UK - Solid State Logic is providing a range of educational offerings centred on its SSL Live range of consoles for applications in touring, installation, houses of worship, theatre and more.
SSL Live training — which is being offered as on-line certified courses and well as off-line modules and learning aids — provides a comprehensive overview of SSL’s advanced live production tools for engineers and operators who are looking at SSL Live as well as experienced professionals looking to enhance their workflow.
SSL offers its live certified training - a six-hour intensive on-line video course led by live product specialist and live sound veteran Fernando Guzeman. Currently, SSL is offering certified training courses in both English and Spanish during June.
For those looking to become acclimated on SSL Live consoles at their own pace, a six-part introductory v

UK - Stage Electrics has announced that it has won a contract for the design, supply, and installation of specialist production lighting, sound & video projection systems to the new Nottingham College, City Hub facility at a value of over £200,000.
This new building will offer students a modern facility including a large performance hall and drama studio, both of which will feature new lighting fixtures including the Chauvet Professional Ovation E-910FC and CYC 1 FC units.
Stage Electrics worked closely with both the main contractor Wates Construction and Nottingham College to develop a specification that was within budget and met all the technical requirements whilst utilising the colleges existing sound equipment. Work commenced on site in May and is anticipated to be completed in early August.

UK - At the beginning of the year, in his role as director of Polar’s Integrated Solutions Division, Stuart Leader was travelling around the UK, overseeing progress, managing the team, developing customer and supplier relationships, and bringing new brands into the Polar portfolio.
Then, by mid-March, like the greater proportion of UK citizens, Stuart was in lockdown.
Stuart already had an office at home, but the realisation that it was to become his base for the foreseeable future, prompted him to make some improvements. The occasional conference call was one thing, the daily demands of increased phone and video call traffic was another.
“There’s no question that access to good technology can make things a lot easier when working from home. At Polar, we work closely with customers to help them deliver the solution that best fits the job - whatever the siz

South Africa - When South Africa went under strict lockdown on 26 March, the entertainment industry had been out of work for a couple of weeks already, with all shows on the events calendar either cancelled or postponed indefinitely. It was a grim picture, and Jannie de Jager of DWR Distribution believed that the very least he could do was use this opportunity to set up training sessions for the industry during this time.
While there was no shortage of training videos and webinars provided by international suppliers, which are still being shared on the DWR Distribution Facebook Group page, Jannie and colleague Dylan Jones, wanted to create a platform where training and personal contact with the industry could continue, allowing all parties to be motivated and to share knowledge. The only obstacle was navigating the best way to do this.
“We definitely had to get used

UK - A recent prosecution at Luton Crown Court has highlighted both the human and financial cost when work at height is not properly planned and managed, the Ladder Association reports.
The court heard that on 5 September 2016, an engineer testing a sprinkler system for leaks at a site in Hemel Hempstead, fell almost 3m after the extension ladder he was using slipped away from him. The engineer fell into the gap between the internal roof and the external wall resulting in a fractured vertebrae, soft tissue damage and severe blood loss - amounting to around half of his bloodstream - and led to him requiring a blood transfusion and 14 stitches to the head.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that reasonably practicable measures had not been taken to prevent a fall from the internal roof for both the engineer and other contractors working on th

Blackout Tuesday - The music industry is calling for a ‘Blackout Tuesday’ in response to George Floyd's death. Major record labels have shared a message on social media promising "a day to disconnect from work and reconnect with our community". Employees have been given Tuesday off as "a day of action", intended to "provoke accountability and change". Interscope vowed not to release new music this week, while Apple Music's Ebro Darden cancelled his radio shows.
"We stand together with the black community against all forms of racism, bigotry, and violence," said Columbia Records, which is home to Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, Lil Nas X, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Adele. "Now, more than ever, we must use our voices to speak up and challenge the injustices all around us."
"In the words of Dr King, 'There comes a time when silence is betrayal.' When you have a res

