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09 October 2024

Italy - RCF has confirmed details of its Sound Engineering University Course 2024/2025 with enrolment now open. The objective of the course is to provide fundamental theoretical knowledge for the comprehension, analysis and design of modern sound diffusion systems.

Such knowledge ranges from the fundamental principles of acoustics, to transducers and speakers, electronic amplifying systems and digital sound filtering, and also soundproofing systems.

Main topics include: Acoustics in open air and indoor spaces including design and simulation methods; Transducers and speaker systems including clusters, arrays and point source configurations; Electronics including circuit analysis, filters, amplifiers and DSP and Sound system design including practical experience in measurements, listening tests and tuning.

This university course features techni

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08 October 2024

UK - Rapidly expanding family business GLO Film Lighting has made a timely investment in Data Strategy’s QC-Check, the automated equipment safety inspection system. With QC-Check integrated into its rental software package, GLO Film Lighting maintained the high level of service integral to its ethos, whilst it focused on company growth.

Based in South-West London, GLO Film Lighting provides dry and wet equipment rental to customers across the UK in the television, commercial and film industries. To carry out electrical equipment testing, cable testing and the inspection of power distribution boxes, QC-Check was customised to include the PAT-4, CAB-4 and RCD-t testing units from OutBoard.

With equipment increasingly going out as complete dry hire packages, GLO Film Lighting is confident that every picked item has been tested well within safety regul

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08 October 2024

Serious Risk - Councils will be forced to abandon the arts and other non-statutory duties without an urgent "injection" of government funding in the upcoming Budget, local authorities have warned. Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre have called the £54bn shortfall in local council funding a "serious risk to cultural provision" in England and have responded by reiterating their demand that the government strategically review public investment in the performing arts.

According to a new report submitted to the government by the County Councils Network, England’s councils face a funding "black hole" of £54 billion over the next five years, fuelled by the soaring cost of social care. Confronted with an "unpalatable trade-off" between bankruptcy and minimum services, the shortfall could lead to local councils being able to provide "little more" than care

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07 October 2024

Europe - Registration is now open for Integrated Systems Europe (ISE). Returning to the Fira de Barcelona Gran Vía from 4-7 February, the ISE team is promising ‘a host of new initiatives and features, an expanded and more easily accessible content programme, as well as the unveiling of Hall 8.1’.

Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events, comments: “ISE 2025 will be our most ambitious, inspiring and motivating edition to date. ISE is the global destination to get your connection restored with the industry – through virtually impossible experiences, unrivalled networking opportunities, and state-of-the-art technology, as well as even more chances for career and personal development.

“With the show floor already 20% bigger, the addition of exciting new features, and our world-class content programme that digs deep into th

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07 October 2024

Portugal - Europalco has announced a new phase of expansion and innovation with its transformation into a group of companies: the Empowerment Ecosystem. This move aims to consolidate Europalco as the central brand of a dynamic ecosystem, with new companies strengthening its portfolio: New Audiovisuais, Rise, and Av Tech.

At the heart of this new system is Europalco, which takes on the role of empowering all the companies in the group. The Empowerment Ecosystem is built on a differentiated systemic narrative, where Europalco drives the growth and expansion of its companies, always focusing on the people who are part of this universe.

“The creation of the Empowerment Ecosystem is a natural step in Europalco’s evolution. We believe the synergies between New Audiovisuais, Rise, and Av Tech, backed by Europalco’s expertise, will ensure sustainable g

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04 October 2024

UK - The Backup Tech team was thrilled to once again be part of the #WeMakeEvents hub at the PLASA Show 2024. From this base, the Backup team and its ambassadors were able to connect with industry professionals and raise awareness of the important work Backup is doing in the industry.

Every year, the show represents an opportunity to meet up with old friends, enjoy great conversations and make new connections. This year, the larger footprint meant that the hall was abuzz with even more new technology and creativity. Spaces where attendees could relax and regroup were an important part of the wellbeing strategy, and the wellbeing hub, crewed by the EventWell team, provided an additional quiet space for anyone who wanted it.

