Thought Leaders Think Ahead: Barrie Marshall, Heather Lowery, Dennis Arfa, Dayna Frank, Dan Rogers (Part 2)

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BARRIE MARSHALL
Founder, Marshall Arts

In terms of scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis’ challenges and impact on your business?
There is nothing to compare this Pandemic to.  Apart from 6 theatre shows with Susan Boyle, we have had to cancel or postpone ALL our live shows this year.  Disappointingly, we had to cancel Paul McCartney’s sold-out tour which should have ended in Glastonbury for their 50th Anniversary. We also had to cancel 2 dates with Little Mix.

We lost shows with Elton John, Lionel Richie, Celine Dion, Herbie Hancock, Al Di Meola and moved these concerts into 2021 or 2022.
This did have a big impact on our business as it was looking like one of our biggest years for some time.
Our challenge is to hold the key members of the team together and protect those staff into 2021.
 
What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges?
We have taken the time to reconsider ticket pricing, staffing and additional costs for cleaning and better preparation for all our future concerts to try and meet all the challenges of the Pandemic.  We are also taking into account that we will have lost some experienced people in theatres, arena and stadia Worldwide.
 
With vaccinations reportedly on the near horizon, better testing technology, accrediting organizations, industry sanitization and safety protocols being established, a new Presidential administration and more, when and how do you anticipate the industry coming back?
We have high regard and the ultimate respect for the amazing way the scientists and medical professions have tackled this virus and would seem so quickly to have come up with medically-approved vaccines.  Priorities being for the frontline medical staff, care homes, key workers etc.

We have one of our key executives, Craig Stanley, dedicated to working on behalf of the CPA, LIVE and the Arenas, Stadia, Theatres, Health and Safety Authorities and individual personnel to raise funds for the Industry and establish how these funds can best be implemented.  It has been a sharp learning curve and has served to consolidate the interests of everyone and to raise the standards of everything we do – to serve the Artists and the public.  We have been preparing for Brexit but are waiting to learn whether the negotiators have reached a deal.  This is also going to require a lot of preparation and thought around the World – and in particular with our neighbours in Europe.  Overall costs will definitely increase and ticketing will have to be really carefully thought through – given that so many have lost their livelihoods as a direct result of the Pandemic.  The positive news is the enthusiasm of both the audience and the Artist to get together as soon as possible and enjoy themselves once again.

POLLSTAR YEAR-END HUB HERE

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HEATHER LOWERY
Founder/CEO, Femme It Forward

In terms of scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis’ impact on your business and the biggest challenges?
2020 was a metamorphic year for us as it forced us to change the way we connect, but it also gave us the time and space to focus on other pillars of our business. Our biggest challenge is not being able to deliver intimate live experiences, but gathering is such an important part of our society’s fabric and culture and we can’t wait to get back to doing what we love.
 
What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges?  
As we continue to celebrate, educate, and empower women, and give them a platform to share their voices on and off stage, we’ve adapted despite the current crisis, pivoted to the digital space, and built impactful programs for music fans. We’ve launched a number of programs to fuel this mission such as the Revolutionary Reads book club that’s designed to educate and empower women of color and allies, helped produce the female battles for Verzuz with Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Monica, Brandy, Keyshia Cole and Ashanti, and most recently announced Next Gem Femme, a mentorship program that will open doors for hundreds of young women.
 
With vaccinations reportedly on the near horizon, better testing technology, accrediting organizations, industry sanitization and safety protocols being established, a new Presidential administration and more, when and how do you anticipate the industry coming back?
I’m not worried about when, because once we do, we will guaranteed be bigger, better, and stronger than ever.

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DENNIS ARFA
Founder/Chairman, Artist Group International

In terms of scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis, its impact on your business and the biggest challenge (or challenges) our industry faces?
We all hemorrhaged a lot of money. Some more than others, but everyone lost money in the live business.  Fortunately, we were able to retain our entire staff throughout the year and we are looking forward to our team continuing with us when times get better.
 
What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges?  
 The virus has altered the live business environment,  which will also create some new opportunities.    We’re looking for further expansion as we did this year with the John Jackson-K2 deal.  
 
