Live Nation Urban has announced The Black Tour Directory, a comprehensive industry resource developed to bolster inclusivity and expand opportunities for Black professionals and Black-owned companies in live music.
The one-stop portal lists hundreds of qualified, experienced and trusted Black tour managers, production managers, sound engineers, lighting experts, stage and set designers, stage managers, techs, travel agents, caterers, tour accountants, bus companies and security staff.
Live Nation Urban president Shawn Gee said: “When Jenifer Smith from Live Nation Concerts and NyAsia Burris from my team came to me with this idea, I thought it was genius and absolutely necessary. There are several amazing resource groups that exist like Roadies of Color, Diversify The Stage, Black Promoters Collective and many others, and we all have one common goal, to make sure once live entertainment returns at scale, there are more opportunities that exist for Black people, and all underrepresented groups of people, throughout the touring industry, particularly in technical and production positions.”
Live Nation has the ability to help change the narrative and provide a powerful resource for the industry
Jenifer Smith, Live Nation
Jenifer Smith, Live Nation director of tour marketing, added: “I felt it was important to create accessibility to people of color that specialise in these fields in order to help diversify live events beyond the stage. As a Black woman working in the music and live events space for over 12 years, I understand the importance of representation within the industry. Using our platform as the leading promoter in the world, Live Nation has the ability to help change the narrative and to provide a powerful resource for the industry.”
Gee also recently hosted a special Backstage With Crew Nation roundtable interview, a video series launched by Live Nation in conjunction with the Crew Nation Fund, with a high-profile panel of respected voices.
