Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex Press

QuiltCon Breaks Attendance Records, Announces Return to Raleigh Convention Center in 2026

Raleigh, NC – QuiltCon, billed as the largest modern quilting event in the world and held at the Raleigh Convention Center (RCC) earlier this year, today announced they broke attendance records with more than 25,000 visitors at this year’s event in Raleigh. That’s an increase of 25% over last year’s event in Atlanta.

“It's clear that Raleigh's accessibility both via air travel and car travel and heavy population of crafters and quilters combined to create our biggest QuiltCon yet,” said Elizabeth Dackson, director of events with the Modern Quilt Guild, the organization that hosts the annual event.

Each year, QuiltCon is held in February and celebrates the best in modern quilting. QuiltCon has been held in Austin, Pasadena, Savannah and Nashville. QuiltCon is the annual event of the Modern Quilt Guild (MQG), a worldwide non-profit association of more than 18,000 members in more than 40 countries around the world. The MQG has committed to returning to the Raleigh Convention Center in 2026.

QuiltCon welcomed attendees from around the world and featured a vibrant quilt show full of over 480 competition quilts, 80 community outreach quilts and many special exhibits, as well as a very busy vendor hall. QuiltCon’s booths, lectures and workshops are always curated with the modern quilter in mind.

“This is the kind of event that will completely change your perception of what it means to be a quilter,” said Kerry Painter, Executive Director of Raleigh Convention Center and The Complex, which includes Red Hat Amphitheater and the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. “These pieces and the artists behind them inspired creative thought and started important conversations. QuiltCon is the epitome of what we want RCC to be – a place that welcomes everyone and promotes a spirited and supportive community.” 

Winners of the quilting competitions are posted here https://quiltcon.com/quiltcon-2024-winners/ and include the Best in Show winner from Chapel Hill.

With the construction and design team now in place, the estimated completion date is 2028

Raleigh, NC – The Raleigh Convention Center (RCC) today announced two additional partnerships to complete the team working on the expansion project.

Clancy & Theys, Skanska, D.A. Everett Joint Venture acting as construction manager joins international architecture firm TVS and local partner RATIO Design to design and build the project. In addition, the team of Cumming Group and their MWBE partner Cate Services will act as owner’s representative.

The Center’s footprint will grow by another city block, with sister venue Red Hat Amphitheater shifting slightly southward and an installation of pedestrian bridges spanning S. McDowell St. The RCC expansion is slated to add 80,000 square feet of flexible space and 30 additional breakout rooms. Additionally, in 2027, Omni Hotels & Resorts is set to open a 550-room hotel nearby, enhancing the support for RCC visitors.

Red Hat Amphitheater’s move is expected to be complete in 2026; the RCC expansion should be concluded in 2028.

“Our vision for this expansion is to create a space that can be something for everyone – welcoming, accessible, smart, and convenient. The Clancy & Theys Skanska D.A. Everett Joint Venture team, with their experience in convention center facilities and music venues, will no doubt provide us with the oversight and management we need to see this vision to completion. To say we’re excited to get started is an understatement!” said Kerry Painter, Executive Manager of The Complex, Raleigh’s group of convention and entertainment venues which includes the RCC, Red Hat Amphitheater, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts and the Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek.

“The Clancy & Theys Skanska D.A. Everett Joint Venture team is thrilled to be involved on this transformative project for downtown Raleigh. With the expansion of the convention center and the relocation of our Red Hat Amphitheater, these projects will truly enhance the offerings of our thriving downtown for area residents and the many visitors who choose Raleigh time and time again,” said Baker Glasgow, president of Clancy & Theys Construction. “This project will enhance the vitality of downtown Raleigh and will allow the City of Raleigh to continue to offer premium spaces to assemble and elevate events and visitor experiences,” added Donovan Everett, president & CEO of D.A. Everett Construction.

“We [RATIO Design / TVS] have the unique privilege and responsibility to shape the physical landscape of communities and enhance vibrant downtown cores. In designing Raleigh's new convention center expansion, our vision extends beyond mere structures; it embodies the aspirations, culture, and dynamism of this vibrant city,” said Hal Bowen, AIA LEED AP, RATIO Design Principal.

“Cumming Group is honored to provide project management and cost management services for the Raleigh Convention Center expansion – helping to elevate Raleigh as a leading entertainment and meeting destination. This expansion will address the growing demand from our community for larger, more versatile event spaces, and will ensure that the Convention Center continues to serve as a cornerstone of our city's cultural and economic growth,” said Chris Whitley Jr., vice president, Cumming Group.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 14, 2023

Raleigh Convention + Performing Arts Complex’s Kerry Painter Named to International Leadership Position, Accepts Education and Service Award

She steps in as the chair of the International Association of Venue Managers’ board of directors

Raleigh, NC – The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), the premiere organization representing more than 7,000 entertainment venues around the world, welcomed Kerry Painter as chair of its board of directors for a one-year appointment. Painter has served as the General Manager and Director of the Complex since 2019.

During a ceremony in Pittsburgh at the organization’s annual VenueConnect event, Painter also accepted the Education and Service Award, awarded to the Raleigh Convention Center for its commitment to ongoing professional development, service to the community, and involvement in the venue industry. The IAVM Education & Service Award recognizes member involvement that demonstrates excellence within the industry as well as giving back to the community. 

Key points to know:

• IAVM represents public assembly venues from around the world and provides education, advocacy and networking for its more than 7,000 members.
• IAVM leadership boosts venue visibility and opens up opportunities for partnerships and event bookings - for example, last year’s Security Day (covered by most Triangle media) was co-hosted by IAVM and brought some 400 people to Downtown Raleigh.
• Under Painter’s management, the Raleigh Convention Center has welcomed prominent national events such as The Kennedy Center’s Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) and multiple international esports tournaments such as the Rainbow 6 Siege Raleigh Major, the Fortnite 2022 FNCS Invitational Tournament, the 2023 Call of Duty Major I, as well as the EsportsTravel Summit in May 2024.
• Under Painter’s leadership, the naming rights for the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts will bring in more than $500k to the city annually for the next 20 years. The rights to Red Hat Amphitheater were extended through 2027 and will produce $235k per year.
• This fiscal year, the Convention Center is in especially high demand, having rented space to 154 events. 64 of these events were booked in partnership with the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau and generated 100,050 contracted hotel rooms, drawing in $70.4 million in direct economic impact tied to events associated with overnight visitation. The RCC has booked nearly 90% of sellable dates (70% is the benchmark for most venues).
• The current IAVM Board includes leaders from such notable organizations as Pier 57 in Manhattan, the Georgia World Congress Center, the South Australian Cricket Association, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the Baltimore Convention Center and the Vivint Arena/Utah Jazz. The previous chair is general manager of the Barclay Center in Brooklyn.

With Painter as chair, Complex employees and others in the area now have a terrific conduit to a very active association. Venue management professionals can tap into Painter’s massive network for professional development, training, etc. IAVM also is a great resource for exposure to industry best practices and innovations, especially as the Raleigh Convention Center enters a phase of growth, including the proposed facility expansion.

Kerry Painter Bio

Kerry Painter is the Director and General Manager of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex in Raleigh, for which she oversees three downtown venues (Raleigh Convention Center, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Red Hat Amphitheater) and the nearby Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek. Kerry has constructed and/or opened five venues throughout her celebrated career and served as AGM in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the President/GM in Niagara Falls, Canada. 

Painter teaches annually at Venue Management School as well as CEM courses both domestically and abroad. She has won the Venues Today Woman of Influence Award in 2015, the Woman of Distinction Award in 2017, formerly advised the Meredith College’s Hospitality & Tourism Management program, and founded the IAVM Foundation’s 100 Women of IAVM scholarship, which provides scholarships to burgeoning female leaders in the venue management industry. 

About Raleigh Convention Center

Raleigh Convention Center boasts 500,000 bright and airy square feet of LEED Silver-certified meeting space conveniently located in Downtown Raleigh, steps from the region’s most popular cultural and culinary attractions. An industry leader in sustainable, accessible, and inclusive guest services and practices, the center offers robust tech amenities (including a dedicated IT team), expansive catering options featuring locally sourced ingredients, and GBAC STAR-certified cleaning and sanitization.

Raleigh Convention Center has been awarded the IAVM Education and Service Award, the VenuesNow Excellence in Concessions Award, and the EXHIBITOR Magazine Centers of Excellence Award for four consecutive years.

Along with sister venues Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, Red Hat Amphitheater, and the Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Raleigh Convention Center is proud to belong to the City of Raleigh’s Convention and Performing Arts Complex. The Complex is Raleigh’s premier portfolio of convention and entertainment venues with over 1.3 million guests annually. raleighconvention.com.

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Mary Deifer, Marketing Manager

919-219-9574 / mary.deifer@raleighnc.gov

For immediate release - June 28, 2023

Raleigh Convention Center Attracts the “Wow!” and the “Who Knew?”

With a wide variety of events from the typical to the obscure, RCC “brings the world to Raleigh”

Raleigh, NC – Approaching the July 4th holiday and the very brief lull in venue activity that comes with it, the Raleigh Convention Center is releasing the latest information on bookings and economic impacts – with a note about the often obscure or unexpected events that are drawn to the City of Oaks.

“I just signed a contract booking the 8th International Soft Matter Conference at the Raleigh Convention Center, and it dawned on me,” says Kerry Painter, director and general manager of the Raleigh Convention + Performing Arts Complex. “I have no idea what soft matter is! We book so many unique, one-of-a-kind events, I am constantly learning something new about what people are passionate about.”

The Triangle’s premiere event venue has been particularly in-demand this fiscal year, with nearly 90% of sellable dates already booked just six months in. From July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, the Raleigh Convention Center hosted 154 events, 64 of which were in conjunction with the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. These 64 events generated 100,050 contracted hotel rooms and brought $70.4 million in direct economic impact tied to events associated with overnight visitation.

