#WeMakeEvents

Our involvement in the recent WeMakeEvents protest in the centre of Bristol, was a landmark moment for the city, highlighting a very real threat posed to our industry. 

Bristol is a creative city but during the last year, we haven’t seen much of the artistic and creative spirit that our home city is renowned for.

During the WeMakeEvents protest on Monday 12th October, we stood alongside 200 fellow event professionals from multiple sectors of the industry to support the tens of thousands of people in this city who make and create events.

The Bristol Beacon and the O2 Academy were lit up red, with Utopium and Evans Audio providing the installation for the event. It was also great to see Ashton Gate Stadium lit up red in support of the protest.

As a creative hub, Bristol is a leading light in the events industry. It is home to thousands of events and festivals of all shapes and sizes, as well as tens of thousands of event professionals who ply their trade all over the world.

As a cultural destination, Bristol hosts some of the largest and most significant events in Europe. The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Bristol Harbour Festival,  Upfest, Encounters Film Festival, St Pauls Carnival. These are hugely popular events, not only with Bristolians but provide a major tourism economy.

Hundreds of thousands of people visit Bristol each year. To enjoy it’s events, to visit its museums and eat at its restaurants. It’s been estimated that Bristol’s events and culture scene bring around £300 million per year to the city.

Now, at a time of public health crisis, these industries cannot just be abandoned, these people cannot be forgotten. This pandemic will pass, sooner or later, but what we cannot allow is for it to take our industry with it.

It is crucial that the events industry, not just here in Bristol but across the country, receives the appropriate financial and governmental protections, because without it… we’re all going to be worse off.

Images: Paul Box