Australia - Assistive living specialist Contacta has appointed Exertis ProAV Australia, part of Stampede and Exertis ProAV, to serve as its value distribution partner to drive sales of its hearing loop and speech transfer systems in Australia and New Zealand.
In announcing the appointment, Exertis ProAV Australia president & CEO Kevin Kelly credits the hard work of Exertis ProAV Australia general manager Nick Cocks in forging the new distribution agreement. “Nick’s 17 years of industry experience played a major role in reaching this agreement with Contacta, a market leader in providing assistive living solutions, and this was a top priority of the company.”
Amplifying Kelly’s point, Nick Cocks notes: “As a new player in the market with a strong global presence we want to create long term supplier partnerships as a base for our business. We select the com

UK - New guidance from PASMA is helping managers keep scaffold tower users safe during the coronavirus outbreak, whether they're off on a training course or using towers in the workplace.
The industry body has offered its advice on the challenges being faced by those responsible for the health and safety of tower users as they plan a return to work. In a new guidance document released free to the industry, PASMA delves into issues such as how long the virus lasts on aluminium, how rescue plans will be affected and how workers can avoid passing instruction manuals around.
The body shares recommend ways to assemble a tower while keeping your distance from everyone else, suggesting that the most reliable method could be buying

USA - Harman Professional Solutions has added 10 free Live Workshops to its Learning Sessions programme in conjunction with Harman Professional University.
Scheduled through mid-June, the workshops feature lighting or audio experts who have extensive industry knowledge and experience working with various acts including Earth, Wind & Fire, Janelle Monáe, Lea Michele, Mary Mack, Rae Sremmurd, Rebelution, Sublime with Rome, Tabula Rasa Opera, Tegan and Sara, The Avalanches, Tinashe and others.
The sessions now open for registration include: Transitioning Between Studio and Live Environments with Mike Sutherland (2 June), Soundcraft Vi1000 Basic Training with Gabriel Le Roux (3 June), Headroom of a Sound System with Jan van Zyl (4 June), Soundcra

UK - As Unusual Rigging's managing director Tom Harper prepares to moderate an ABTT seminar on Sustainability in Theatres on 11 June, the company is releasing a series of short videos on its social media channels and its website to stir the debate. 
Harper is passionate about making positive change in the live production industry's ecosystem - especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and will argue the need for companies to move on from the sustainability argument and to think more circularly instead.
He says: “For years, under the sustainability model, companies have been looking at how they can do 'less bad', whereas what we really need to be doing is looking at how we can actually 'do better' and the circular economy model really captures the essence of this.<

Russia - Scena has joined the Prolyte family as the latest authorised dealer in Russia.
Founded in 2016 by specialists with more than 10 years of experience in the culture, social, and entertainment industry, Scena is recognised for its involvement in the development of European projects, brands and theatre complexes.
“When searching for a partner, Prolyte asks a couple of important questions: can they be our friends? Can they be a part of our family? Do they share the same values of loyalty, honesty, competence, and quality? When the answer to all these questions is a yes, then we jump right into that relationship,” says Eddie Slotboom.
Nikita Safonov and Alexey Barkovski already have a high level of experience with Prolyte over many years. Slotboom adds: “We are convinced that there is an experienced team at Scena with a lot of knowledge. Henry did a gre

UAE - ARX Systems has announced that Gala Electronics will now handle the distribution of ARX products for the entire Gulf region. Appointed in 2019 as ARX distributors for the United Arab Emirates only, Gala Electronics will now expand their reach to supply Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
With a head office located in Dubai, Gala Electronics is the pro audio division for the AVISS Group of Companies and has, in a short space of time, established itself as one of the leading players for providing professional audio and video solutions in the region.
Owner of Gala Electronics, Sanjeev Singh, commented on the new agreement: “At Gala, we have vast experience in designing audio systems for all types of projects and since we took on the ARX brand last year we have been very pleased with the positive response from our market. Expanding our di