The Center also announced that more than one million rooms have already been contracted through 2030 and 1.8 million attendees have walked through its doors since 2009. Since opening in FY 2009, the economic impact of the RCC now surpasses three quarters of a billion dollars.

Many bookings are the kind of event one would expect in the state capitol: GalaxyCon, Pendo’s annual companywide kick-off, the NC South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo.

Others, though, stretch the imagination and the city limits, attracting visitors with unconventional interests and from around the world:


 

• The 8th International Soft Matter Conference, which brings together researchers in basic and applied sciences to study synthetic and biologically complex materials. Raleigh is one of three cities to host the conference in a three-year span – the other two are Poznan, Poland, and Osaka, Japan.
  
  
   
• The World BioAg World Congress 2024 – an event for sustainable smart farming that “moves across continents every year.” The last host country was Brazil; for their very first visit to the United States, they chose Raleigh.

“North Carolina and Raleigh Durham in particular is the proven ecosystem of ideas, thought leadership and innovations for the BioAgTech segment,” says Roger Tripathi, CEO and founder of Global BioAg Linkages. “North Carolina is geographically well connected for global entrepreneurs and innovators, therefore it is the innovation gateway of the U.S. There could be no better place than Raleigh to share, brainstorm, network and celebrate the BioAg industry.” 

• The World Anti-Bullying Forum – a meeting place for researchers, policymakers and practitioners in the work against bullying; the first three Forums were held in Stockholm, Sweden, and Dublin, Ireland.
  
  
   
• The National Academy of Inventors 2024 – an annual gathering of inventors with U.S. patents (and hopefuls!) who drive innovation and creative problem-solving in their fields. Their Annual Meeting has previously been hosted in Houston, D.C., Boston, and the California Institute of Technology.

“With our convenient, engaging location and our technologically nimble facility, the RCC brings the world to Raleigh,” Painter says. “We’re booking sports tournaments and esports tournaments; first-responders and sustainable smart farmers; fans who research their favorite character’s costumes and scientists who research matter, energy and quantum physics.”

(Soft matter, by the way, is a subfield of condensed matter comprising a variety of physical systems that are deformed or structurally altered by thermal or mechanical stress of the magnitude of thermal fluctuations. It includes polymers, gels, foams and biological membranes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_matter) 

The data released this week show the extraordinary impact the RCC has on Raleigh and its downtown businesses, but it also points to a challenge: as visitors continue to seek out the Convention Center to host their events, and as work-of-mouth and media coverage continue to boost the city’s popularity, the RCC is running out of room. “Our greatest limitation is space,” Painter explains. “Clearly, people from across the globe want to spend time in our city and spend money with our hotels, restaurants and other businesses. Expanding to meet this demand will allow us to continue our role as a leading economic driver for downtown and Wake County.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 2, 2023

NEW NAME AND SIGN UNVEILED AT RALEIGH’S CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

(Raleigh, NC) – Today, Raleigh’s premier arts venue officially raised the curtain on its new name: Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. Hosted in its grand lobby, the center honored the milestone by unveiling premier signage during a special ceremony in front of an audience of city leaders, local officials, and executive leadership.

“Martin Marietta’s commitment to lend its name and showcase our iconic performing arts center is impressive,” said Kerry Painter, Director/General Manager of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex. “The company saw the value of continuing to provide access to cultural arts and entertainment that reflect Raleigh’s community for years to come, while also creating a sense of pride for their employees to see their name on the venue. Providing this diverse entertainment will continue to be our primary focus as we present the best variety of events for our community.”  

In January 2023, the City of Raleigh and Martin Marietta entered a 20-year agreement to name Raleigh’s premier arts venue.

The center hosts over 600 events each year, attracting approximately 400,000 guests annually to its four unique venues: Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Meymandi Concert Hall, A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater and Kennedy Theatre. The center’s many activities create an average of $35.4 million in economic benefit for Raleigh’s businesses, hotels and restaurants each year.

In addition to the grand lobby, the venue’s newly branded name will also be featured throughout the grounds, as well as a new 8’ x 5’ x 2.5’ boulder from Martin Marietta’s Garner Quarry that sits prominently on the outdoor Lichtin Plaza.

“At Martin Marietta, we are invested in the strength of our communities and committed to the long-term success of our neighbors and stakeholders,” said Martin Marietta Chairman and CEO Ward Nye. “It is a true honor to partner with the City of Raleigh and the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex to ensure this historic and elegant venue will continue to serve our community and be an ongoing beacon for renowned artists and performers for many years to come.”

For more information about the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, please visit the venue's website.

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About Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts

The Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts is the premier location for cultural arts and entertainment in Raleigh. The center is comprised of four unique venues: Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Meymandi Concert Hall, A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater, and Kennedy Theatre. The Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts hosts national tours and performers, and is also home to five resident companies: Carolina Ballet, NC Opera, NC Symphony, NC Theatre, and PineCone. Hosting over 600 events each year and welcoming over 400,000 guests, the Martin Marietta Center is a cultural focal point in downtown Raleigh.

About Martin Marietta

Martin Marietta, a member of the S&P 500 Index, is an American-based company and a leading supplier of building materials, including aggregates, cement, ready mixed concrete and asphalt. Through a network of operations spanning 28 states, Canada and The Bahamas, dedicated Martin Marietta teams supply the resources for building the solid foundations on which our communities thrive. Martin Marietta’s Magnesia Specialties business produces high-purity magnesia and dolomitic lime products used worldwide in environmental, industrial, agricultural and specialty applications. For more information, visit www.martinmarietta.com or www.magnesiaspecialties.com.

Press Contact:

Jocelyn Clendening

984.480.8769

jocelyn@mckeemanpr.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Feb. 20, 2023

Media Contact:

Mary Deifer, 919-219-9574

RALEIGH CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION PLANS, RENDERINGS UNVEILED DURING TODAY’S COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING

Raleigh – Kerry Painter, general manager and director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, today presented expansion plans to the Wake County Board of Commissioners. She unveiled plans and renderings for the Raleigh Convention Center’s proposed expansion, a project which will double the capacity of the popular venue and further cement its role as an economic driver for downtown. Already, the RCC is the force behind the most hotel room nights booked in the entire county. 

“Last year we set an all-time record for the number of hotel room nights booked in downtown Raleigh, thanks to a packed schedule of conventions, shows and other events,” said Painter. “This is a marker of success but also an indication that we can do even more. The truth is, we turned away business because we simply didn’t have room, not to mention the potential clients who weren’t even able to consider us due to our limited capacity. More space means more dollars spent at all of our surrounding and supporting businesses.”

Painter’s presentation – the first time the plans and renderings have been revealed to the public – is the next step in the process of gaining approval and funding for the project, which includes expanding the RCC and relocating Red Hat Amphitheater to create a two-square-block destination for meetings, events and entertainment.

Money for the venture is requested from the Interlocal Fund, which collects hospitality taxes for use by the convention center, arena, culture, sports and arts activities. The Board of Commissioners and the Raleigh City Council manage the Fund; their next vote on how to allocate funds is scheduled by June 20.

“Even with the current hotel inventory, we are missing out on opportunities, due to having only one ballroom room, not enough meeting rooms or exhibit space,” said Dennis Edwards, president and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. "This type of an expansion will give us the ability to layer a number of events simultaneously, which is difficult to do today, and attract larger conventions which we cannot host with the current footprint.

“It’s important we have a vision and a plan to address the current and future needs of the convention center, so this process is critical to our future success. An expansion of this magnitude takes years to plan and execute, so we need to be thinking about this now. “

RCC Expansion by the Numbers

The new Complex will:

• Add 500,000 sq ft of meeting space, including some 30 additional breakout rooms
• Include 50,000 sq ft and 30,000 sq ft flex halls for hosting large events or for breaking up into smaller areas
• Add an additional capacity of 20,000 people (doubling the current RCC capacity)
• Cost approx $316 million in construction costs by today’s dollars; adding other costs brings the estimated total project cost to $425 million

In the 2022/23 FY, RCC:

• Booked 152 events equating to 332 days (with five months still remaining in the fiscal year)
• Expects 329,000 visitors
• Filled 88.7% capacity of sellable dates (most of the remaining dates aren’t available due to holidays or facility maintenance blackouts)
• 70% is the industry standard to be considered a healthy and successful convention center
• Contributed to 92,454 hotel room nights booked – an alltime high, despite losing full service hotel rooms due to pandemic considerations
  • That’s 109% over the 2023 goal set by the City

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Thousands of players and fans of Fornite, the popular video game developed by Cary-based Epic Games, packed the Raleigh Convention Center on Saturday for the long-awaited return of the company’s official tournaments, which attract professional competitors from around the world.

Fans of the game, some of whom have traveled across the country to take part in the first in-person tournament since the pandemic, cheered as players took the stage and took their seats in gaming pods equipped with high-performance gaming computers and headsets were equipped to block out background noise, including adoring spectators, as well as ongoing live commentary of the games.

Over the course of the weekend, a group of the top 100 players from around the world, divided into 50 teams of two, would compete in 12 Battle Royale matches to try to earn the most points. Each game involves being placed in an interactive island environment where players use various tools and weapons to eliminate each other to be the last one standing.

Finalists then compete for prizes totaling $1 million, including a $200,000 grand prize and a trophy embellished with Swarovski crystals.

The two-day tournament was not only a boon for Fornite and Epic Games, which have built a massive, global fanbase of passionate gamers over the course of five years, but also for Raleigh, which saw thousands of people, many arriving at the convention center with large groups from friends or their families who pump money into the local economy, including downtown hotels and restaurants.

“It’s like they’re brothers”

Many fans showed up for the tournament wearing the “skins” or costumes of their favorite characters from the game.

Also read: Thousands of "Fortnite" fans flock to Raleigh for "Battle Royale."

Elaina Rivera, a Philadelphia paramedic, and her 12-year-old son, Devon, drove to Raleigh overnight to escape the morning traffic and planned to stay on both days of the tournament.

