Professional Lighting and Sound Association
PLASA in Profile
PLASA is the lead professional body for those who supply technologies and services to the event, entertainment, communication and architectural industries. Our aim is to fully represent the sector and to ensure we are effective in serving our members' needs.
Currently we have just under 600 members worldwide and provide them with a range of initiatives, business advisory services and negotiated benefits.
As part of a strategy to grow the membership and further increase PLASA's international profile, in October 2009 we announced our intention to merge with ESTA - a North American trade association. We are currently working through the details of the proposed merger ahead of the members' formal vote in June: if the members vote to go-ahead, PLASA will have a global membership of over 1100 businesses.
To support our member-focused initiatives, in recent years we've made significant advances on both the political and industry skills fronts and have worked hard to cultivate positive relationships with UK Government and its partners.
PLASA has been an effective lobbyist on a range of issues, working in partnership with our political consultants Ranelagh and BEIRG (British Entertainment Industry Radio Group) to campaign against Ofcom's decision to auction all spectrum in the UK as part of its Digital Dividend Review (DDR). Our joint effort won substantial concessions for the industry, effectively safeguarding its immediate future. We continue to work alongside BEIRG/Ranelagh on clarification of further elements of the DDR, and, in parallel to these activities, are also preparing a bid to be the spectrum Band Manager.
In 2007, PLASA launched the National Rigging Certificate (NRC) and was also accredited as an Awarding Organisation by the QCA (Qualifications & Curriculum Authority) - giving us equivalent status to organisations such as City & Guilds. This allows us to take the blueprint of the NRC as the basis for our strategy to deliver further qualifications for the sector. We work in close partnership with Creative and Cultural Skills - the Sector Skills Council for our sector - and are an active supporter of major initiatives such as the National Skills Academy.
In recent months, our campaigning on sustainability and green initiatives has strengthened and we are about to initiate a major Sustainability Strategy for the sector.
A core part of our strategy is the development of a strong commercial model and we run a number of commercial divisions: PLASA Events is responsible for delivering the annual PLASA Show, recognised by the industry as one of the main international showcases for technology and innovation, and PLASA Focus, a new regional-based networking event, which was first launched in April 2009.
Our media divisions - based in the UK and US - are responsible for producing industry publications Lighting&Sound International and Lighting&SoundAmerica. The magazines cover the industry in all its diverse forms, offering professional, technical and design advice for readers, as well as a fast-track to industry news and developments.