Indonesia/China - Generation AV, the company that represents Martin Audio in the APAC countries, has appointed two new distributors to target key markets in Asia.
PT Goshen Swara Indonesia has become the exclusive distributor for Indonesia, while Guangzhou Guidance AV Technology Ltd Co will add to Martin Audio’s distribution network in China.
Headquartered in Jakarta, PT Goshen is a well-established distribution company, with representation right across the country. “They are a great fit for Martin Audio as they cover all the vertical markets we work in - from touring/rental to all the installation markets,” explains Generation AV founder Dave McKinney. “PT Goshen’s MD, Cunario Suriya leads a terrific team of people, and sales director, Franky Cahyadi runs a highly motivated sales force. They have a highly capable technical team that will be able to provide

USA - A theatre lighting designer has launched a podcast to explore what it takes to financially sustain a career in the arts.
The Artistic Finance podcast is the brainchild of New York City-based LD and producer Ethan Steimel, who speaks to workers in the entertainment field on how they deal with their personal finances, addressing questions such as why some practitioners do well whilst others never break through to financial security.
“Our first interview is with Tony-award winning theatrical lighting designer Peter Kaczorowski,” says Steimel. “We learn how he came from Buffalo, New York all the way to Broadway. His career has spanned more than 40 years, and we learn what his finances looked like through it all.”
Steimel is a theatrical lighting designer from Saint Charles, Missouri, who moved to New York City in 2013. He has designed lighting for

World - The AES Virtual Vienna Convention takes place online this week (2-5 June) and the final schedule of events has been announced, including the convention’s slate of over 100 on-demand presentations being made available throughout the show.
“From full scientific research paper presentations and poster sessions, to experimentation in practical applications of breaking audio technologies outlined in Engineering Briefs and more, this year’s AES Spring Convention technical programme offers unprecedented access in an affordable format available to anyone with an internet connection,” say the organisers.
This year’s Papers programme features over 45 presentations, available on demand, covering a variety of disciplines including Audio Signal Processing, Perception and Evaluation of Audio, Spatial Audio, Loudspeakers and Microphones, Recording and Product

USA - Lighting designers Sooner Routhier, Cory FitzGerald and Travis Shirley are set to share their insight into concert and live event lighting on the 3 June Elation Hour.
Routhier counts artists like KISS, Muse, Halsey, Mötley Crüe, and Depeche Mode as clients, while FitzGerald has lit some of music’s biggest acts like Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber and Jennifer Lopez. Shirley has designed for names like Christina Aguilera, Smashing Pumpkins, Enrique Iglesias, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Linkin Park.
The session is hosted by Elation national sales manager John Dunn and global product manager Matthias Hinrichs on Wednesday, 3 June 10:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.
See how to register here.

Europe - Ayrton has announced the appointment of LiteNordic as its new exclusive distributor for Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The new arrangement takes place with immediate effect in Sweden and Denmark, and from 1 July in Norway.
Formed in January 2018, LiteNordic is a ‘young’ lighting distribution company with many years of industry experience due to its team of skilled and knowledgeable individuals. LiteNordic identifies as a Scandinavian operation with offices and sales teams in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and a comprehensive network of partners in all three countries.
“We work closely with influencers such as lighting designers for live and corporate events and installation projects,” says Espen Bechmann, LiteNordic’s sales manager for Norway. “And as Norway, Sweden and Denmark are small countries, we work alongside partners in many fields in each count

The Netherlands - punQtum B.V., specialist providers of digital communication tools for the live event and professional audio industry, has announced a series of webinars in order to communicate more effectively with potential customers as face-to-face contact continues to remain restricted for the immediate future.
Starting with an introductory session on 3 June at 11:00 CEST, followed by a session on 8 June at 11:00 CEST that explains the punQtum Expert concept and how to become one, the full schedule plus registration details can be found on the punQtum website.
The first webinar, punQtum Digital Intercom, is designed as a company overview as well as a demo of punQtum’s first product, the Q110 Beltpack. The Q110 is the first element of a larger networked intercom system that offers up to 32 party lines via standard IP networks and infrastructures. Providing

