In fact, the companies exhibiting at PLASA 2005 have the expertise to make anything possible. Live8, for instance, showcased many of the developments that have seen the entertainment and installation technology sectors grow into a global industry worth an annual £10bn (£1bn to the UK economy alone). From nightclubs to shopping centres, cruise liners to sports arenas, technologies developed by this industry have transformed the quality of experience within the leisure, sports and architectural markets to a level scarcely imaginable 10 years ago.
And in the building and architectural sectors, the development of audio, video and IT technologies has also transformed the way buildings are designed and used - both aesthetically and practically - with information and safety-related systems now essential ingredients in the development of public spaces and buildings.
All these developments - together with the next generation of ideas - will be there for you to see at PLASA 2005. Both levels of Earls Court 1 will be packed with new ideas in audio, lighting, AV, rigging, system integration, engineering and effects. And for those looking to exploit the increasing versatility, durability and cost-effectiveness of digital technologies, there's also a dedicated Architectural Audio & Visual section featuring developments in commercial audio, lighting, video and related products intended for the built environment.
In recent years the PLASA Show has become a festival of all that's good about this industry. New technologies have always been the key to PLASA, and the best of these will be acknowledged in the PLASA Awards for Innovation - eight awards that focus on the best design and development work going on across the industry. In addition, 2005 sees the re-introduction of an environmental award, reflecting the growing demand for energy efficient technologies and the increase in environmental legislation. All the new products vying for these prestigious awards will be displayed in the Lighting&Sound International-sponsored Innovation Gallery, and the winners will be announced during the awards presentation in the Central Bar on Monday 12 September at 6.00pm.
Around the show floor, there'll be plenty to do - you can use the Central Bar to network with friends and colleagues or you can head upstairs to the Top Deck where there'll be live demos, exhibitor presentation rooms and the Seminar Theatre. The PLASA Pavilion also continues to grow and is already a sell-out, providing the opportunity for innovative new businesses and smaller companies with niche products to demonstrate their products to visitors.
The Show's Seminar Theatre will feature an extensive programme of events and seminars, with some big names making this one of the strongest line-ups of workshops, advice and discussion sessions ever. There'll also be PLASA's own industry bookshop, with special offers and promotions on a range of business and technical titles.
Reinforcing PLASA 2005's role as the main platform of the industry will be the presence of numerous UK and international organizations, including ABTT, ALD, APIAS, BECTU, ECA, ESTA, ICIA, ISCE, PSA, STLD and VPLT.
With so much going on, expectations for PLASA 2005 are higher than ever. If pre-registrations are anything to go by, it looks like most of the industry will be at Earls Court 1 between 11-14 September. Somewhere on the show flo
