After 6 months of a complete lack of business and since we do not have an end date to this terrible situation, the Event industry had to raise its voice. It is one of the most vulnerable and it is being completely ignored by the Government. Here in Spain and internationally.
The “new normal” after a complete lockdown has not allowed us to start our activity again as the general fear of the virus transmission, the travel limitations (frontiers closed, quarantines post-trips in some countries, threats of new regional lockdowns, …) all the drastic capacity reductions and security measures, and the inability to forecast the situation in the next months/year, have made it impossible for us to even receive enquiries that would give us hope for the near future.
The point here is to raise awareness through the media so the Government and the corresponding ministries (labour, Finance, industry, etc…) start setting up urgent measures that will help our industry to survive and reduce the damages this situation is causing .
This movement known as #redalert or #wemakeevents is creating a sectoral committee to define and demand the specific needs there are at the moment. How?
- Defining exactly who the components and victims in the events industry are so they can be helped accordingly.
- Creating a unique platform for all the industry members to express themselves.
- Taking action such as the mobilisation of September the 17th, in the most peaceful and respectful way of the sanitary measures.
Every person, company, association, organization is welcome to join the movement and sign up to the adherent directory on the website: https://alertarojaeventos.com/
The requirements are quite clear although some of them may have to be modified as the situation changes through the weeks. They are classified according to the specific situation of the industry members. Here are some examples:
- Extension of the government allowance due to activity complete cessation for the self-employed.
- Government allowance for the industry’s companies’ employees.
- Extension of the force majeure “ERTEs” and complete extension for companies to National Insurance Contributions.
- And so much more.
Let’s just hope this has a positive impact and the Government finally sees how this industry is one of the most affected by this terrible pandemic, and most likely one of the last to return to the “real normal”.
