When the world shut down in March due to COVID-19, we heard a daunting refrain: “Live entertainment will be the first to go, and the last to come back.” For many in our industry, it felt like a death knell. While festivals, events, and artists pivoted to a digital approach, the live sector continued to suffer. According to one report, as many as 75% of performing arts workers lost their job come October.
By the fall, however, solutions were on the horizon here in the Maritimes. With low case numbers staying steady (thanks in large part to the Atlantic Bubble), gathering limits increased, and a path to live events wasn’t only possible, it was once again viable.
We jumped into action. Partnering with local businesses, industry workers, and sponsors, we hosted incredibly successful events across Nova Scotia including three sold-out concerts with Dave Sampson at the Halifax Marriott Habourfront, and book launches for Peace By Chocolate’s Tareq Hadhad and author Jon Tattrie at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 and the Antigonish Farmers' Market.
Here are some things we learned about event production in the COVID era.
1. ADAPTATION & FLEXIBILITY ARE ESSENTIAL
Every little piece of production has to be re-thought. From ticketing, to room layout, to merch setup, you have to be ready to adapt everything you know about events for this new reality. Public health protocols are the first priority, and they need to inform each decision, no matter how big or small. Sometimes these guidelines change on a dime, so being flexible and maintaining an attitude that allows you to roll with the punches is crucial.
Early on in your planning process, take some time to zoom out. Developing a big-picture view of all the pieces that come together and applying a COVID lens to every single component will help you identify pressure points and design solutions as needed.
2. CLEAR COMMUNICATION MUST BE BUILT IN AT EVERY STEP
Introducing brand new structures to events means you have to develop a robust communications strategy. The concerts we organized looked a lot different than usual shows. Tickets were only available in blocks – tables of 4, 6, 8, or 10. Arrival times were staggered, and groups needed to arrive together. Tables also had to wait their turn to leave at the end. Before a sale can even happen, the audience needs to know about all of these changes. Clear, concise instructions must not only be delivered, but repeated. From direct emails, to the copy in your Facebook event, to reminder messaging, be up front about what is expected of your patrons and what they should expect from you.
Despite the new structures, you also want the audience to have fun! Your communications should strike that delicate balance of being informative and inviting. Remind people that you are following all the necessary public health guidelines so they can feel safe at your event. Taking that stress off their shoulders makes for a more enjoyable night out.
3. COLLABORATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS
Though the entire live sector is adjusting and reassessing every little piece of the events puzzle, we don’t have to do it alone. Working with partners not only helps divvy up some of the workload, it also brings professionals with specific expertise to the table. While ‘traditional’ venues remained shuttered, we turned to a hotel to host our concert series. As a previous partner for past events, we tapped into that existing relationship and sought their input on how best to run a show in their establishment. We also engaged local sponsors who helped get the word out about the shows and hired local techs to manage sound, lights, and stage design. Each aspect was handled by a dedicated team and we came together to complete the whole puzzle.
Throughout, we also drew on the expertise of other industry professionals navigating the same waters and committed to sharing our knowledge across the sector. As we re-learn and readjust to the challenges we face, it’s important to understand that we’re all in this together.
4. THE PUBLIC WANTS THIS
After months of lockdowns, quarantining, and watching events on their screens, people really craved live entertainment. They wanted to feel music in their bones, they wanted to laugh with their friends, and they wanted to feel some sense of normalcy again.
Yes, it was important for us to get back to work, and to get artists back on stages, but that wouldn’t be possible if we couldn’t sell tickets. We were thrilled, but not surprised, that people showed up in a big way to support live events.
5. IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE
Producing an event in the midst of a global pandemic is challenging, but it’s not impossible. You have to be willing to reframe what you know about the industry and tap into your creativity to make it happen. By staying on top of guidelines issued by public health, working with strategic partners to harness their expertise, and testing the public appetite for larger-scale events, we were able to bring live entertainment back to life across the province.
Make no mistake, we are lucky to be based in Atlantic Canada. The diligence of our people, our government, and our protocols created an atmosphere in which this was possible. We know it may not always be this way. In fact, right now it’s still not. As a second wave began to surge, gathering limits were reduced, public health guidelines increased, and live events were once again back burnered.
In the face of this, however, we remain optimistic. We have overcome seemingly insurmountable circumstances before and – with the knowledge, experience, and skills learned over the last year – we will be ready to do it all over again when the time comes.
Stephanie Purcell is the founder and agent at VOX Agency: www.voxagency.ca