Cue the red lights.
Both The Port Theatre and The Bastion in Nanaimo are turning the lights red on Tuesday, as they join venues across Canada in an effort to highlight the impact COVID-19 has had on the live event industry.
The nation-wide Day of Visibility campaign, organized by Live Event Community, is supporting live event workers in Canada who’ve lost their livelihoods due to the ongoing pandemic.
One hour after dusk from coast-to-coast, hundreds of venues and buildings will light their exteriors or stages red to raise awareness for an industry that will likely be one of the last to recover.
In Courtenay, the Sid Williams Theatre is also participating, and in Campbell River, the Tidemark Theatre is taking part as well.
Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown, around one million Canadians worked in the live event industry which includes music, the arts, conventions, sports, and heritage.
“This grassroots movement has seemed to catch fire,” says Live Event Community co-founder Morgan Myler.
“Our goal is to ensure the government acknowledges that our industry has been uniquely impacted by the effects of COVID-19, and that it will continue to offer financial support for live event workers and companies throughout the supply chain until large gatherings are once again deemed safe and the industry comes back to life.”
Throughout the evening, images and videos will be shared across social media using the hashtags #LightUpLive / #EclaironsLesScenes to help boost visibility.
For more information and to see a list and interactive map featuring the participating venues, click here.