Rivera said her son became aware of Fortnite a few years ago after hearing about it from a friend at summer camp, and his fascination with the game “started slowly” but grew “pretty quickly.” Wondering what was so special about this game compared to so many others, she found that her son played with children from all over the world.

“He plays with kids and they challenge each other, it’s like they’re brothers,” Rivera said.

Elaina Rivera, an EMT from Philadelphia, with her 12-year-old son Devon, a huge fan of the popular video game Fortnite, at the Fortnite Champion Series Invitational tournament on Saturday November 12, 2022 in Raleigh, NC.

The mother-son duo dressed up as characters themselves, with Devon resembling Meowscles, an avatar that can be unlocked after reaching a certain level in the game, and his mother wearing another character’s costume, Skye.

They also managed to take photos with some of the famous players who took part in the tournament, which amassed a huge following on YouTube, Twitch and other platforms. (One of the world’s most popular Fortnite players, starting Saturday, 19-year-old Kyle Giersdorf, known by his nickname Bugha, has nearly 4.3 million subscribers on YouTube.)

Friends travel across the country for tournaments

Other fans of the game traveled across the country to attend the tournament.

Ramiro Martinez, a designer who uses a 3D printer to make his own Fortnite masks, crowns and other “cosplay” items, flew in from California shortly after with a group of friends who have all been playing the game since 2018 released.

Martinez said his friends, whom he has known since high school, introduced him to the game, and it soon became their favorite way to spend time together. They continued to invest in the game, eagerly await updates from developers with new characters and skins, and attended fan gatherings around the Los Angeles area, including a summer 2019 block party.

It was around this time that they noticed the game was growing in popularity. In July 2019, Epic Games hosted its largest in-person tournament, the Fornite World Cup, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, home of the US Open, in Queens, New York. The game continued to garner legions of fans, but in early 2020 players were forced to play online from their homes again when the coronavirus brought things to a halt.

For fans like Martinez, Fortnite wasn’t just a game, it was a doorway to an online community. And in some cases, these encounters went beyond virtual gaming sessions and turned into real friendships.

Fortnite cosplayers Ramiro Martinez and Steve McCoy along with their friends compete in the Fortnite Champion Series Invitational tournament on Saturday, November 12, 2022 in Raleigh, NC.

After Martinez began sharing his costume pieces on Instagram earlier this year, he heard from Steve McCoy, a Tennessee collector, who was particularly interested in a gold crown Martinez made. The crown is so well designed, McCoy said, that he asked if Martinez could also make the matching mask. Eventually, Martinez designed the entire costume for McCoy.

As soon as the Raleigh tournament was announced, Martinez, McCoy and their friends began making plans. They saved on plane tickets, found a local seamstress to sew them the right costumes, and booked an Airbnb for their two-day stay here.

Triangle a “perfect storm” for future tournaments

Like many other parents who bought tickets to the tournament, State Rep. Jason Saine attended the tournament on Saturday afternoon for his 14-year-old son Jackson, a huge fan who started playing Fornite years ago, piqued his father’s interest also the game.

Saine, a Lincoln County Republican, stared at the giant screens showing a game in progress and said the tournament felt “like a mini-Superbowl.”

Saine has said he and his son have long enjoyed playing video games, but he first developed an understanding of the economic impact of tournaments like this when his son persuaded him to bring the whole family to New York for the 2019 World Cup.

The massive gathering of Fortnite fans would convince Saine that North Carolina shouldn’t miss a potentially significant opportunity to cultivate native esports tournaments and attract the immense fan base of games like Fortnite and their tourism dollars.

State Assemblyman Jason Saine, a Lincolnton Republican and supporter of the sport, with his son Jackson at the Fortnite Champion Series Invitational Tournament in Raleigh, NC on Saturday November 12, 2022.

“It’s a big hit,” Saine said of the tournament’s economic impact, noting that organizers had managed to fill a convention center in a weekend when so many other things, including football matches, were taking place.

Saine said he has been exploring the possibility of other North Carolina cities hosting their own tournaments in the future, but in the meantime cities like Raleigh and Charlotte are well positioned to continue to capitalize on those opportunities.

“We really do have an ecosystem if you think about our education sector, our workforce, Epic Games that are here, the tech companies that are here — it’s kind of a perfect storm,” Saine said.

Held early in August in Raleigh, the 2022 LEAD® Conference is part of the Kennedy Center’s Access/VSA International Network, a community based in Washington, D.C., that works to ensure that people with disabilities have access to and can actively participate in artistic and cultural endeavors. (VSA originally stood for Very Special Arts and since 2010 is known simply as VSA.) LEAD (Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability) brings together professionals from a wide array of backgrounds who work to improve inclusivity and accessibility in arts venues, cultural institutions, and other similar settings around the world.

Off the bat, Raleigh made sense as a host destination for LEAD’s annual conference. The city has a thriving arts community and infrastructure — its nickname is “Smithsonian of the South.” And the Raleigh Convention Center (RCC) has made accessibility a major priority as one of only nine convention centers in the country to have earned KultureCity’s Sensory Inclusive Certification, which means both the facility itself and staff have met certain standards for accommodating people with autism and special sensory needs.

A significant portion of LEAD’s nearly 800 attendees included people with disabilities, as well as half of its presenters. That included unseen disabilities as well as physical, like impaired hearing and vision and limited mobility. Those diverse needs combined with the subject matter motivated the RCC team to level up their venue’s accessibility to a higher standard. That meant working closely with LEAD to walk through what attendees would require logistically but also experientially to ensure they could fully interact with every element of the conference.

“They kept [saying] this phrase when we were planning — ‘Nothing about us without us,’” said Kerry Painter, CEM, CMP, CFE, general manager and director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex. That phrase is commonly used by people with disabilities and organizations representing them as it pertains to policies that affect their lives and participation. “You really start to understand it as you see these accommodations happening that, when you don’t need them,” Painter said, “you just miss them.”

During the 2022 LEAD Conference, sessions included live transcriptions, sign language interpreters, and assistive listening devices for attendees with low vision or hearing.

Painter recalled one moment that crystallized the importance of this phrase. While learning about service dogs in training, an activation held in the RCC lobby during the LEAD conference, Painter was chatting with a planner as well as an attendee with impaired speech and hearing. About midway through the conversation, Painter noticed that the planner kept looking over the attendee’s shoulder at their phone — the attendee was using a speech-to-text app. “I realized that what I was saying was feeding into the phone, [the planner] was reading it, and the attendee was reading what the planner was saying into the phone,” said Painter. “It was just a moment where I realized there are so many tools and pieces that we don’t think about that make their day work so much better.”

A Fuller Experience for All

Making those tools and pieces available proved essential to the success of LEAD. In the lead-up to the conference, Betty Siegel, J.D., director of the Office of VSA and Accessibility at the Kennedy Center, and her team completed numerous site visits and walk-throughs to help the RCC team prepare the facility. Siegel also hosted accessibility training sessions for RCC staff as well as hospitality workers throughout Raleigh. That process showed the RCC team that ADA compliance is the bare minimum, and that gleaning insight from those with different accessibility needs is key. “Without that lens, you simply can’t move forward,” said Mara Craft, director of sales and marketing at the Raleigh Convention Center.

Siegel shared an example: “To be merely compliant with the law just means that you have a 32-inch-wide door” to accommodate wheelchairs, she said. “But do you have somebody who holds the door open and says, ‘Hello, welcome to this venue’? Do you have somebody who’s checking to make sure that the automatic door opener works every single time? Do you have someone inside who’s helping with wayfinding?” That extra effort and elevated level of customer service, she said, can go a long way in creating a more equitable experience for attendees with disabilities.

Mara Craft (left), director of sales and marketing, and Mary Deifer, marketing manager, from the Raleigh Convention Center, stand in front of artwork from the facility’s extensive permanent collection that has been made ADA compliant.

The team also relied on technology to support different components of LEAD’s program. For example, RCC worked with Raleigh Arts, a local arts organization, to curate on- and off-site art exhibits highlighting work by artists with disabilities. To ensure the exhibits would be accessible to all, they added QR codes linking to audio explanations (recorded by local theater performers for extra flair) and high-resolution images to make it easier for those with low vision to zoom in on the artwork. The RCC also worked with ablr, a company that specializes in helping businesses make their digital content ADA compliant and accessible, to improve its facility website — “because it looks great to us, but it doesn’t look great if you have low vision or color blindness,” Painter said.

In addition, some of the artwork featured “touch segments, so if you couldn’t see the butterfly exhibit on the wall you could touch the butterfly and understand what you weren’t able to see,” Painter said. This particular feature can help attendees with low vision experience the piece more fully as well as those with special sensory needs.

“Even if you don’t have a particular accessibility need, [these additions] make the collection better,” said Mary Deifer, the RCC’s marketing manager, who added that the RCC made these same amendments to its permanent on-site collection as well. “You learn more about the artist, you get to see in detail every brushstroke… you can notice things about the work that maybe you wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s good exhibit design.”

Jennifer N. Dienst is senior editor of Convene. Ascent is supported by the PCMA Foundation.

To make the experience of attendees with service dogs more comfortable while visiting the facility, the RCC staff set up dedicated spaces offering relief areas and water bowls.

Before the Blueprint

Ideally, accessibility in venue design starts long before there’s a venue to begin with. The Raleigh Convention Center, which is in the early stages of planning a renovation and expansion, made hiring Betty Siegel, director of VSA and accessibility for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., one of the first steps in that process, so she could collaborate with the design team.

“Having those conversations before an architect puts pen to paper, that ensures that we have baked this into who we are, to be inclusive and accessible,” said the convention center’s Mary Deifer.

Ask Kerry Painter about her celebrated career in the events industry and she will tell you she can’t imagine doing anything else with her life. As the director and general manager of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex in Raleigh, N.C., Painter is responsible for overseeing three downtown venues: Raleigh Convention Center, Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts and Red Hat Amphitheater, as well as the nearby Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek. 

