Please join us to focus on building connections and conversations centered around trends we’re seeing in the local and international commercial AV and lighting industries. Jands want to support New Zealand partners and customers across 2023. Your input will be most welcome at this Q&A format event.

Key Topics

• Current trends for products and solutions in 2023.
• What’s next for Jands in New Zealand.
• How Jands can support your projects.
• Jands business services.

RSVP to the event here

NZ Roadshow Mailout 2023_Invite.pdf

Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries are super excited to announce their newest and largest ship – the Connemara – has arrived!

Connemara provides all the best bits you have come to know and love from Bluebridge, including our great Kiwi service, freshly prepared food, free Wi-Fi, a dedicated kids’ area, and move private cabins with ensuite for that extra personal space.

You can book now to sail on the Connemara from 16 February. The Connemara will be replacing the Strait Feronia’s schedule so those who have a booking with us on the Feronia after this date will be sailing on our new ship. 

The Connemara also has dedicated dog-friendly cabins.  That’s right; dogs can travel onboard Connemara with their owner! . A Cook Strait first, we hope this news is as exciting for you as it is for us!

Book one of the two or four-bed dog-friendly cabins– maximum 2 dogs per cabin. Plus, travellers will also have access to the communal outside dog exercise area which is perfect for them to stretch their legs and get some fresh air.  Please note that for the safety and comfort of all passengers, dogs are not allowed in the main passenger areas of the ship (except certified assistance dogs) and all dogs must be kept on a lead when outside of the cabin. 

For more information about Connemara and the dog-friendly cabins, please go to the Connemara page on our website https://www.bluebridge.co.nz/connemara/

Some more fast facts on the Connemara are detailed below;

-             187 metres long
-             Gross Tonnage 27414
-             Up to 500 passengers
-             120 Cabins (including a few dog friendly ones)
-             Escalator access from main vehicle deck
-             Most recently operated by Brittany Ferries

It is with great sadness that ETNZ is announcing that Grant Gilbert completed his final pack out on Saturday night. Grant, a life member of ETNZ, has been a long-standing entertainment industry professional and in this time has given a lot back to the industry including serving as president of ETNZ. Our thoughts go out to his partner, Tracey, and their family.

ETNZ will start testing the membership renewals  side of the new website from today.

AGM Held today at Te Pae in Christchurch

#News

Thank you to all who contributed to our survey last week. Your responses were extremely helpful and have been used in our advocacy to the government via the letter and summary below.

Our findings show the estimated loss of revenue resultant from postponements or cancellations due to the move to RED for the period 24 January - 1 May 2022 is estimated at 85% of the revenue for our respondents over this period. For our respondents, this equates to an estimated $40 million loss.

ETNZ COVID 19 Omicron Summary PUBLISHED 2022-01-31

2022-02-01 Letter ETNZ COVID 19 Omicron RED Survey

In response to the change to Red setting, ETNZ has sent the following letter to bring to the attention of Ministers the impact this has on our membership and the wider event and entertainment sector. Our aim is to discuss and develop strategies with Government to ensure our sector is supported through this stage of the pandemic.

2022-01-27 Letter ETNZ COVID 19 Omicron RED

Please take the time to support our advocacy by providing data in this short survey to use in our next communications with Government. The survey will close on the 28th of January.

The Facility Operations Apprenticeship is for people who are building their career to take the lead in a facility operations role within an indoor or outdoor sport, arts, entertainment or recreation venue or facility.

To successfully achieve this apprenticeship you will need to be employed in a sport, art, entertainment or recreation workplace for at least a 12 month period. You may already be in a facility supervision role or your workplace has identified this as part of your development pathway.

This programme will take up to 2 years to complete 120 credits, and has a mixture of written and practical tasks (projects). These are completed and assessed online in Skills Activator – Skills Active’s learning management system. Most people will receive their training through their workplace. There will be some webinars, reference links, and learning support information online within Skills Activator that can help you.

To read more on this new qualification, visit the Skills Active web page, and remember: Skills Active apprenticeships are zero-fees until the end of 2022, under the government’s Targeted Training Fund.

The journey we began in March of this year has now come to an end, and we would like to thank all those who volunteered their time and energy to make this possible. In addition to 101 scholarships awarded, this initiative included 12 two-day workshops over the course of 3 months throughout the country to support those undertaking to complete the Level 3 qualification. This would not have been possible without assessors and facilitators donating their time and knowledge, venues donating their spaces, and the goodwill of one extremely generous donor.

Here are a few quick numbers to illustrate the success of the workshops:

• 152 participants attended the workshops
• 70 of those participants were scholarship recipients
• 19 industry practitioners acted as workshop facilitators
• 12 venues generously donated space and support

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with calls for additional workshops in the future:

• Being in a room with other like-minded people talking and learning about the things we are passionate about.
• I enjoyed the way the facilitators were able to draw information out of people in a very encouraging way. I learnt so much especially gaining an appreciation for other areas involved.
• Really enjoyed learning about H&S in a way that broke it down simply and made it easy to understand.
• Friendly and engaging tutors, all very helpful and passionate about assisting the attendees to the end goal.
• The facilitators are clearly very passionate about our industry which made the sessions fun and engaging.
• This workshop has given me the chance to expand my career in the event industry.
• I would like to show my personal appreciation to those facilitating the workshop, great people with the future of the industry at heart.
• Thank you can’t wait for the next course.

We fully appreciate that most of us are struggling through the effects of this pandemic and it is truly heartwarming to see how everyone has chipped in to donate time, venues, and knowledge despite the situation. Over the coming months, keep an eye on our social media for stories on the experiences of our scholarship recipients.