“Backup received multiple donations during the show, thanks to a lot of hard work from our fundraisers and the generosity of PL

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04 October 2024

UK - Avolites has announced the launch of its Academy Online Learning Platform, which takes a ‘bite-sized’ learning approach and replaces the previous version launched in 2021.

This new platform will mean anyone with an internet connection can access and learn to use Avolites software. At launch, the platform will have the Titan Intermediate (Level 1) training course available and contains over 70 three-to-five-minute videos. All the individual videos are grouped together into ‘lessons’ for ease of navigation.

All the videos will have the option of an English voiceover appearing as subtitles in several languages, and more will be added in the future. To further promote users’ knowledge retention, taking the online courses and simultaneously practising live on the software is recommended.

After completing each video and lesson, there

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04 October 2024

UAE - HH Audio, part of the UK Headstock Group of companies, has officially announced the appointment of Sound Factory FZCO, based in the UAE, as an official HH distribution partner in the GCC including the Middle East, CIS and parts of Northern Africa.

Sound Factory’s BD manager Fara Azari states: “At Sound Factory, we're excited to kick off this new partnership with the HH brand. Their history, strong reputation for quality, and customer focus align perfectly with our values, and we’re confident this will lead to growth and success in the territories we've been entrusted with. We truly appreciate the opportunity to team up and are eager to explore what’s ahead for HH Audio. Here’s to a successful and rewarding partnership as we work together to take the brand forward.”

Ian Wright, Headstock’s director of global sales adds: “I am ver

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04 October 2024

USA - LEA Professional has announced its partnership with Elite 3 Pro. This partnership will bring LEA’s technology catalogue to customers in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

Elite 3 Pro originated in 2006 in response to the growing need for support in the constantly changing technology industry. Elite 3 Pro will provide LEA Professional’s award-winning Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series, featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity. These series enable integrators to utilise cloud-based remote control, monitoring, notifications, and more from any internet-enabled device, allowing them to stay connected anywhere in the world.

"We take pride in providing our customers with the best products and continuously listening to their needs to ensure that we meet their evolving requirements," stated Dale

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03 October 2024

Denmark - [Lite]Com Group has expanded its rental inventory with the addition of the Prolights Astra Hybrid330, a compact and versatile hybrid fixture known for its power, precision, and wide range of visual effects. This makes it a suitable solution for a variety of events.

The decision followed a successful demonstration by Gobo, Prolights' distributor in Denmark and Sweden, where the Astra Hybrid330 impressed the [Lite]Com Group team with its ‘outstanding’ performance.

Recognising the fixture for transitioning from traditional R-Series lamps to LED technology, [Lite]Com Group invested in 120 additional units, adding to the 38 already in their catalogue. This brings their total inventory to 158 Astra Hybrid330 fixtures, solidifying the projector as a key asset for the wide range of events they support.

“Prolights has demonstrated an i

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02 October 2024

UK - Leisuretec Distribution has been appointed UK distributor of Shure Microphones. With a 30-year legacy of delivering quality audio equipment, Leisuretec will now offer Shure’s wired microphones, wireless systems, conferencing solutions, and audio products to its customers in AV hire production, systems integration, and AV installation.

“We are thrilled to become a distributor and stocking partner of Shure products,” says Wayne Juggins, commercial manager at Leisuretec. “They manufacture world-class wired mics and wireless mic systems and we’re very excited to offer these solutions to our customers, along with everything you expect from Leisuretec: friendly and helpful service backed by strong stock holding, speedy delivery, competitive trade pricing and knowledgeable technical support.”

“Partnering with Leisuretec to become part of

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02 October 2024

Germany - Audiofocus has announced the signing of an exclusive distribution agreement for Germany with United Brands. This latest distribution agreement for the Belgian loudspeaker specialist follows similar appointments in Italy and France, marking a significant expansion of Audiofocus’ coverage in western Europe.

“This partnership with United Brands marks another important milestone in the reinforcement of the Audiofocus distribution network,” comments Audiofocus CEO and founder, Ann Leroy. “For customers to invest in a loudspeaker brand requires a lot of trust, not just in the products, but in the people behind them.