As if that’s not enough to keep her busy, the award-winning venue professional also serves as the first vice-chair of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), teaches annually at Venue Management School as well as CEM courses abroad, advises the Meredith College Hospitality & Tourism Management program and founded the IAVM Foundation’s 100+ Women of IAVM scholarship, which provides scholarships to burgeoning female leaders in the venue management industry.  

But while closing the gender gap, fostering inclusivity and encouraging women to reach for the stars is a passion of Painter’s, she’s open-eyed about the unique pressures and sacrifices that come with chasing an all-consuming career–after all, she has walked that walk. 

“While I want to tell you that you can balance your life and have it all, you can’t–something will absolutely have to give,” Painter says. “Aim for work/life integration, not work/life balance. For me, I moved around a lot, so I heavily focused on my career and my son. That sacrificed personal life and roots. I’m not resentful of those choices, but now that I’m further down the road, I can more clearly see both the sacrifices and the wins.” 

TSNN had a chance to sit down with this diversity champion to hear her thoughts about female equity in event industry leadership, the challenges women are still facing as they build their careers, her proudest moments as an industry leader and her advice to women as they work their way up the industry ladder.

When and how did you get into convention center management, what do you like most about it, and what has kept you in it?

When I first started, I knew it would be fun being behind the scenes of big events and working with powerful people and entertainers. But what I’ve discovered over the years is that convention center management is so much more than “fun.” Every day is different, and with each event we host we are breaking down barriers and facilitating bridges between people and organizations. We are helping communities come together, we are strengthening relationships and fostering friendships in a way most industries never can. It’s these kinds of meaningful moments that make this such a rewarding career.

Why do you think there are not more women in leadership positions in convention centers in North America?

The events and venue industry struggles with the same equity challenges as others, but somehow we seem to be lagging behind. The bigger centers in particular seem to be managed by men and it’s taken much longer to see women into those positions, despite the fact that we know women excel in upper-level roles equally as well. That’s also true of BIPOC representation at the executive level. We know the talent and ability is there. 

Here at the Raleigh Convention Center, I have prioritized diversity and equity in our hiring practices across the board, including in our leadership positions. I am proud that women and BIPOC staff comprise 77% of our executive team. Last year’s IAVM survey showed women in the highest convention center ranks making an average of $37,000 less than men. Hopefully we will see that shift in the coming years as spaces open up. 

What are the qualities that women bring to venue management that empower them to excel at their jobs?

We have been conditioned to be more adept at adapting our approach to others and meet others where they are. This is more relevant than ever with new generations, inclusive work environments and the need to train–and retain–so much new staff. We are charged with finding effective ways to communicate and build supportive, rewarding workplaces. 

Often, women are more encouraged to collaborate and talk things out, even if it takes longer. I believe that approach helps to contribute positively to building inclusive environments where everyone is heard and seen.  

While gender diversity in leadership roles within the events industry has been shifting in a more equitable direction, what are the biggest challenges of being a women leader in a historically male-dominated industry?  

In my experience, one of the biggest challenges we face is one of perception. We may handle things differently and interact with people by utilizing different interpersonal skills based on our conditioning and upbringing. Because of that, we can be perceived as less serious or worse, less effective. The truth is, we might lead through tough environments using an alternate but equally as effective set of skills. And, depending on the situation, those skills might be even more effective than other approaches. Tackling issues in a different fashion doesn’t translate to being a poor leader comparatively, just different.  

During your time managing the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, what have been your most important lessons and the biggest successes?

Every time I move to a new place, I’m reminded that each city and venue is unique, and while you might arrive with your “success tools” that worked elsewhere, you can’t impose them in the same way on a different environment “as-is.” Each venue and staff has its own personality and culture, and the one thing I always hope is to create an environment that honors past successes, builds on them and helps people to look for different future successes. I’m not a person who rides out one idea very long, and we have built an amazing culture that believes each moment or detail matters. If it can be just a little better, then make it so, and then, let’s celebrate that success to the utmost and move to the next new idea/improvement. We thrive here in an environment of continuous improvement.  

I am most proud of the attention we have given to inclusion and authentic individuality. Our award-winning “A Seat At The Table” menu is really amazing. It not only supports BIPOC and female makers and farmers who deserve to be highlighted but it also provides the most fresh and regional tasting dishes to our guests.

We also did an incredible amount of work this year getting ready for The Kennedy Center’s Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) conference, which welcomes a diverse audience. The team spent most of a year making our venue more inclusive and inviting, training staff and focusing on an amazing experience Raleigh-wide for these guests. It was a huge success with higher attendance than ever.

What can the meetings and events industry–and the women in it–do to help create more gender (and racial) parity in convention center leadership, as well as the industry at large?

It takes real commitment and intentionality to get closer to parity. When I started in Raleigh,/ there were women making significantly less than the men because they had started at much lower salaries. There was no chance to ever catch up. They also had been there much longer than others, who had risen much further. It takes intentional work to see this and correct it, which we have done.  

It also takes intention to consider circumstances when hiring–is someone farther down the path and more educated only because they worked in a place or came from a background where there were funds to invest in them? Does that really make them a better candidate if the others had been given the same investment and commitment, as well? Is the ability, passion and commitment there, so if given the right environment, that person could soar? Each hire needs intentional, thoughtful hiring to give more chances to those who might have been overlooked in the past. We will get closer to parity with the development and mentorship of each one.

What advice would you give to women in the events industry wishing to follow a leadership path? 

Working in the venue industry, we are programmed to “make it work.” That’s true in our own lives, as well. We may think we can do it all, but eventually you realize that when you look at our own female role models, we don’t always see the parts that had to be left behind. If you know going in, then you can make conscious choices for happiness in whatever way that appears for you.  

Know of a dynamic woman leader in the events industry who deserves some time in the spotlight? Reach out to lpsavas@tsnn.com or ltenny@tsnn.com.

ROCHESTER MN. – In 2019, Exhibitor Group, which produces both EXHIBITOR magazine and Find It on EXHIBITORXchange, the buyer’s guide to trade show products and services, announced an initiative to identify and recognize North America’s best convention centers for trade shows and events. Since then, small, medium, and large convention centers located anywhere in North America have been invited to apply annually, with entrants evaluated using an objective algorithm weighted to reflect how EXHIBITOR magazine readers value a variety of variables. The myriad criteria considered were categorized into five primary areas:

• Facility & Functionality
• Location & Accommodations
• Service & Execution
• Expansions & Upgrades
• Awards & Industry Participation

The evaluation process also includes a survey of event planners, show organizers, and exhibit managers who have recently hosted (or exhibited at) events within each facility, as well as a review of entrants’ event spaces, selling points, and innovations, conducted by a panel of corporate exhibit managers.
 

“While individual exhibit managers rarely have a say in where their trade shows are held, they are often the ones most impacted by that decision. This is their opportunity to give credit where credit is due and celebrate the exhibitor-friendly venues that do their part to make trade shows and events as smooth, successful, and painless as possible,” said Travis Stanton, editor in chief of EXHIBITOR magazine, noting that everything from health and safety protocols to the cost and quality of Wi-Fi access can have a significant impact on exhibiting companies’ experiences at events. “Simply by virtue of being included in this list, these facilities have proven their ability to host trade shows and events of all shapes and sizes while providing world-class service and state-of-the-art accommodations.”

The highest-scoring venues were then named among EXHIBITOR Magazine’s 2023 Centers of Excellence, and they will be featured in the upcoming October/November issue of EXHIBITOR, as well as via an online portal where readers can learn more about each of the 30 facilities that qualified for this honor. The portal, housed within the Find It on EXHIBITORXchange website, enables face-to-face marketers to quickly and easily research potential event venues and learn more about the convention centers that are hosting the trade shows and exhibitions on their annual calendars.

“The online portal helps to ease the venue-selection process for the 92 percent of our readers who are tasked with overseeing their organizations’ meetings and events in addition to managing their companies’ exhibit-marketing efforts,” said Stanton. “Additionally, exhibitors who are planning to participate in trade shows being held at these facilities can learn more about each venue, including everything from the number of loading bays to the maximum ceiling height within exhibit halls.”

The venues that qualified for EXHIBITOR Magazine’s 2023 Centers of Excellence include:

• Anaheim Convention Center
• Atlantic City Convention Center
• Caesars Forum
• Colorado Convention Center
• Convention Center at The Broadmoor
• Cox Business Convention Center
• Denny Sanford Premier Center
• Duke Energy Convention Center
• Edmonton Convention Centre
• Enercare Centre
• George R. Brown Convention Center
• Greater Columbus Convention Center
• Greater Tacoma Convention Center
• Hawaii Convention Center
• Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
• Huntington Place
• Indiana Convention Center
• Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas
• Kentucky International Convention Center
• Las Vegas Convention Center
• Los Angeles Convention Center
• Miami Beach Convention Center
• Orange County Convention Center
• Overland Park Convention Center
• Raleigh Convention Center
• Renasant Convention Center
• San Diego Convention Center
• Vancouver Convention Centre
• Walter E. Washington Convention Center
• Wisconsin Center

In addition to naming North America’s 30 best venues for trade shows and events, EXHIBITOR will be announcing the finalists for five special awards next month, including Best Convention Center in four size-based categories, as well as Best Customer Service & On-Site Support. The winners of those awards will be announced during a ceremony held in conjunction with IAEE’s Expo! Expo!

For more information on the Centers of Excellence competition, visit www.ExhibitorOnline.com/Awards/CoE. And for more information on all of the 2023 Centers of Excellence recipients, visit www.ExhibitorOnline.com/FindIt/CoE.asp.


About Exhibitor Group
The leader in trade show and corporate event marketing education, Exhibitor Group publishes EXHIBITOR magazine, an award-winning publication featuring best practices in trade show marketing. EXHIBITOR's learning events include: EXHIBITORLIVE, The Conference and Exhibition for Trade Show and Corporate Event Marketing; EXHIBITORFastTrak accelerated learning conferences; and EXHIBITOR eTrak, professional online learning. Exhibitor Group is also the founder of CTSM (Certified Trade Show Marketer), the industry's only university-affiliated professional certification program. Learn more at www.ExhibitorOnline.com.

