Turn On The Red Light - #RedAlertRESTART
When the lights go down and the show is about to begin there is an energy that cannot be properly described in words. It's a vibration that so many of us have been craving throughout this quarantine - regardless of whether your place is on stage or in the crowd. That fulfilling feeling that arises when the speakers start to rumble, the crowd starts to cheer and the show lights start flashing. It is as though you are transported into another world - a world where you forget about everything except for the performance in front of you.
The Yucca Tap Room in Tempe, Arizona, bathed in red light on September 1 as part of #RedAlertRESTART campaign (Emma Jaye)
And when you leave the venue that night, it is clear that you will remember that performance for years to come. But you won’t always remember how it came to be. You don’t always think about who made it possible for you to see your favorite artist. Why? Because they’re meant to be invisible.
Many workers in the entertainment industry live by the quote “If we are doing our job right, you don’t see us.” There is a long list of these “invisible workers” who are crucial to making sure that you have the time of your life while they stay in the shadows. But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t having the time of their life behind-the-scenes. In fact, most industry workers have chosen this career path because it is a dream that they have fought tirelessly to make come true. Most of them have fought tooth and nail, perfected their craft by experience and/or degree, climbed the ladder, and have sacrificed more than you can imagine getting where they are today. In the blink of an eye, it's all been taken away. But now it is time for them to visible - the industry depends on it.
According to the PLSN/FOH Covid-19 Entertainment Technology Economic Impact Survey, “Since March 2020, 95% of live events have been canceled due to COVID-19, 77% of the people in our industry have lost 100% of their income, including 97% of 1099 workers, 96% of companies have cut staff and/or wages, businesses are failing under a lack of income and economic pressure and the supply chain has completely devastated under the weight of cancellations and unknown futures." For an industry that employs over 12 million people and contributes over $1 trillion annually to the US economy, it is easy to see how devastating this is to both the establishments AND the workers. This is why #WeMakeEvents North America has come together as a coalition of trade bodies, businesses, unions, and live events workers to raise awareness and advocate for the live events sector during the pandemic.
Inspired by the inaugural #RedAlert event in the United Kingdom on August 11, where over 700 buildings/structures “put on the red light” to stand in solidarity, it was time to bring awareness to an international status. On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, over 1,600 buildings across North America were bathed in red to raise both public and media awareness about the severe economic crisis of the live events industry. From residences to business, iconic structures to local favorites - the color red illuminated cities from coast to coast from 9:00 pm until midnight. The goal of this event #RedAlertRESTART is to urge U.S. Congress to vote for the RESTART Act, which stands for “Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards A Recovery in Twenty-Twenty”. This act will provide much-needed relief for industries whose expenses far exceed the payroll restrictions put in place by the PPP (Payroll Protection Program). This act will support the efforts of ExtendPUA.org by pushing for an extension and expansion of PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance) benefits for ineligible workers, such as freelancers, independent contractors, and self-employed workers. It will also fight for an extension of the $600 FPUC (Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation) as part of a comprehensive pandemic relief package. In fewer words, this Act can save our stages and those who inhabit them.
Supporters of the #RedAlertRESTART event were able to view photos and videos, no matter what city they were in, by scrolling through the "We Make Events North America" Facebook page. In hopes of taking over social media platforms, WeWeMakeEvents.org has asked supporters to share their photos from the event, along with their own red-tinted photos. There is a photo-editing link on their website that will filter any photo that you upload, varying from your favorite venue, your own job in the live events industry, or a memory from your favorite live event. You are given a pre-made caption to post along with your photo that reads, “ #RedAlertRESTART: The live events we love may never recover from the pandemic, we need to take action! Take 2 minutes to contact your representatives here, and post a red photo of you at your favorite event, too: https://wemakeevents.org #WeMakeEvents #ExtendPUA .” The biggest call to action for supporters is to contact your representatives directly from their website. They have mentioned that it only takes two minutes, but that those two minutes can save the entire life of an industry.