Europe - Having enjoyed a business relationship for years, Artistic Licence and Controllux have announced a formal distribution agreement for The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Founded in 1968, Controllux is a leading name in the distribution of professional lighting equipment. With many experienced staff, the company provides comprehensive supply and support for respected brands in the theatrical, broadcast & film, entertainment and architectural markets.
Artistic Licence CEO Wayne Howell comments: "Our broad range of lighting control and infrastructure products will nicely reinforce the Controllux emphasis on solutions. Both companies have been trading for many decades and bring customers the reassurance of experience, quality and reliability. Artistic Licence designs and manufactures all its own products in the UK - something that we are very proud of - an

Europe - The Performing Arts Employers Association League Europe (PEARLE) has put together a map that shows when European live performance venues will be allowed to reopen following the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions imposed across the continent.
The map, available here, has been devised based on information the Association received from its members. It will be continuously updated according to information received.
Countries that have already lifted restrictions have a green badge whilst those yet to announce any information on the resumption of live events carry a grey badge. Countries that have set out their plans on reopening venues and allowin

Australia - Exertis ProAV Australia has announced that it has been appointed to distribute the Airtame wireless screen sharing and collaboration platform in Australia and New Zealand.
“Airtame’s wireless screen sharing and Digital Signage platform creates a better environment for learning, sharing and creating together,” Exertis ProAV Australia president & CEO Kevin Kelly says. “The addition of Airtame to our portfolio of offerings means that resellers will have an innovative new communications and collaboration solution to offer their business and education customers.
“Airtame has helped more than 20,000 businesses and schools across the world cut the cables, unlock collaboration and use screens better and our team of sales professionals is going to help many more schools and enterprises do the same.”
Alongside its wireless screen sharing solutio

UK/USA - The organisers of the 2020 Knight of Illumination (KOI) Awards have announced the cancellation of both the UK and the USA events due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the entertainment industry.
The difficult decision has been reached following extensive discussions between the committees of both the UK and US versions of the KOI Awards: The Fifth Estate and KOI co-founders Durham and Jennie Marenghi, along with the ALD and STLD in the UK and Live Design/LDI in the USA.
All parties explored various possible options to secure the events, including virtual, live streamed/webcast ceremonies and postponed or scaled-back ceremonies. However, these ideas were ultimately deemed not to be viable for 2020.
KOI-UK and KOI-USA executive committee member Sarah Rushton-Read of The Fifth Estate comments: "This has been a challenging decision, given the unpredi

USA - The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) has offered a financial boost to roadie advocacy group The Clinic, the Crew Nation charity fund, and the AES.
“The impact on the live sound industry has been devastating for the business as a whole,” comments Greg Beebe, chair of the PAMA board of directors. “On the personal level, that business disruption means economic hardship for those who rely on live sound for their livelihood. Recognising the need for a helping hand for the unsung heroes of the industry, PAMA has allocated funds to help two organisations that are firmly entrenched in this sector - The Clinic and Crew Nation. We are donating $2,500 to each to target individuals in need.”
Founded by Courtney and Paul Klimson, roadie advocacy group The Clinic carries out the stated mission “to empower and heal roadies and their families by provid

The Netherlands - punQtum B.V., specialist providers of digital communication tools for the live event and professional audio industry, has today become the latest company to form part of the Ravenna community.
The move underlines punQtum’s commitment to supporting open technology standards and embracing the ongoing transition to digital IP solutions in pro audio applications.
Established in 2019, punQtum recently launched its first product: the Q110 Beltpack is the first element of a larger networked intercom system that offers up to 32 partylines via standard IP networks and infrastructures. Providing ultimate scalability, the Q110 suits systems of any size, ranging from small events requiring just two beltpacks to as many are required for large, complex systems.
Using AES67 as a solid technology cornerstone, the punQtum Intercom system integrates seamless

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