We have survived – the organizers of the event identify the current situation and forecast the future / Article

A moment of cold shower – its situation in the event organizing industry is figuratively described by Guntis Ērglis-Lācis, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Association of Event Producers (LaPPA), Director of the Institute of Ideas. Employees in the industry, who have adapted to the changing times of the pandemic, are now aware of how they have worked so far, how to work in the future, and at the same time do not hesitate a moment to implement their heart projects. There is no hope that a successful dialogue with the government will be possible if necessary.

To the question whether the event industry has survived in these difficult times, Guntis Ērglis-Lācis answers in the affirmative in the Latvian Radio program “Kultūras rondo”:

“The industry may not be as strong as it was in 2019, several people have left the industry, retrained and found a place elsewhere, but we have survived.”

The necessary support for the sector has been provided by the state aid available until 1 June.

Although the industry still exists, the situation is far from bright. Ērglis-Lācis found out about this in a recent survey of LaPPA members, where everyone was asked to compare the pre-pandemic year with the current activity, assuming that 2019 is rated 100%: “Those who are concert organizers and public events on tickets were average 35% to 100%. If we look at public events without tickets ([piemēram], city holidays), there was an average of 26% percent. It is even crazier if we look at the corporate market (customer, employee events) – here at the moment about 8% and forecasts for the fall are that it could be at zero. It should be noted that after rough surveys [korporatīvie pasākumi] is 50% of musicians, technical companies and more [citu] revenue on an annual basis. “

With this in mind, the Chairman of the LaPPA Board hopes that the survival of the event sector will be important to the country and that the dialogue with the government will continue to be successful: let’s survive.

It seems to me that the key is to realize that the moment you restrict something, forbid it, you have to think about how to compensate it right away.

Of course, there is a very good chance that someday the country will have a moment when it says – no, we will not support private culture. But then it has to be said politically, it is a political commitment. What would be the reaction of cultural workers? That, I think, would be quite loud and nasty. ”

As for the current support program, the organizers of major events have agreed that it is only available to entrepreneurs who have conscientiously paid taxes before 2019.

In communication with colleagues from other European countries, Ērglis-Lācis has concluded that the support provided by Latvia to the domestic industry in the Covid-19 crisis is relatively high.

The time of the pandemic has made event producers much quicker to decide and act. This is also forthcoming city ​​festival “Can! To be!” story – it took only six days from the idea of ​​the festival to ticket sales. This is a heart project for the festival creators.

Guntis Ērglis-Lācis, who is one of “Var! To be!” organizers reveal that musicians, in particular British band The Tiger Lillies reaching an agent before a pandemic would probably take several months, but not now. The concert in Riga, by the way, will be The Tiger Lillies’ first reunion with the audience in person since the beginning of the pandemic.

It is important that the festival “Can! To be!” can only be visited if there is a valid vaccination or disease certificate.

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