EXHIBITOR is a registered trademark, and EXHIBITORLIVE, EXHIBITORFastTrak, and EXHIBITOR eTrak, are trademarks of Exhibitor Media, LLC, in the USA and other countries. All company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated.

In this fast-changing and unpredictable environment, what does it take to ensure that a convention center will meet the needs and expectations of attendees now and in the years ahead?

By Maria Lenhart

Denver and Raleigh, N.C., are among destinations taking steps to keep their convention facilities on top of the game. State-of-the-art technology, ample pre-function areas, outdoor spaces, flexible breakouts and, perhaps most important, a sense of connection with the local community are among the priorities being addressed to fulfill current and future demands.

Works in progress

A new rooftop addition to Denver’s Colorado Convention Center is nearing completion and will showcase the city’s stunning proximity to the Rocky Mountains, according to Rachel Benedick, executive vice president of sales and services for Visit Denver. Along with an 80,000-square-foot ballroom divisible into 19 breakouts and a 35,000-square-foot pre-function area, the new space will boast a 20,000-square-foot outdoor terrace with panoramic views of the mountains and city.

The Raleigh Convention Center, which is being updated with modern design elements that include new wallcoverings, fixtures and seating, is partnering with several arts organization to enhance the attendee experience. The main lobby currently features “Art in Translation: Finding a Shared Voice,” a collection of works by local artists who self-identify as having a disability and share their unique lived experiences through a variety of media. The exhibit was a focal point of a recent conference—the Kennedy Center’s Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD)®—which focused on access to the arts, ideas, experts, networking and professional development. 

According to Kate Jansen (MPI Carolinas Chapter), national sales manager for the Raleigh Convention Center, the commitment to inclusivity evident in the art exhibit also extends to other aspects of the center, including catering services.

“Our executive chef has deepened relationships with local and regional food purveyors to feature local flavors from historically underrepresented contributors to North Carolina’s food culture such as BIPOC and women-owned farms and food suppliers,” she says.

Reflecting its location in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, the convention center makes it a priority to keep current with the latest tech services, Jansen adds. The facility is looking at ways to incorporate artificial intelligence, holograms and other innovations into conference spaces.

An expansion proposal is currently under review that would double the size of the Raleigh Convention Center, adding 500,000 square feet of meeting space. Feedback from meeting planners is calling for not just more space, but for more flexibility and elements such as theater space for 5,000 guests.  

“The expansion project will consider the diverse nature of events in our industry and the trends planners seek to accommodate,” Jansen says. “Building a center of the future will account for technology, wellness, unique spaces and outdoor elements.”

Event trends

After years of pandemic, both Benedick and Jansen are seeing renewed enthusiasm for in-person events and community engagement.

Hunger for meeting face-to-face is so strong, in fact, that Benedick says finding space and dates for all the groups who had cancelled between 2020 and 2022 and now want to rebook is a challenge. Other trends she sees are short-term booking windows for mid-sized groups and an uptick in groups looking at future years for citywide meetings.

“The groups that have met in Denver this year have had great meetings and great experiences,” Benedick says, citing the National Conference of State Legislature’s NCSL Legislative Summit as a recent example. “The group welcomed 4,000 attendees and planned an amazing offsite reception at our performing arts complex, which is located next to the Colorado Convention Center.”

While the outlook for more business like this is strong, Benedick acknowledges that uncertainty still clouds the future.  

“So many factors continue to impact attendance, including inflation, supply chain concerns, continued public health concerns, financial impacts and concerns about a global recession,” she says. “One thing that is certain is that the world continues to change for our industry.”

While also acknowledging uncertainty, Jansen is finding that most conferences are experiencing better-than-expected attendance.

“It continues to ring true that virtual experiences cannot compete with in-person moments,” she says.

Jansen also notes that diversity has become an essential aspect of events, with attendees expecting to see diversity among convention speakers and convention center staff. Attendees also want activities that promote both physical and mental well-being and opportunities for benefitting the local community.

“The return to in-person dynamic conference experiences has resulted in a stronger need for mental health support and downtime in conferences,” Jansen says. “We remodeled four office spaces to create areas for decompression, space to work and a comfortable area for unplugging during conferences. Offering KultureCity sensory-inclusive kits to assist neurodiverse attendees with sensory processing needs enhances the use of these private rooms. These spaces, steps away from the main conference action, allow attendees to hold small group meetings or relax during a busy conference day. As a planner, knowing you have the space to offer helps with last-minute needs, private business conversations or even a place for event staff to get away for a moment. The inclusivity of all types of wellness makes conferences more robust and welcoming to all attendees.”

Distinctive destinations

Along with taking pride in their convention centers, both Jansen and Benedict emphasize that their cities are well-rounded destinations with plenty for attendees to experience beyond the meeting rooms.

According to Jansen, a huge selling point for Raleigh is that the convention center is part of a campus that also includes the Red Hat Amphitheater and the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, which offer entertainment and venue options for groups. A convention hotel with more than 500 rooms is in the planning stages for the complex.

Jansen also points to Raleigh’s central East Coast location, with more than half of the U.S. population within a day’s drive or two-hour flight away. An abundance of quality restaurants, museums, historic places, outdoor recreation and professional sports teams also add to Raleigh’s appeal, as does its Research Triangle location.

“Raleigh’s location in the heart of research and academic centers gives meeting planners access to some of the most talented and brightest thinkers in science, medicine and technology,” Jansen says.

Describing Denver as “the perfect environment for a meeting,” Benedick credits its central location with the world’s third-busiest airport and a walkable downtown where convention attendees have easy access to 12,000 hotel rooms, a vibrant arts and cultural scene and abundant restaurants and shopping. Having the Rocky Mountains “in our backyard” is another advantage, especially given the “bleisure” trend that combines business with leisure travel, she says.

Denver’s meetings appeal is growing, Benedick adds, citing recent enhancements that include several new downtown hotels, a major renovation of the Denver Art Museum and the opening of Meow Wolf, an interactive experimental museum.

About this series, Disability, the Arts and Raleigh: Inclusive by Design: The Raleigh Arts Plan lays out the creative vision for this Southern capital as “a community connected through arts and culture, where every person is empowered to lead the creative life they envision.” Produced in partnership by Raleigh Arts and writer and 2019 Piedmont Laureate David Menconi, this series explores how that vision is playing out when it comes to Deaf and disability community members in the city.

The Raleigh Convention Center will take on a leading role when The Kennedy Center’s Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD®) Conference comes to town Aug. 1-5, serving as headquarters and primary venue throughout the event. That is entirely appropriate because the convention center has long played an active role in integrating accessibility into venue events, with a stature that goes well beyond the Raleigh city limits.

“We want to expand awareness beyond our own venue,” says Mara Craft, director of sales for the Raleigh Convention Center. “There’s not a lot of deep diving on this out there yet. So if we tell the story to other convention centers, it can affect change in more than one place. That’s the long-term goal. And of course, we’ll learn a lot more once LEAD® is here as well. What we’re learning most is humility. We like to think we know it all, but we really don’t know anything. The work never ends.”

The Raleigh Convention Center first opened in 2008, able to accommodate large crowds within its 150,000 square feet of space. From the start, the venue was compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, accessible to those with a wide range of physical disabilities. But in recent years, facility management has taken a more expansive and proactive view of accessibility that goes well beyond basics like wheelchair access and curb cuts.

The building’s permanent art collection consists of about a dozen works highlighted by the sculptural piece “Plume” hanging in the lobby. The collection has large-print and braille labeling, as well as online audio descriptions and tactile replicas of some pieces, “to make sure every experience in the building is open to everyone,” says Craft. Full-time staff members have also undergone training to provide accommodations and services for people with a range of different disabilities, including those who are neurodivergent. It’s work that has earned the Raleigh Convention Center nationwide recognition.

“We are one of only six convention centers in America to be KultureCity-certified,” says Raleigh Convention Center marketing manager Mary Deifer, referring to the national sensory certification. “When it comes to equity and inclusion, there’s this fear of doing the wrong thing. So a lot of the time, nothing gets done at all. You have to have a level of vulnerability because ego is not important, it’s about providing what people need.”

Of particular note, the convention center debuted sensory bags for neurodiverse visitors at local annual anime convention “Animazement”, which drew 15,000 people in May 2022. The kits included fidget toys, ear protection and quiet areas for visitors who are sensitive to large crowds and noisy public settings. The convention center also now provides dog-water bowls and relief areas for service animals as well.

Rebecca Murphy, a computer programmer from Maryland who also does volunteer work on sensory issues, worked with the convention center to craft these accommodations. She says she was moved to tears by management’s level of concern and attention to detail.

“It was the first time I’d ever seen anybody in a position to do something about our experiences actually do something,” says Murphy, who is neurodivergent herself. “They actually took the time to help, and to do so intentionally. Other venues I work with don’t do anything like this, and it can be a fight throughout the entire process. But the Raleigh Convention Center staff seems committed not only to do this there, but also enable other venues to start taking these initiatives. It’s really impactful. It might seem trivial if you’re not dealing with the daily onslaught of some hidden disability, but there are a lot of intangible benefits.”

“Venues bring so much variety and diversity to communities and I love having the chance every day to dazzle and create special moments for guests and clients,” said Kerry Painter, director/GM of the Raleigh Convention + Performing Arts Complex in Raleigh, North Carolina. “If I were on the other side of the business, I’d lose the things I love the most about it.”

When she’s not channeling that passion into hosting events, Painter — along with the other dozen-plus women leaders we’ve highlighted in this ongoing series — is working to correct the lack of diversity at the top of her industry. In partnership with the International Association of Venue Managers, Painter founded the 100 + Women of IAVM scholarship program to give more women the chance to level up their career.

