made available to businesses in the events supply chain

2. Furlough scheme extended until the industry is back to work

3. Extension of the self-employment scheme, tailored towards the industry

All of the above is exactly what is required if the industry is going to have any chance of surviving this current situation.

There are several ways to become involved in the collective effort to get the industry’s voice heard when calling for sustained additional financial support. These are:

SHARE THE CAMPAIGN VIDEO

Bring the public’s attention to the plight of our industry by sharing our video across your social media channels, using the hashtag #WeMakeEvents

DOWNLOAD #WEMAKEEVENTS SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKIT

Download the infographics and our promotional banners for Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Instagram. You can do so here.

WRITE TO YOUR LOCAL MP

Voice your concerns directly to government by downloading and customising our ready-to-go letter templates which outline all the ways that our industry is suffering.

We would extremely grateful for any support you can offer the #WeMakeEvents campaign. If the events industry continues to be overlooked, the UK’s diverse cultural output will be significantly reduced long into the future, and as a nation we will be much worse off for it.

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