NOVA Participates in Red Alert Day

If you happened to be near NOVA on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 1, you might have noticed some buildings lit up in red lights.  Thanks to the Event Services Technical Team, this included the Ernst Cultural Center on the Annandale Campus and the Schlesinger Concert Hall on the Alexandria Campus.

Why red lights? Inspired by a recent UK event that lit up 715 buildings and a barge on the River Thames, on Sept. 1, the North American coalition “We Make Events” hosted the Red Alert awareness campaign calling attention to the millions of people working in the event industry who have been affected by the pandemic. Red lights illuminating more than 1,500 venues around the U.S. brought awareness to the more than 12 million people who support events and have been affected by COVID-19–performers, production staff, event technicians, parking attendants, concession stand workers, event coordinators, event sales teams, cleaning crews, moving crews, and more. This spotlight included the DC/Metro region’s National Theatre, Warner Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre, National Harbor Ferris Wheel, National Cathedral and others.

Just as NOVA has worked diligently to support students, faculty and staff through the pandemic, it has also worked with area businesses and government agencies who have been long time clients of NOVA’s Event Services Department. Since March, the Event Services Team has rescheduled or refunded over 100 external and countless internal client events. At the same time, the team has taken to heart the oft-used phrase, “we are all in this together” and assisted clients with creative solutions for future event possibilities. From live streaming and videotaping; recording possibilities; creative possibilities for expanding dressing rooms and rehearsal spaces; podcasts with featured artists and more, the event team is collaborating with clients and the College to be part of the solution as the Commonwealth moves toward safely reopening.