“We have sent 35 women [to IAVM’s VenueConnect and Venue Safety and Security School], many of whom would not have been able to attend, network, and participate in the industry to that extent without the scholarship,” Painter said. “We specifically chose Venue Safety and Security School because the security industry, specifically venue security, has seen a low level of women promoted.

“Fortunately, I have a circle of women in the industry who support each other greatly in times of growth, stress, or challenges,” Painter continued. “Together, we have been very intentional in choosing future ‘rockstars’ and consistently connecting and mentoring them so they too can grow into the higher levels of our venues.”

Read on for more of Painter’s perspective on closing the industry’s gender gap, the new challenges convention centers are facing now, and creating a sense of place in an authentic way.

When it comes to leadership in the events industry, there is quite a bit of disparity in the genders who fill those roles — especially facility management. Why do you think that is, and what needs to change in the industry to close that gap? In addition to your skills and capabilities, to what would you attribute your success in a male-dominated sector of the business events industry?

Although it is slow to change, it is changing. As more men retire and gender equity becomes more important to our industry, the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM)’s salary surveys will hopefully reflect less of a pay disparity between women and men. The largest venues are still primarily run by men, and until that changes I worry pay disparities will continue to exist. However, I see many capable, experienced women in the industry poised to step into those leadership roles as soon as they become available. I can say the same for my BIPOC and LGBTQ colleagues, who also deserve to be in more leadership positions throughout our industry. Developing a sustainable pipeline of diverse talent is critical.

I’m certain the successful leaders are out there, just waiting to be identified, developed, and given opportunities to grow. But here’s the rub: So often the burden of finding talented women, advocating for them, and cracking those glass ceilings falls directly on the shoulders of, well, other women. That’s true of any time we work to improve the outcomes of marginalized populations — those most affected are also most aware of the need for change, and therefore become the ones most determined to make it happen. But, in a vicious cycle, they are also the ones who have the most to overcome, and the most to lose.

In my own career, I have tried to do my best work and hope it shows my value. There have certainly been times when I’ve had to convince people that I was equally capable. And, looking back, sometimes I was not the first choice but when I had the chance to prove my worth, I was ready to humbly accept the opportunity and run with it.

What is the biggest challenge convention facilities are facing right now? What do you see as your biggest opportunity?

Prior to COVID, the biggest perceived threat to our industry was virtual events and other avenues of meeting and doing business digitally. Not anymore! Throughout the lockdowns and social distancing, it was made clear that while it’s possible to do everything digitally, it’s definitely not preferable. Humans are social animals — we need to connect with others. Those spontaneous meet-ups and hallway conversations develop relationships that go so much deeper than a scheduled Zoom call. Studies also show that while thousands might attend an online trade show, it’s those who make the effort to attend an in-person event, interact with the product, and negotiate face-to-face who become customers. More attendance isn’t necessarily more profitable to a vendor or sponsor.

Our client surveys have consistently shown that our greatest asset is our relationships with clients. We have more than 100 annual events each year — clients know and trust our team. We didn’t want to lose that during the pandemic, so we intentionally took the stance of “Relationships First.” We were especially flexible with cancellations, postponements, and helping clients as they got back to live events by offering destination COVID cost assistance.

Leading with “Relationships First” strengthened our clients’ ability to remain in business and be in a strong and viable place when it was time to return in person. Putting relationships first then now helps us fill our venue with bookings which support our community’s hotels and businesses with economic impact, ultimately getting Raleigh’s downtown back on its feet. Our return to events post-shutdown has had some unexpected bumps — lack of available staff, food shortages, and supply-chain issues. But because we have sustained solid relationships, our clients have been so understanding in working with us to overcome the challenges and produce successful events.

Our cover story in the March/April 2022 issue highlighted how the design and functionality of convention facilities is changing because of the pandemic and the evolving needs of groups. From your perspective, what do you predict will change at your facility, as well as at convention centers as a whole?

I’m focusing on how people want to gather in their return to live events. Now that COVID-19 seems to be waning, our staff has revitalized our expansion discussions, which is a great opportunity to meet newer generations in the ways they want to engage. Younger generations want more unstructured gathering places, flexible lobby areas, space to experience vendors and events — not just the typical four walls of a meeting rooms or exhibit halls. How can our space invite creativity and problem-solving in ways that it did not before? How can we accommodate and meet the needs of everyone in this next chapter?

Speaking of four walls and thinking outside of them, we have talked about creating a “sense of place” for years, but it has to be done in an authentic way. We can bring in local food, artists, or products, incorporate neighborhoods and their distinctive attractions, and share the cultures of our neighbors. At their core, convention centers are places of connection — this is where we come together to grow, develop skills, and network. But I think it’s time to take that a step further. If we want to truly elevate our venues into something special, something memorable, we should also create places of community, something that we have all deeply missed in the past two years.

If done with thought and intention, we can create authentic experiences within our facility that not only foster connection but also celebrate the communities in which we gather. So when our attendees go back home, they tell their friends, “That was a great meeting in a really special place. Let’s go back.”

Jennifer N. Dienst is senior editor at Convene. This interview has been edited for brevity.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Animazement is a full weekend of events, panels, concerts, shopping and more, all dedicated to celebrating the world of anime and all things Japan.

The annual convention returns to the Raleigh Convention Center this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Organizers of the event are doing something extra special for this year’s convention to make all feel welcome. This will be the first event at the convention center to offer KultureCity Sensory Bags to neurodiverse attendees.

The convention center is only one of six convention centers in the nation to hold a KultureCity certification.

With about 15,000 expected to attend, about three to five percent of those attendees are expected to have sensory processing needs.

In order to provide an inclusive, positive experience for those individuals, the Raleigh Convention Center’s accessibility services table will be providing the sensory bags.

The bags are designed to help neurodiverse guests, such as those with autism, dementia, or those who have experienced a stroke, with their sensory needs. These bags contain things like fidget toys, headphones and a card that can help them to communicate if they are feeling overwhelmed at any point of the event.

In addition to the sensory bags, the convention center will also be introducing new accommodations for service dogs.

There is even a space designated for a quiet space to escape the crowds called the Serenity Room which can be accessed by seeking an accessibility staff member.

Other accommodations thought of by the event organizers are advanced seating sections and stickers that can discreetly be applied to an attendee’s badge that would indicate that they may be unable to stand for long periods of time or are in need of access to the Serenity Room.

For a closer look at the lineup of events and more information on the convention, visit the Animazement website.

Raleigh Convention Center, AHA donate 6,000 pounds of food to N.C. food bank

RALEIGH, N.C. — Last month, while planning its annual Heart Ball, the American Heart Association paid for 75 more meals than they needed—but they never received any food.

Instead, they became the first organization to participate in the Raleigh Convention Center’s “Share Your Meal” program by purchasing ‘extra meals’ to donate. Through the program, the monetary value of any extra meals is then matched 100 per cent by complex officials and their caterer, Sodexo Live!, with the total amount going to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.

This week, that donation resulted in 6,000 pounds of produce being delivered to the Food Bank to share with 500 families in the region. That’s 30 cases of local sweet potatoes, 30 cases of large local cabbage, 20 cases of tomatillos, 30 cases of Roma tomatoes, five cases of jalapeños, and 60 cases of strawberries.

“The American Heart Association is truly honored to be the first organization to participate in the ‘Share Your Meal’ program, in conjunction with the Raleigh Convention Center. Sadly, it is estimated about one in seven households in the Raleigh Triangle experience food insecurity. The American Heart Association believes in the right to healthy food for all people to live their best lives. By taking part in this important program, it’s another way that we’re working to improve nutrition and food security for our neighbors right here in the Triangle,” said Anne Miller, regional executive director (Triangle & Eastern NC), American Heart Association.

The food was was distributed to the NC Fields program, a food bank recipient serving farmworkers and their families. According to the program, some 75 percent of those served in 2021 were people of color in historically marginalized communities.

“It’s a privilege to be able to support such a wonderful organization as the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, and we are honored to join the American Heart Association in making this donation,” said Kerry Painter, director/general manager of the Raleigh Convention Center. “When we give to the Food Bank, we know our dollars are going to help families right here in our local communities. There’s no question that our donations make a difference, and we hope others will join the American Heart Association in choosing to share their meals.”

“Share Your Meal” is the latest in the Raleigh Convention Center’s efforts to bring more sustainable and socially conscious practices to its operations. The venue boasts a 40 percent average landfill diversion rate by composting with Raleigh-based Compost Now. That compost is then donated to Camden Street Learning Garden, operated by the Inter-faith Food Shuttle, a local non-profit dedicated to ending hunger.

Sodexo Live! Renews Long-Term Agreement with Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex

January 27, 2022 09:30 ET | Source: Sodexo Live! 

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Sodexo Live!, the leading hospitality partner to the world’s most iconic venues, announced a multi-year renewal of its partnership with the Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex.Sodexo Live! provides catering services to the Raleigh Convention Center and other venues that make up the Complex — Red Hat Amphitheater, Coastal Credit Union Music Park and Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts — which together welcome nearly a million visitors each year.

Under the local leadership of General Manager Jamie Jenkins, the Sodexo Live! culinary team is a vital part of the Raleigh Convention Center's award-winning sustainability efforts, which include:

• using 100% biodegradable food-service items;
• pledging to source a high amount of food from local vendors and farmers;
• donating excess food to community food banks;
• converting used cooking oil into biofuel; and
• diverting 40% of its food waste from the landfill and into compost instead.

Sodexo Live! Executive Chef Phil Evans has spent years perfecting his craft in some of the country's finest kitchens, including five-star and five-diamond resorts. From his beginnings working in the kitchen of three-star Michelin chef Marc Meneau in France, Chef Phil has also served as executive sous chef at the St. Regis in Houston, executive chef at the St. Regis in Aspen, and as executive chef at the North Carolina's own acclaimed Umstead Hotel & Spa and Herons Restaurant.

The award-winning chefs on the team have prepared meals for four former U.S. presidents and world-renowned chefs Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, and Alice Waters, amongst others.

