WeMakeEvents
What Is WeMakeEvents?
The WeMakeEvents campaign is an international movement to highlight that the live events sector needs support from local government to survive the Covid-19 crisis. Our focus is to get the Government initiatives to help the industry back to work while providing support until it can fully return to work: RESTART LIVE.
As a students’ union, we deliver a variety of events from club nights and gigs to theatre shows and society events, throughout the year we welcome hundreds of students and members of the public through our doors. Our venue’s doors have been closed for months on end meaning that societies, students, artists and industry workers have been left deeply affected by this.
We recognise that events are a huge part of people’s lives and houses several careers for technicians, performers, artists, promoters and hospitality staff. During this time 95% of live events have been cancelled due to Covid-19 which means artist’s tours have been postponed, societies events have been cancelled and industry workers have been left with no work.
As an organisation we stand with the official #WeMakeEvents campaign and have teamed up with societies, students and artists to deliver a weeklong campaign that supports individuals who have been affected by the closure of events by raising money to alleviate financial strain and shed light on the devastating impact it’s had.
#WeMakeEvents Performance Playlist
Cancelled:
- According to the DCMS the Cultural Sector’s value exceeds £100bn, and was the fastest growing sector in 2017.
- The outdoor events industry alone had 141.5 million visitors in 2018, spending onsite and offsite generated around £39.5 billion, which contributes £30.4 billion in GVA Events Industry Forum report 2018.
- 72% of the industry is self-employed, and the outdoor event industry alone employs around 600,000.
- Music tourism alone contributed £4.5 billion spend to the UK economy in 2018 – up 12% from £4 billion in 2017.
LUU
- Total student events cancelled between March 2019 – March 2020 – 260
- Shows cancelled from March 2020 onwards – 28
- Gigs cancelled from August 2019 – March 2020 – 48
- Club nights cancelled from August 2019 – March 2020 – 37
- Festivals cancelled or postponed from March 2020 onwards – 4
- Cancelled Fruitys from March 2020 onwards – 31
Is there any good news?
Although the last 12 months has been devastating for the live music and events industry, there is now at least some light at the end of the tunnel.
At LUU this comes in the form of a roadmap to reopening, and five sold-out Fruity events to be held later on in the year.
Despite the situation, our amazing clubs and societies haven’t let up either, organising and pulling off hundreds of distance and online events between them, and some notable societies like Tealights, Acapella and Musical Theatre even scheduled to appear at the Fringe later on in the year.
Show Your Support
In order to help some of the thousands of live events profesionals and performers across the UK, we’re helping the #WeMakeEvents campaign raise money for their chosen charity, Backup.
Their aims are simple:
“Backup commit to relieve people who have worked in the Entertainment Technology Industry for at least five years, and/or their immediate family members, who are:
- In need by reason of ill-health or injury.
- Experiencing unexpected financial distress or hardship.”
If you feel able, we’d love for you to donate to this great cause using the link below.
Skills workshop X University Career service
When: 24th March 2pm – 3pm
Are you thinking about what skills you have? Not sure where you are gaining skills or how to build up your skills?
Then come along to this Skills Workshop led by Jason Law (AHC Careers Consultant) in collaboration with Leeds University Union
We’ll talk about:
- What is a skill
- Where you are gaining skills
- What are the common skills employers want
- How to build up your skills
Artist Q&As
As well as some amazing performances and video Q&As, some of our featured artists have also put together some written Q&A features, which you can view over on our Medium blog.
