When the pandemic shut down all live events, no one anticipated the long-term impacts that months of lockdown would hold for the lighting and entertainment industry. In August 2020, a group of industry leaders came together to create a nationwide action designed to draw attention to the thousands of people who had lost their livelihoods due to the pandemic. Red Alert set a goal to light up live event venues across the country in red light to draw attention to the people who were affected most.
Lightswitch coordinated with the National We Make Events team, promoters with Another Planet Entertainment, photographers, local vendors, lighting manufacturers, and labor organizations including IATSE to assist in bringing this action to life. We were able to illuminate almost 100 sites in the Bay Area, ranging from small clubs and premier music venues like the Bill Graham Civic to iconic San Francisco architectural landmarks such as The Ferry Building, Grace Cathedral, and Fort Mason. COVID-19 protocols were incorporated on a large scale for the first time, allowing us to keep the crews safe.
Red Alert was a coming together of the live event community unlike anything seen before. For over 25 years, Lightswitch has been committed not only to creating extraordinary design, but also to building exceptional relationships. In a time when human connection was especially precious, our partners delivered. Our limited schedule required quick and inventive thinking, including implementing a roving lighting truck that we designed to aid in lighting large buildings without their own color-changing outdoor lighting systems.