Through the extension of the current agreement, Sodexo Live! commits to providing significant capital contributions for enhanced guest services including new POS/CC systems, action stations, presentation items and equipment upgrades.

Kerry Painter, Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Director/GM, said, “We are happy to expand our work with Sodexo Live! as we invest in the guest experience for everyone who comes to visit our properties in Raleigh. Their long-term commitment to hire local employees and utilize local suppliers is important, as we mutually seek to be revenue drivers for the broader local economy through the calendar of events we host here on a regular basis.”

Sal Ferrulo, Executive Vice President, Sodexo Live!, added, “We look forward to continuing to provide our Raleigh partners with the unparalleled service experience they expect from us. We work with an ownership and a management team here in Raleigh that truly encourages us to focus on and innovate the guest experience, as we invest together in culinary programs that will attract functions of all sizes to the City of Oaks.”

About the Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex

The Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex is home to four pristine venues in North Carolina. Owned and operated by the City of Raleigh, the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and Red Hat Amphitheater are located within a two-block radius in the heart of Downtown Raleigh and welcome approximately one million visitors annually. Nearby, the City of Raleigh-owned Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek welcomes roughly 300,000 people each season.

About Sodexo Live!

Sodexo Live! manages prestigious conference, cultural, and sporting venues and major events all over the world. With 40,000 employees and 500 sites, we offer our clients a range of bespoke catering, sales, and event management services, helping to transform the consumer experience into unforgettable memories. As strategic and responsible partners, we commit to unlocking our customers’ full potential while favoring local communities.

Sodexo Live! contributes to the success of prestigious events such as Royal Ascot, the Tour de France, the Rugby World Cup and soon the Paris 2024 Games, and showcases exceptional venues such as the Eiffel Tower Restaurants, the Hard Rock Stadium, Bateaux Parisiens, Yachts de Paris, the Royal Academy of Arts in London, the Prado museum in Madrid and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

Raleigh Announces 2021 Environmental Award Winners

Celebrating Environmental Action in Raleigh

DEC 10, 2021

Today, the City of Raleigh announced the winners of its 2021 Environmental Awards. These awards, given each year by the Environmental Advisory Board, celebrate excellence and commitment to environmental stewardship, climate action, and conservation by the residents and businesses of Raleigh.  This year’s recipients demonstrate commitment to environmentalism, community engagement, the business case for environmental action, and simultaneously serving environmental aims and building equity in our communities,

This year's recipients include: 

Amin Davis, Raleigh Environmental Stewardship Award
Amin spends his professional and personal time dedicated to preserving natural spaces and engaging community members in conservation. 

Stacie Hagwood and the Walnut Creek Wetland Park Trash Task Force, Community Action Award
This community group was convened at Raleigh’s Walnut Creek Wetland Park to generate solutions for illegal dumping and littering in the Southeast Raleigh area. 

Gateway Plaza, Business Innovation for Environmental Stewardship Award
This shopping development by LODEN Properties has removed impervious surface and created community spaces with green stormwater infrastructure, a model for new development. 

Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, Climate Action Award for Energy and Waste
The Raleigh Convention Center and Performing Arts Complex has modeled renewable energy, energy conservation, waste reduction, pollinator protection, recycling and composting for all its visitors.

Southeast Raleigh YMCA and Elementary School, Climate Action Award, Equity
This collaboration between YMCA of the Triangle and Wake County Public School System promotes environmentalism and equity for its students and the community. 

Wake County Technical College, Climate Action Award, Transportation
Wake Tech has partnered with GoTriangle to remove the transportation barrier to education for its students, encouraging public transit use and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

Tar River Land Conservancy, Climate Action Award Land Conservation
Tar River Land Conservancy has protected nearly 400 acres of land, which improves the quality of Raleigh’s drinking water, protects biodiversity and offers recreation opportunities for community members. 

Additionally, each year, Raleigh Water recognizes organizations and projects that protect and preserve our drinking watershed. This year’s honorees are: 

Caterpillar Foundation
The Caterpillar Foundation dedicated critical funding to preserving forests and wetlands to protect water supply watersheds by allowing natural systems to filter water and reduce stormwater impacts.

East Carolina University Environmental Health Sciences Program
This ECU Program worked to stabilize and improve drainage along the Lick Creek Portion of the Falls Lake Watershed. 

Find out more about our winners’ projects. 

Applications are now open for the 2022 Environmental Awards, Capture it! Stormwater Arts Contest, and Trashion Competition. Find out more and apply today at raleighc.gov/environmentalawards 

EXHIBITOR Magazine Honors Best North American Convention Centers

Share

10/1/2021
Last year, Exhibitor Media Group, which produces both EXHIBITOR magazine and Find It – Marketplace, the buyer’s guide to trade show products and services, announced an initiative to identify and recognize North America’s best convention centers for trade shows and events. Small, medium, and large convention centers located anywhere in North America were invited to apply, and entrants were evaluated using an objective algorithm weighted to reflect how EXHIBITOR magazine readers value a variety of variables. The myriad criteria considered were categorized into five primary areas:

• Facility & Functionality
• Location & Accommodations
• Service & Execution
• Expansions & Upgrades
• Awards & Industry Participation

The evaluation process also included a survey of event planners, show organizers, and exhibit managers who have recently hosted (or exhibited at) events within each facility, as well as a review of entrants’ event spaces, selling points, and innovations, conducted by a panel of corporate exhibit managers. 

“While individual exhibit managers rarely have a say in where their trade shows are held, they are often the ones most impacted by that decision. This is their opportunity to give credit where credit is due and celebrate the exhibitor-friendly venues that do their part to make trade shows and events as smooth, successful, and painless as possible,” said Travis Stanton, editor of EXHIBITOR magazine, noting that everything from COVID-related health and safety protocols to the cost and quality of Wi-Fi access can have a significant impact on exhibiting companies’ experience at events. “Simply by virtue of being included in this list, these facilities have proven their ability to host trade shows and events of all shapes and sizes while providing world-class service and state-of-the-art accommodations.” 

The highest-scoring venues were named among EXHIBITOR Magazine’s 2022 Centers of Excellence, and they will be featured in the upcoming October/November issue of EXHIBITOR, as well as via an online portal where readers can learn more about each of the 30 facilities that qualified for this honor. The portal, housed within the Find It – Marketplace website, enables face-to-face marketers to quickly and easily research potential event venues and learn more about the convention centers that are hosting the trade shows and exhibitions on their annual calendars. 

“The online portal helps to ease the venue-selection process for the 85 percent of our readers who are tasked with overseeing their organizations’ meetings and events in addition to managing their companies’ exhibit-marketing efforts,” said Stanton. “Additionally, exhibitors who are planning to participate in trade shows being held at these facilities can learn more about each venue, including everything from the number of loading bays to the maximum ceiling height within exhibit halls.” 

The venues that qualified for EXHIBITOR Magazine’s 2021 Centers of Excellence include:

• Anaheim Convention Center
• Baltimore Convention Center
• The Broadmoor Convention Center
• Colorado Convention Center
• Cox Business Convention Center
• Denny Sanford Premier Center
• Duke Energy Convention Center
• Edmonton Convention Centre
• Edmonton Expo Centre
• Enercare Centre
• George R. Brown Convention Center
• Greater Columbus Convention Center
• Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
• Indiana Convention Center
• Kentucky Exposition Center
• Kentucky International Convention Center
• Las Vegas Convention Center
• Los Angeles Convention Center
• Mandalay Bay Convention Center
• Orange County Convention Center
• Overland Park Convention Center
• Owensboro Convention Center
• Quebec City Convention Center
• Raleigh Convention Center
• Renasant Convention Center
• Resch Expo
• Schaumburg Convention Center
• TCF Center
• Vancouver Convention Centre
• Walter E. Washington Convention Center

In addition to naming North America’s 30 best venues for trade shows and events, EXHIBITOR will be announcing the finalists for seven special awards next month, including Best Convention Center in four size-based categories, Best New or Improved Convention Center, Best Customer Service & On-Site Support, and Best Health & Safety Protocols (a new award this year). The winners of those awards will be announced during a ceremony held in conjunction with IAEE’s Expo! Expo!

For more information on the Centers of Excellence competition, visit www.ExhibitorOnline.com/Awards/CoE. And for more information on all of the 2022 Centers of Excellence recipients, visit www.ExhibitorOnline.com/FindIt/CoE.asp. 


About Exhibitor Media Group
The leader in trade show and corporate event marketing education, Exhibitor Media Group publishes the award-winning EXHIBITOR magazine, a monthly publication featuring best practices in trade show marketing. EXHIBITOR's learning events include: EXHIBITORLIVE, The Annual Conference and Exhibition for trade show and corporate event marketing; EXHIBITORFastTrak accelerated learning conferences; and EXHIBITOR eTrak, professional online learning. Exhibitor Media Group is also the founder and sponsor of CTSM (Certified Trade Show Marketer), the industry's only university-affiliated professional certification program. Learn more at www.ExhibitorOnline.com. 

EXHIBITOR is a registered trademark, and EXHIBITORLIVE, EXHIBITORFastTrak, and EXHIBITOR eTrak, are trademarks of Exhibitor Publications, Inc. in the USA and other countries. All company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated.


Contact:
questions@exhibitormagazine.com 

Proof of Covid-19 vaccination or negative Covid-19 test required at concerts and events, face masks must be worn at all times, beginning October 1, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 22, 2021

Today, Carolina Ballet, North Carolina Opera, North Carolina Symphony, North Carolina Theatre, and PineCone, the resident companies of Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts announce that, in order to ensure a safe return to live, indoor performances and productions this fall, proof of vaccination or negative PCR test will be required. The companies are joining performing arts organizations and venues around the country in adopting updated health and safety policies for audiences. Beginning October 1, 2021, all audience members are required to provide proof of full Covid-19 vaccination or, if they cannot be vaccinated, a negative Covid-19 PCR test completed within 72 hours prior to entering the venue.

