LUCY NOBLE National Arenas Association chair and Royal Albert Hall artistic director
After nearly two years of the pandemic , do you believe anything positive has come out of it ? The LIVE Group has been a really positive outcome of the pandemic . We are now working together on industry-wide issues which go further than Covid . There are a series of different committees within the LIVE group which are all undertaking important work to cover equality , diversity and inclusion , sustainability , issues around Brexit , and more . I chair the venues sub-committee and as venue
operators we have all found that meeting extremely valuable . For the first time we have a committee that represents nearly all the UK-based music venues . As a result , the music industry has a voice with DCMS that we didn ’ t at the start of the pandemic .
What are the biggest opportunities for the sector in 2022 and subsequent years ? It ’ s crucial that the sector both reflects and attracts modern Britain . That means an eclectic , forwardlooking and progressive events programme that both satisfies our existing audiences and enables us to build new ones . I think there ’ s a chance to remind the world just what live events are all about and why they are so special – particularly amid the drudgery and sameness of pandemic life , they represent an escape .
CHRIS JOHNSON Shambala festival co-founder and Vision : 2025 chair
What are the biggest opportunities for the sector in 2022 and subsequent years ? There is momentum after COP26 , and the seeds are truly sown for real action in 2022 with the LIVE Green Vision , Green Code of Conduct , Music Climate PACT , Vision : 2025 and Race to Zero all providing frameworks and impetus . This is the year when absolutely every organisation has to measure its carbon footprint and get a net zero strategy in place . Battery technology and smart energy monitoring systems will be rapidly adopted over the next year or two , accelerated by events looking to save fuel as red diesel fuel duty relief comes to an end in March .
“ I think there ’ s a chance to remind the world just what live events are all about and why they are so special .”
– Lucy Noble
MICHAEL KILL Night Time Industries Association CEO
What will be the biggest challenges for the industry in 2022 , and what measures would you like to see taken to tackle them ? The biggest challenge for the industry is uncertainty . Given the affordable or limited cover against Covid lockdown or loss , it has affected event organisers in terms of financial planning and risk . We are also subject to a government narrative that has created a resonating concern around social gatherings or events which are presented as no-shows or reduced numbers pre-Christmas . The Government needs to have a long-term strategy for dealing with Covid variants which will allow for a sustainable trading period for events to take place , the stop-start strategy has been catastrophic for the events sector given the event cycle , the level of planning and timeline required .
What are the biggest opportunities for the sector in 2022 and subsequent years ? Following the devastation , described almost as the five stages of grief , we are emerging from this pandemic with a focus on opportunity . Across many sectors this is being viewed as a ground zero moment , where we have an opportunity to address sustainability , inclusion , mental health and work on futureproofing our sector , but also focus on ensuring we have a strong representation at central government level to develop our industry ' s political voice for the future .
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