With vaccinations reportedly on the near horizon, better testing technology, accrediting organizations, industry sanitization, safety protocols a new Presidential administration and more, when and how do you anticipate the industry coming back?
I think we start in the summer and we’ll be in full bloom by 2022. I think once people start getting vaccines, the mindset is going to change.  It’s no longer a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

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DAYNA FRANK
President, National Independent Venue Association; President/CEO, First Avenue Productions

In terms of scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis’ challenges and impact on your business?
I don’t think our industry has faced a crisis this extreme before – complete shutdown lasting more than a year, on a few hours notice. While we were gearing up for our busiest season, nonetheless. I think the only apt description is … WTF?

What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges?
One silver lining is working together with independents across the country, advocating for our mutual survival. We had a lot of friends, but never really had an opportunity to collaborate before. Now, we find ourselves talking all day every day. So I would say solidarity, mutual admiration, respect and support, and advocacy of course is our strategy.

 With vaccinations reportedly on the near horizon, better testing technology, accrediting organizations, industry sanitization and safety protocols being established, a new Presidential administration and more, when and how do you anticipate the industry coming back?
Whenever and however it comes back, the independents will be ready and stronger than ever!

Courtesy Opry Entertainment –

DAN ROGERS
EVP/GM, Grand Ole Opry

In terms of scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis’ challenges and impact on your business
From a short-term financial perspective, the Opry’s 2020 quickly went from what should have been a record year to, like almost all entities in the industry, an incredibly difficult one I could have never imagined. When I look to the future, however, I have no doubt 2020 will have driven a number of positive long-term results. For one, the Opry and Circle Network have been seen by more fans worldwide than ever before, no doubt driving future demand in ways we have not recently seen. Having worked through 2020 alongside artists and connecting them with our fans will also have a long-term positive impact. Beyond data points and quantitative analysis, I truly believe that when our industry looks back on 2020 through a historic lens, it will be seen as a time when, as frequent Opry performer Charlie Worsham shared with me recently, “The Opry’s critical presence at the heart of country music shone brightly.”
 
What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges?
Our first work in the earliest days of the pandemic was to ensure the Grand Ole Opry, which has been bringing great entertainment to fans on Saturday nights for 95 years, would not miss a broadcast, but rather serve as a beacon for both fans and our industry. Almost simultaneously, our strategies began to include widening the show’s distribution through livestreaming and the Opry’s new network, Circle Television, to showcase the Opry and the artists on its stage to a larger audience than ever before.

Within a day of having paused shows with a live audience in the Opry House, fans across the country and around the world who were sheltering in place could watch the Opry on their televisions, computers, and smart phones. Within a couple of weeks we would reach audiences between two and five million  watching each livestream, with millions more tuning in via Circle and radio. From that one-hour show has grown significant shoulder programming that has served to connect artists with the Opry and fans in unique ways during a time when such a connection has often been otherwise very hard to find.  As the programming has grown, so have both consumer options for finding Circle Television and means by which we can partner with artists to share their music and unique stories. Beyond Opry shows, we’ve created a hybrid concert model for both Ryman Auditorium and the Opry House that has combined a limited capacity in-venue audience with paid livestreams that have made a return to live performances viable for the artist community and us as venues and promoters.
 
With vaccinations reportedly on the near horizon, better testing technology, accrediting organizations, industry sanitization and safety protocols being established, a new Presidential administration and more, when and how do you anticipate the industry coming back?
 Different parts of the industry are going to return to successful levels at different paces. I believe we at the Opry are in position to grow our live Opry show schedule and attendance as well as other Opry House concerts back steadily because of the relationships with respected and valuable health and safety organizations that were established in the earliest days of the pandemic. Even as Opry shows with live audiences in the Opry House were paused in March, we worked together to ensure shows with extremely limited crews could deliver the Opry to home audiences every Saturday. After months of planning, we were able to safely re-open to live audiences in October in time for our 95th anniversary, quickly building to our current maximum of 25% of overall venue capacity. Even during this pandemic, we’ve experienced a number of sellout limited capacity shows. For me, there’s not a better signal that after vaccinations are readily available and venues, organizations, and artists ensure in future weeks they are delivering the safest experience possible, demand is very much still there– likely even stronger than it was when the pandemic began. Until that time and in the period that follows, I think it’ll be more important than ever for us to work together as an industry, share best practices, and think together about how we navigate through the next few months such that we are stronger individual businesses and an even better community on the other side.