ICONIC buildings and venues across Wales lit up in red as part of a UK-wide day of action highlighting the urgent government help the sector needs during the covid-19 crisis.

The live events industry across the UK came together, at 9pm on Tuesday, August 11 to host a series of creative action to help save the live events and entertainment sector which is on the verge of collapsing without financial support from the government.

Welsh venues and sites that turned red included the Hood Road tunnel and Small Space theatre, Barry, the Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Cardiff Castle, Principality Stadium, Cardiff City Hall, New Theatre, St David’s Hall, Chapter, Wales Millennium Centre, venues in Womanby Street, USW Atrium, Dolman Theatre, and the ICC Wales.

Hundreds of venues were expected to turn their lights red in more than 20 cities across the UK to symbolise the industry going into Red Alert.

In Wales, in excess of 50 venues and events businesses signed up to turn red to stress the need for support.

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A large collective from the industry made up of trade bodies, businesses, freelancers and venue staff, currently on furlough, gathered in groups of no more than 30 in front of each venue to support the #WeMakeEvents #LightItInRed campaign.

Sarah Hemsley-Cole, director of SC Productions Ltd, an events production company based in Cardiff said: “Covid-19 has had a devastating effect on the live events and arts sector here in Wales, not only our theatres, but our touring shows, stadium shows, live music venues and outdoor arts have been decimated by the pandemic.

“The ecosystem of our creative industry – skilled professional such as technicians, designers, actors, performers, musicians and suppliers are now fighting for survival.

"In Wales alone there are in excess of 7000 individuals employed within the creative industries, and with the governments furlough scheme ending in October, and with no sense of a time line when events and venues can re-open – many are being forced in to poverty debt and despondency.

“With no timeline or criteria having been issued by the Welsh Government for their administration of the cultural recovery fund, unlike the Welsh Arts Council who have released their timeline for applications, this delay will leave the whole industry extremely vulnerable and at risk of extinction.

“We urgently need the financial support across the creative industries extended, we need support now in order to support anyone and everyone from falling through the cracks, and we need grants not loans for the supply chain.

“All live events, including sporting events, provide both a massive part of many people’s social calendar and a huge amount of employment.

“The call to action hopes to raise awareness for over a million professionals at risk of losing their jobs, 600,000 of whom deliver outdoor events, around 70 per cent of the workforce are freelance.

“The imminent closure of the self-employed income support scheme at the end of the month threatens their livelihood.

“Unlike other industries, events, festivals, and performances have been unable to safely reopen due to social distancing guidance and may not reopen until early 2021 – and opening times keep being pushed back.

“With no government support on the horizon for the event supply chain, redundancies have already begun, research indicates that 25 per cent of companies will have served redundancy notices by end of August, this rises to 70 per cent by the end of December.

Cardiff Motorpoint Arena managing director, Phil Sheeran added: “This isn’t just about our venues and the staff specifically associated with them.

“Nor just about the companies directly involved in live events.

“This is also about the hotels and their staff where fans stay pre and post concerts.

“Restaurants, bars and pubs where for lots of concert goers the evening begins.

“Taxis, bus companies, trains and even airlines.

“Probably every business in a city like Cardiff benefits in some way or another from the economic impact of the live events industry at whatever venue size you can think of.

“The risk is huge for many, many people and sectors.

“We need to get back to work without restrictions.

“If that cannot happen then the support mechanisms like furlough, grants – not loans, and an extension to the self-employment scheme must be continued.”

More details can be found on the event Facebook page Wales - We Make Events/https://www.plasa.org/we-make-events/

Also, tweet #newtheatrecardiff and Facebook @newtheatrecdf