“From our first meeting we have been impressed by the wealth of real-world pro audio experience within the United Brands team. This is a company with the proven credentials and connections to support and grow our customer ba

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02 October 2024

Singapore - The Production People (TPP), a prominent event production company in Singapore, has expanded its technical capabilities by adopting Clear-Com’s Arcadia Central Station.

The Arcadia Central Station is an intercom platform designed to unify and simplify complex communications, merging digital, analogue, wired, and wireless intercom systems into one seamless solution. With the ability to integrate Clear-Com’s widely trusted FreeSpeak II and HelixNet systems, Arcadia delivers ‘superior scalability’, making it a good fit for the dynamic demands of modern event production.

Driven by growing client requests for high-end intercom solutions, TPP recognised the need to invest in Clear-Com technology to enhance its offering for high-profile events. "We saw a clear shift where clients began requesting Clear-Com systems by name, particularly H

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01 October 2024

UK – The Theatres Trust Conference returns next week (Tuesday 8 October), taking place at The Lowry in Salford. With a theme of ‘Making Theatres Thrive’, the full programme has now been announced and includes a mix of speakers, panels and case studies.
Speakers include senior politicians, such as: Cllr Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council and Economy, Business & Inclusive Growth lead for Greater Manchester Combined Authority; and Cllr Tracey Dixon, leader of South Tyneside Council and Portfolio Holder for Inclusion and Skills, North East Combined Authority.
Senior theatre leaders from across the UK will also present, including: Kathy Bourne, Chichester Festival Theatre; Kris Bryce, Pitlochry Festival Theatre; Selina Cartmel, Royal Exchange Theat

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01 October 2024

UK - Entedi has confirmed its acquisition of CP Wave, the exclusive distribution partner of Claypaky in the UK and Ireland.

Entedi MD Cally Bacchus comments: “I am thrilled to welcome both the Claypaky brand and the CP Wave team into the Entedi family. CP Wave have been making a very positive impact over the last 18 months, and we are very excited to have them on board to add to our incredible portfolio of top-tier brands.”

Paddy Stacey, CP Wave commercial director, adds: “With locations and staff across the UK and Ireland, I can’t wait to show what we can do together with our new colleagues at Entedi.”

“Entedi's approach to distribution perfectly aligns with our values at Claypaky, so we are incredibly happy to see them acquire CP Wave,” says Alessandro Colangelo, sales manager at Claypaky.

Entedi’s business manager E

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01 October 2024

UK - TiMax has launched a new website showcasing the brand and full suite of performance, presentation and experiential products, including panLab, the latest innovation to join the fold.

Following the recent move into the Focusrite Group and with its backing, the time was right to showcase the history and expertise of TiMax, alongside demonstrating how it is rapidly evolving to further define the future of spatial audio and show control.

Dave Haydon, co-director of TiMax alongside originator Robin Whittaker, comments: “The new website gives an opportunity for users to see us in a fresh light. Our desire is to be a hub of inspiration to empower the creative community with the understanding needed to fully embrace spatial audio in all its forms across the breadth of applications.”

Haydon continues: “We’ve long held the belief that ster

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01 October 2024

Dynamic Pricing - Oasis have announced they will ditch dynamic pricing for the American leg of their reunion tour, after it caused "an unacceptable experience" for UK fans. The system raises the price of concert tickets at times of high demand. When Oasis' UK dates went on sale, some fans were charged more than £350 for tickets with an initial face value of £150. The band faced significant backlash, and the UK's competition regulator launched an investigation into whether Ticketmaster breached consumer protection law.

In a statement announcing dates in the US, Canada and Mexico, the group's managers said they wanted to "avoid a repeat of the issues" faced by fans in the UK and Ireland. "It is widely accepted that dynamic pricing remains a useful tool to combat ticket touting and keep prices for a significant proportion of fans lower than the market rate an

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30 September 2024

UK - Disguise, in collaboration with Bluman Associates and the European chapter of frame:work has announced Be Seen. Be Heard, a half-day event dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion within the creative video and live events industries. The event will take place on 9 October at Bluman Associates, London.

Be Seen. Be Heard aims to be a catalyst for change, empowering individuals from all backgrounds to be offered the opportunity to be part of and thrive in the creative community.

