Netherlands’ Backstage Pass initiative has launched the #spotlightonher campaign for International Women’s Day to shine a light on female crew members.

Set up by award-winning tour manager Lotje Horvers in an effort to increase diversity and inclusion in the Dutch live sector, Backstage Pass is collaborating with a variety of platforms on the scheme.

Artists and venues are encouraged to post a video or photo of the women in their crew on their social media accounts, using the #spotlightonher hashtag.

“During the pandemic, while being unable to tour, I have been keeping busy with a variety of things, including mentoring young women looking to break into touring and learning more about diversity and inclusion,” explains Horvers, who has worked with artists such as Robyn, Fever Ray, Röyksopp and The Knife.

“The campaign is meant for artists, suppliers, venues and festivals to use their socials to put the women on their tech crew in the spotlight”

“One of the things I did was set up a not-for-profit in the Netherlands, Backstage Pass. We are launching an international Women’s Day campaign in collaboration with Soundgirls, Women in Live Music, She is the Music, Diversify the Stage and many other platforms.

“Basically, the campaign is meant for artists, suppliers, venues and festivals to use their socials to put the women on their tech crew in the spotlight, with the goal of reaching other girls and inspiring them for their future careers. ”

The campaign mission statement is as follows: “Representation and visibility are an important step towards diversity and inclusion. To inspire, encourage and empower girls to find and follow their dream of working in live music, we invite artists to introduce the women in their (stage) crew on their socials for International Women’s Day on 8 March. After all, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see!'”

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The first-ever Pride edition of IQ, the international live music industry’s favourite monthly magazine, is available to read online now.

The historic edition (issue 101) marks Pride month by giving the floor to a spectrum of queer voices from across the international live music business.

Issue 101’s marquee feature, the LGBTIQ+ List 2021, pays tribute to the business’ queer pioneers who wave the flag for a more diverse and inclusive industry.

This year’s top 20, as nominated by our readers and verified by our esteemed steering committee, share their challenges, triumphs, advice and email addresses with us.

In Pride and Prejudice, Lisa Henderson hears from artists and professionals who risk their lives to help change attitudes in intolerant nations, and learns of the true power that live music can play in their activism.

As well as celebrating how far our industry has come, this issue also demonstrates how far it has to go

Elsewhere, world-renowned agencies including Paradigm, UTA, ICM and Primary Talent, among others, cherry-pick their queer headline acts, banishing any excuses for pale, male and stale (and cishet) line-ups in the process.

As well as celebrating how far our industry has come, this issue also demonstrates how far it has to go via Laura Nagtegaal’s undeniable testimony of sexism, transphobia and toxic masculinity and Lotje Horver’s instructional guide on how to be an effective ally.

As usual, the majority of magazine content will appear online in some form in the next four weeks. However, if you can’t wait for your fix of essential live music industry features, opinion and analysis, click here to subscribe to IQ for just £5.99 a month – or check out what you’re missing out on with the limited preview below:

IQ subscribers can log in and read the full magazine now.

This article forms part of IQ’s Covid-19 resource centre – a knowledge hub of essential guidance and updating resources for uncertain times.

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