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Photography © Mark Koeleman
Stageco campaigns on behalf of its workforce and the industry at large...
Promoted by several trade bodies and live event production companies around the globe, the Red Alert campaign has brought attention to the critical condition of the live industry, urging its professionals and the public alike to lend support by posting on social media, writing letters to governments and attending mass outdoor activities. As Hedwig De Meyer explained in this edition’s introduction, Stageco is not only suffering in all its divisions from lack of revenue, there is also the matter of high costs for storing materials and general upkeep of its offices. Operations director Tom Bilsen commented: “As of December 2020, this situation has already WINTER 2021
lasted almost nine months and it is clear that it’s far from over. “We participated in various initiatives to engage the governments in the countries we are based, asking them to understand the need for financial support because, like the rest of the events industry, the lockdown has left us bleeding. It’s made even more difficult in some territories where the support is less than in others. Iit is worth mentioning that in the USA there is absolutely zero government assistance. “Despite being a very healthy and profitable global industry, we are not being treated on an equal basis compared to other business sectors and this has to be addressed or the long-term
STAGECO INTERNATIONAL NEWS
