Get Ready for #RigSafe Day on Arbor Day, April 29

USITT is calling on the backstage community to promote safe stages with the second annual Rigging Safety Day on Arbor Day, April 29. That Friday, USITT and other organizations will use the hashtag #RigSafe to boost awareness of rigging safety on social media.

USITT launched the first #RigSafe day last Arbor Day, playing on the word "arbor" as a support for stage rigging. Theatre and entertainment groups around the world shared information, memes, videos, and safety tips for the system of weights, pulleys, and machinery used to hang and move backdrops, lighting, curtains, and other equipment to stage live shows.

"We want Arbor Day to become a day to remind all performance venues to schedule their annual rigging inspections and safety training," said USITT executive director David Grindle. "We also hope people will help promote and support programs dedicated to ensuring backstage safety year-round."

USITT programs devoted to rigging safety include:
• The Rigging Safety Initiative, the only program offering free stage rigging inspections and safety training for secondary school theatres and auditoriums. Since it began in 2011, USITT has helped over 100 schools improve safety through the RSI.
• The Jay O. Glerum Rigging Masterclasses, a new series of classes named for the late Jay Glerum, a USITT Fellow and rigging safety expert. The first Glerum classes, in both entry level and advanced rigging, will be held June 13 - 15 in Denver, Colorado. The classes will be offered annually at different locations around the country.

Applications for both programs can be found at www.usitt.org/rigsafe.