Stuart WoodRival businesses and organisations in Australia have joined together to help rebuild the country’s decimated live industry.
The Live Entertainment Industry Forum is spearheaded by former Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland. The Forum will aim to produce a road map and safety protocols to set the live industry on the path to reopening.
Sutherland said the group will produce guidelines on sanitisation, crowd management, distancing, contact tracing and more. This plan will then be presented to the Australian government.
Sutherland told the Sydney Morning Herald that the live industry contributes AUD$150bn and employs more than 170,000 workers. He commented: “We are developing operating principles and minimum guidelines that can be adapted across the industry.
“We have to start somewhere and part of it is building confidence in our processes, both for government and fans. Going to an event isn’t going to be the same as it once was. We have to adapt to these circumstances as they unfold.”
The forum’s executive committee will unite rivals, including bosses from entertainment promoters TEG, Live Nation, Frontier Touring, Chugg Entertainment, Michael Cassel Group and AEG Presents.
Venues will include Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Sydney Cricket Ground, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Olympic Parks, Adelaide Oval, ASM Global and industry bodies including Venues West, Venues Live, Live Performance Australia, Venue Management Association and the Australian Festivals Association.