FestivalandEventProduction.com Presents: Industry Insights

In this episode, we give updates on all of the excellent progress our industry has seen so far in the spring of 2021, including new job postings, festival confirmations, and vaccine numbers. 

Then we sit down with our special guest, April Harbour of LEO Events, and we talk about how she and her company adapted last year, the state of the industry right now, and what they're working on for the rest of 2021. 

The episode concludes with a special mention of Musically Fed, a wonderful non-profit organization dedicated to helping curb hunger by partnering with events, festivals, and concerts to redistribute any unused food.

Join Mike as he talks with Tami Richter, Director of Event Staffing and Resources for SXSW and a member of the board of directors for the Event Safety Alliance, as she talks about how SXSW and ESA have adapted to focus on virtual events in 2021.

This week's episode also focuses on positive updates for future 2021 festivals, recent experiences of event industry professionals working together to help distribute emergency food and water after Texas' winter storm, and a spotlight on the Austin Animal Center, a no-kill non-profit animal shelter where several types of volunteer opportunities are generally available.

How Political Events Adapted With the Pandemic & New Safety Measures

In episode four of Industry Insights, we give updates on various financial aid options, the Super Bowl halftime show and how they made the most of the pandemic restrictions, and additional certification courses you can take, including becoming a Certified Meeting Professional or a Certified Special Events Professional.  

Next, we welcome the dynamic duo of John Liipfert and Jennifer Larus to our podcast, who have been producing events and festivals for almost two decades, with a focus on high-profile political events. Together, they have helped oversee both Obama Inaugurations as well as helping with the most recent Inauguration, where they were on the management team for the Field of Flags installation on the National Mall.     

We cover how they were able to adjust once the pandemic hit, how they made their 2020 political events COVID-Safe, and go into detail on what it was like working the Inauguration with the extra security measures.     

Finally, we end this episode with our highlighted non-profit: We Are Blood. Started in 1951, WAB is the provider and protector of the Central Texas Blood supply. They serve over 40 hospitals and medical facilities in a 10 county area. While giving blood is always something needed in virtually every community, the need is heightened by COVID, especially for COVID-19 Plasma (for those who have had COVID). But Whole Blood (normal blood donation), Platelet, and Double Red Cell donations are needed just as urgently.

In episode three of Industry Insights, we give updates on 2021 festivals, new COVID guidelines, and some new training options. 

Next, we bring on film, tv, event, and festival industry veteran Jeannette Gregor to our show.  We focus on how she was able to take charge and help bring significant financial relief to Austin's live music venues during the pandemic, and how you can create your own rallies if your community hasn't been able to help our industry out yet.

We close this episode with a look at The Other Ones, a groundbreaking non-profit organization based in Austin that has helped our area's homeless population earn a living, help clean up the city, and even find permanent housing in some cases.  

With host Mike Hanley, this second episode of Industry Insights will dive into the ways COVID has changed the risk management landscape for any sort of gathering, and what we think may lie ahead.

Mike begins with a few industry updates, including a mention of free mental health webinars.

Then we have a comprehensive discussion of how an industry veteran created and evolved their risk management services to include COVID-19 testing, vaccination, compliance at events and film shoots, and more.   Scott Davidson, Founder and President of Code 4, will also speak about what he's seeing at current festivals, and what he thinks events and festivals may be able to do this year, and what it may take to see them be produced successfully and safely.

This episode wraps with a highlighted non-profit that you can volunteer for, Habitat for Humanity.

Join your host, Mike Hanley, for the inaugural episode of FestivalandEventProduction.com Presents: Industry Insights. 

On this episode, Mike will be talking about some event industry updates,  as well as speaking with former Talent Buyer and Kids Area Producer, Sarah George, on how she has pivoted out of the live events industry during the pandemic and keeps her positive attitude going strong as she continues into 2021.  The episode ends with some information on how to put your event skills to work as a volunteer, with the Central Texas Food Bank highlighted as an example.

Industry Insights is a recurring podcast that dives into specific areas of event and festival production.