#WEMAKEEVENTS – RED ALERT INITIATIVE

This year, in the early morning hours of March 8th, it was typically crowded in front of Arena Zagreb. Typically since it is not uncommon after a big live event, such as the one we did the night before, to be followed by a load out and the return of all equipment to the warehouses. A few trucks, and a lot of hard-working people who, although they don’t remember when they last slept, unpack the equipment and load the cases. Everyone is tired but also fulfilled because behind us there is another spectacular live event. Morale is also being raised by the first media releases in the style of "impeccable vocals supported by the best production conditions". It is hard to explain this combination of fatigue, adrenaline, and pleasure to someone who does not do this job. Or it is not?

Anyone who does the work they love with dedication sees a great result of the work, time, and effort invested - such is also the job of people from the event industry. Every live event, from the smallest to the largest, has something in common. There is one hidden part of this live mechanism without which the production as a whole and the whole live event would not be possible - they are people who stand "behind the curtains" and create a wow effect. These are professionals, talented people, fully committed to their work - audio engineers, lighting designers, video masters, system designers, loudspeaker technicians, video technicians, lighting technicians, backline technicians, stage builders, energy technicians, riggers, deminers, stagehands, runners, roadies, stage managers, production and hospitality managers, directors, logistics coordinators, promoters, caterers, drivers, etc.

Although it may seem different at first, the work of these people is far from glamorous. Hours and hours of work, lack of sleep, sleeping on cases or in a hammock under the stage/ in a van, working in the rain, in the wind, during day and night, on weekends and holidays. A large amount of stress should be added to this list due to deadlines, and once everything starts, there is no room for a mistake and repetition. However, what keeps and drives us all, and why all this is worth, is the end product that usually lasts only for a few hours but draws the audience out of their daily lives, provides them with entertainment, drives their emotions, and remains forever in their memories as an unforgettable experience.

That hard work, but also the adrenaline that drives us, represented an average working day for 2,000 business entities, and us 12,000 employees who make the event industry in Croatia. The event industry in Croatia generates 4.5 billion HRK in turnover annually, and due to the pandemic, it stopped completely overnight - as in the rest of the world. We are the industry that first experienced a complete closure, and we will be the last to fully launch again. Months of stagnation are already behind us, and experts predict that it will take at least another 6 months (up to a year) before major live events are relaunched. There is no income, losses are increasing, bills are piling up, stress is growing, and - the worst - hope is being lost. We cannot do what we love and what we are best at. Our special knowledge and skills, valued in the event industry, outside of it do not mean much.

The moment has come when we, the people "behind the curtains" of live events, need to stand in front of it and be loud! We are here and we need help and support. Without that help and support, now and immediately, the question is whether we will still be there when the bigger live events start again, when people will be able to enjoy unique and unforgettable experiences again.

That is why we are joining the global Red Alert initiative - #wemakeevents (http://www.wemakeevents.org/), under which thousands of locations around the world will be illuminated in red color on September 1st, including Croatian two most famous concert arenas – in Zagreb and Pula. This way, we want to raise awareness towards the Government of the Republic of Croatia, but also to the general public, on the situation we are facing.

No live event would be a spectacle without the audience, participants who give that last note and emotion. Now we need you to be our voice, our strength, our lobbyists.

Whether you work in the event industry or you simply love live events - support us, join the initiative, post a dear photo from an unforgettable live event; color it in red, share it with hashtags #RedAlertRESTART and #WEMAKEEVENTS.

Help us to survive so that one day, hopefully soon, we can provide you that unforgettable live event experience once again.

Promo logistika team