The speaker line-up includes diverse industry voices including Disguise founder Ash Nehru, Production Futures CEO Hannah Eakins, Petok Productions founder Pembe Tokluhan, The Fifth Estate creative director Sarah Rushton-Read, FRAY Studio creative technologist Kira O'Brien, Bluman Associates owner Pod Bluman, frame:work director Sarah Cox, Disguise he

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30 September 2024

Australia - Clearlight Shows, the Australian distributor for Luci Della Ribalta, will be present on the Entech Roadshow, the tradeshow for AV and entertainment technology professionals. Starting next month, the roadshow visits Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth.

“Our distribution network has solid foundations, and for years we have been present in markets and areas far from our headquarters in Italy,” says Lisa Papi, managing director of LDR.

“Clearlight Shows does excellent work in distant Australia, and we are very pleased that they are participating in this event, which, as we interpret it, seems to develop a very interesting travelling format that will allow many important players and companies to get in touch with our products.

“We are certainly looking forward to some feedback after the event, confident in the exce

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27 September 2024

UAE – Dubai-based Flair Event Services designs and delivers full technical production for a range of projects – corporates, industrials, concerts, clubs, social events and more – throughout the UAE and across the Middle East region.

The team – currently nearly 70 full-time – also engages in consultancy work and is headed by managing director Sameer ‘Sam’ Rahman, who has been in the industry since he was a teenager. He started working in a theatre in Dubai when at high school as well as DJ’ing and running his own lightshows, initially with 12 PAR cans and plenty of imagination.

Sam is now also an award-winning lighting designer who has worked worldwide on a diversity of shows. He is Flair’s head of lighting – and responsible for all investments – as well as MD of the company, and is a big advocate for Robe.

Flair has a la

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27 September 2024

UK - Production Futures has announced the dates for its autumn On Tour events. They will take place between 10am and 3pm on Tuesday 15 October at the Backstage Centre in Purfleet and Wednesday 27 November at Production Park in Wakefield. That latter event will see the presentation of this year’s Production Futures Breakthrough Awards, where as well as receiving the kudos of being named a winner, successful nominees will benefit from direct contact with the sponsor of their award.

The events will enable young visitors to directly connect with representatives of Production Futures’ brand partners to explore employment opportunities in the production sectors. Both occasions will enjoy packed schedules including panel discussions, advice, workshops, special guests, networking opportunities and more.

Production Futures has also announced that

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25 September 2024

UAE - West Midlands-based event design and production agency Taylex Group has announced its strategic expansion into the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This international expansion marks “a significant milestone for Taylex Group”, aiming to “bolster its support for existing clients while tapping into new opportunities in the dynamic Middle Eastern market.”

Recent Taylex projects include delivering the Media Oasis event in Paris hosted by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Media within the Pavilion at Place Vendôme, plus the installation of the Saudia Arabian Ministry of Sport Pavilion in the Rome-based Saudi Village through HQWS.

Lee Forde, general manager at Taylex Group UAE, brings over 30 years of industry knowledge to the expansion, with a track record including being former general manager of Creative Technology Middle East.

“I’m th

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24 September 2024

Canada - CAST Group of Companies reports that it has been certified by Great Place To Work. The award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at CAST. This year, 85% of employees said it’s a great place to work.

"Great Place To Work certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the vice-president of global recognition at Great Place To Work. She emphasises that certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that CAST stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees."

“We are thrilled to become Great Pl

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20 September 2024

UK - The Schools Engagement Programme, launched in January 2024 in the East of England region by The Power of Events with grant support from the EIF, has announced that Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) has been confirmed as exclusive sponsor of the Edinburgh region. This now takes the UK roll-out to five regions alongside recently confirmed new regions Birmingham, Hertfordshire and the South Coast of England.

EICC’s support will enable The Power of Events, in partnership with local event professionals volunteering as schools ambassadors, to deliver an event industry showcase and overview of career opportunities to secondary schools & colleges across the Edinburgh region, starting in Spring 2025.

The Schools Programme has already attracted 200+ school ambassador industry volunteers across the four Nations willing to support the p