Go LIVE Together, a new coalition of 80 founding partners—representing more than 4,000 companies with U.S. operations—have joined forces to “support legislative actions that will aid the industry’s recovery from COVID-19,” according to the group’s announcement.
The coalition is “bound together by the belief that nothing in the world will ever replace the power and need for trade shows and live events,” according to the Go LIVE Together announcement. CI’s parent company, Emerald, is a member of the coalition.
Go LIVE Together “represents a coalition of leaders and businesses that comprise a diverse, valuable and vibrant live events ecosystem,” the group’s announcement says. [related]
“We have assembled this coalition to ensure our voices are heard, and our concerns are addressed in local, state and federal relief and stimulus funding related to COVID-19,” the Go LIVE Together announcement says.
“Events serve as a massive incubator for innovation and economic growth,” the announcement says. “Advocating for recovery funding will be essential – not only to the events industry – but to the healing and recovery efforts of the global economy.
Among the Go LIVE Together findings:
- The live events industry contributes more than $1 trillion to the U.S. economy, driving and supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, ingenuity and job creation.
- The industry employs millions of employees, union workers, entertainers and independent contractors.
- Live events “create marketplaces that enable small businesses to become big businesses.”
- The industry brings together medical professionals and scientists from around the world to share discoveries, research and more; events literally help to save lives.
The live events industry contributes about $1.1 trillion in U.S. gross production and the decimation of the space has affected about 6.6 million jobs and led to losses of up to $130 billion contributed to federal, state, and local taxes.
“Protecting our industry means protecting a key contributor to both the economy and the human spirit,” says the Go LIVE Together announcement. “In a time when we can’t be together, it’s important to remember what it means to share those face-to-face connections and celebrate what events can accomplish.”
