Tomorrow night sees some of the country’s top music talent perform a special concert in support of Minding Creative Minds and the Association of Irish Stage Technicians (AIST) Hardship Fund, two organisations that are providing vital support during a dire time for our industry.
Live Broadcast on RTÉ2, RTÉ 2FM and RTÉ Player
Saturday July 25, 2020, 8.30pm – 10.45pm
Presented by EPIC & RTÉ, Songs from An Empty Room is a night of epic performances with a host of Irish artists in venues across Ireland. Hosted by RTÉ 2FM’s Jenny Greene and Eoghan McDermott, this music TV event will support two fantastic live events industry initiatives – Minding Creative Minds and the Association of Irish Stage Technicians (AIST) Hardship Fund. Tune into RTÉ2, RTÉ 2FM or RTÉ Player on Saturday July 25th from 8.30pm for Songs from An Empty Room, broadcast from much-loved, and much-missed, venues around the country: The Olympia Theatre, Dublin; Cyprus Avenue, Cork; Dolans, Limerick; INEC, Killarney; Róisín Dubh, Galway.
Songs from An Empty Room will be an unmissable show, a memorable, poignant and historic night of Irish music in these extraordinary times. In addition to providing an incredible night of entertainment, the broadcast will also feature fascinating insights from behind the scenes of Ireland’s event industry and the exceptional people who come together to make our extraordinary live events happen.
Live events continue through wars, they raise money for famine, they raise the spirits of a nation in times of need and provide a focus in times of celebration. Never, in the history of staging live performances and events, has there been such a sudden and total cessation of work in Ireland, as happened on the 12th of March 2020. Currently, throughout the country, festival fields and event sites are deserted, theatre seats await an audience and music venues are empty. We hope that in sitting rooms around the country, audiences will tune in and become the support act that the live events industry needs right now.
There are huge challenges facing the live events industry due to the cancellation and postponement of all mass gatherings, festivals, concerts, theatrical productions, sports events, trade shows and community gatherings. Ireland’s event businesses and crews have lost their income, with no current roadmap to recovery as long as Covid-19 continues to present a significant public health risk.
However, the show must go on! In addition to providing an incredible night of entertainment, the aim of the broadcast is to help raise awareness for the live events industry as a whole and the number of individuals and businesses impacted. All funds raised will support the following two event industry resources:
Minding Creative Minds
Minding Creative Minds is a 24/7, free wellbeing and support programme for event industry professionals and contractors including production, lighting and sound engineers, site crew, event control, musicians, songwriters and artist managers. MCM provides free counselling services, in addition to free financial, legal and career advice for events industry personnel.
Association of Irish Stage Technicians (AIST) Hardship Fund
AIST.ie Hardship Fund is available to members and non-members who work in any crew related role in the Irish live events industry. The fund is managed and distributed by AIST.
How to support:
Audiences at home will be directed to the website Songs From An Empty Room and will be able to show support by donating via text (txt SONGS to 50300 to donate €4) or through the initiative’s GoFundMe Page. Branded crew merchandise will also be available to purchase through the website with all proceeds from these sales going to the initiative.
Songs From An Empty Room will be broadcast live on RTÉ2 & RTÉ 2FM, Saturday July 25, 2020, 8.30pm – 10.45pm. The show will also be available on the RTÉ Player.
See www.songsfromanemptyroom.com for full details.
#SongsFromAnEmptyRoom #WeAreTheSupportAct