In keeping with the City of Raleigh requirement, everyone coming to Duke Energy Center to attend a resident company performance or event, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear a mask. These policies and procedures are being put in place as part of the resident companies’ commitment to creating a safe and comfortable environment for performers, audiences, staff, and volunteers.

Guests who are unable to provide verification of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 PCR test may contact the applicable resident company ticket office to discuss flexible options for their tickets.
The current Duke Energy Center Covid-19 health and safety policy includes meeting HVAC air filtration and circulation system requirements, utilizing enhanced cleaning procedures, and providing hand sanitizer throughout the venue. For information, please also visit Duke Energy Center’s Cleaning Protocols and Attendee Safety page.

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Media contact:
Sarah McAlister
Duke Energy Center
919-996-8719
sarah.mcalister@Raleighnc.gov

Note to media: please feel free to use parts of our intro video at https://www.raleighconvention.com/aseatforall or any of the still photos attached to this email. Please contact Chrissy (cdeal@cleaninc.com) if you need higher resolution files.

Raleigh Convention Centers Introduces New Menu Featuring Ingredients Grown and Raised by Female and BIPOC Farmers in NC

Raleigh, NC — The Raleigh Convention Center and its in-house caterer, Centerplate, today introduced “A Seat at the Table: Southern Cuisine Featuring North Carolina’s Women and BIPOC Farmers and Food Producers,” a new menu featuring products grown and raised by small-scale farmers in North Carolina. Phil Evans, executive chef at Centerplate, spent a portion of the last year sourcing ingredients from farms across the state, selecting foods that not only enhance the menu, but also help tell the story of farmers historically underrepresented — those who are female and belong to BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous and People of Color). This marks the first time every menu offering features something produced at one of those farms.

No other convention center menu in the U.S. is known to have prioritized female and BIPOC producers in this way.

As he put the finishing touches on the new menus, Chef Phil spent three weeks personally visiting the farms represented. They include:

• America’s Best Nut Co, which offers gourmet peanuts roasted in Rocky Mount;
• Hines Family Farms, growing fresh vegetables in Jacksonville;
• Fogwood Farms in Reidsville, producing mushrooms and other produce;
• New Ground Farms, growing heirloom and hybrid vegetables in Pembroke;
• Paradox Farms, a creamery making cheese outside of Carthage;
• Peggy Rose Pepper Jelly from Wake Forest;
• Sweet Pea Urban Garden, growing microgreens and vegetable shoots near downtown Raleigh; and
• MG3 Farms, a hydroponic farm in Prospect.

“This isn’t simply delicious food — it’s food with a story,” said Kerry Painter, executive director of Raleigh Convention + Performing Arts Complex. “As visitors continue to return to downtown Raleigh, we’re excited to offer a first-class menu that sets us apart from other venues, of course. But we’re especially proud to be able to introduce those visitors to the people behind the flavors. Chef Phil chose products from small, family farms where quality is more important than quantity. The love and care they put into their products comes through with every bite.”

“I grew up working in the dirt, gardening with my mother,” Chef Phil said. “The vegetables we grew in our backyard were infinitely more delicious than anything we could have purchased from a large-scale store. And during my time in the restaurant industry, I’ve seen too often how smaller farmers — especially women and BIPIOC farmers — are repeatedly overlooked. I’ve met some incredible people across North Carolina who are producing amazing foods. They deserve to be showcased, and our guests deserve to taste the best of the best.”

The “A Seat at the Table: Southern Cuisine Featuring North Carolina’s Women and BIPOC Farmers and Food Producers” menu is the latest in the Convention Center’s efforts to bring more sustainable and socially conscious practices to its operations. The Center is home to gardens that are irrigation- and pesticide-free, and feature beehives and native grasses and perennials. Honey produced by the bees is already incorporated in drink and food offerings. By composting with Raleigh-based CompostNow, the Center has a 40 percent average landfill diversion rate, keeping more than 150,000 lbs of food out of the landfill since 2017. That compost is then donated to the Camden Street Learning Garden which is operated by the Inter-faith Food Shuttle.

About the Raleigh Convention Center

The LEED Silver-certified Raleigh Convention Center is a bustling hub for the culture, commerce, and technologies that make the Triangle one of the most admired and sought-after regions in the United States. Its modern 500,000-square-foot facility includes a stunning granite lobby with dramatic windows and downtown views, an elegant 32,000-square-foot ballroom, and a massive 150,000-square-foot exhibit hall, all with outstanding tech amenities and award-winning culinary delights. The center has welcomed over 4.5 million visitors since its opening in September 2008. www.raleighconvention.com

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- It's a gamer's paradise in downtown Raleigh.

It's the 15th annual Carolina Games Summit, happening this weekend at the Raleigh Convention Center.

The summit is hosting tournaments for some of the most popular games including Overwatch, Fortnite, FIFA and Super Smash Bros.

There's even a tournament for the card game Magic: The Gathering, leaving plenty of options for gamers from all walks of life.

"Not only is it an enormous e-sports event, but we've added a tech expo where you can learn about building computers, buy video cards that are hard to get access to," said Michael Everette, creative director for Carolina Games Summit.

This isn't just a good time playing games, this could directly influence these players' futures.

Barton College in Wilson is looking to build its e-sports program and plans to give out $400,000 in scholarships for players finishing in podium places. 

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Sonarc sculpture was installed in December in front of the Duke Energy Center For The Performing Arts as part of Illuminate Art Walk, but this week as the theater welcomes back live audiences, many are discovering the piece for the first time in downtown Raleigh, especially at night.

"It's actually gorgeous," said Nate Laughner as he took in the piece "We wanted to check out the lights with the musical theater and we saw this we had to come to check it out; it's beautiful."

Sonarc by artist Brian Brush is a permanent display with 1,000 plexiglass tubes and 600 LED lights hung in a semicircle frame meant to represent open arms welcoming guests to the performing arts center. As the curtain again went up inside on stage with NC Theatre's production of Songs For A New World, new systems were put in place on the display outside making it interactive. The piece emits different patterns and colors of light based on the pitch it picks up from noises around it.

"We're really excited about the interactive case," said Sarah Powers, Executive Director with Raleigh Arts. "It's a beautiful light piece, it will change color, and there is a microphone that will pick up ambient noise but if someone wanted to see what their song looks like in the light and the changing of the pattern in the color with their vocals or instruments, then this would be a place to test it out. That microphone will pick up that noise anywhere around the piece."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 12, 2021

DUKE ENERGY CENTER NAMES NEW BOOKING MANAGER
Events professional joins the Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex team

Raleigh, N.C. − The Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex is pleased to announce Melanie Margarum as the new Booking Manager for the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

Margarum is a North Carolina native and graduated from North Carolina State University. She got her start in the events industry as an Event Coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

She also spent five years at the Carolina Theatre in Durham, where she started as an Event and Development Coordinator and was later promoted to Event Sales Director. While at the Carolina Theatre, Margarum handled contracting for over 150 events annually, while also establishing and managing new business for the theatre. She also has experience working with varying clients including festivals, national promoters, universities, conferences, and community organizations.
“We are excited to have Melanie join our team. With her industry knowledge and true passion for the business she will be a tremendous asset to our venue,” said Michelle Bradley, Assistant General Manager of the Duke Energy Center.

Since 1932, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts has served as Raleigh’s premier performing arts venue. The venue draws approximately 400,000 guests annually to its four separate event spaces and is home to the Carolina Ballet, North Carolina Theatre, North Carolina Symphony, North Carolina Opera, and PineCone. With roughly 600 events each year, the venue draws an average of $35.4 million in economic impact to Raleigh’s businesses, hotels, and restaurants.
Margarum began her new position on June 21. She brings a wealth of knowledge in the events industry and will contribute to the ongoing success of the Duke Energy Center’s extensive events calendar.

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ABOUT THE RALEIGH CONVENTION + PERFORMING ARTS COMPLEX
The Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex is home to four pristine venues in Raleigh, North Carolina. Owned and operated by the City of Raleigh, the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and Red Hat Amphitheater are located within a two-block radius in the heart of Downtown Raleigh and welcome approximately one million visitors annually. Nearby, the City of Raleigh-owned Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek welcomes roughly 300,000 people each season.

ABOUT THE DUKE ENERGY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Set amongst the backdrop of our Capitol, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts has stood as a historic and cultural focal point in Downtown Raleigh since 1932. It has played host to Broadway classics, rock legends and major political figures while maintaining an emphasis on education of the arts and artists housed within Raleigh’s community. With four separate event spaces available, the breadth and depth of events past, present and future has made this Raleigh’s Premier Arts Venue.

CONTACT
Sarah McAlister
Marketing Manager
919-996-8719
sarah.mcalister@raleighnc.gov

RALEIGH, N.C. — Just in time for the summer concert season, Red Hat Amphitheater has unveiled some upgrades, including new gender neutral bathrooms and an artist green room.

The Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex announced the upgrades on Thursday. They were part of a capital improvement project launched earlier this year.

Ten additional bathroom stalls, including new gender neutral bathrooms have been added. All seating in sections 1 through 7 have been upgraded with the first three sections getting FlexOne chairs, which have breathable seats and backrests.

The venue has also added a new artist green room and outdoor lounge area that includes natural greenery, rocking chairs, a gas fire pit and games, including shuffle board, an arcade system and Atari. The space includes a selfie room with a full-length selfie camera, green wall backdrop and a “Raleighwood” neon sign.

Red Hat Amphitheater is located at 500 S. McDowell St. in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Since opening in 2010, it has hosted more than 300 shows.

By Kathy Hanrahan, Out and About editor

RALEIGH, N.C. — Live music is back at Red Hat Amphitheater with the announcement of its Amped Up Music Series.

The venue, located at 500 S. McDowell St., has announced a slate of concerts on Thursday nights through early July. The series kicks off on Thursday, May 27, with Kooley High and The Hot at Nights.

Tickets for all shows are expected to go on sale next week.

Here's a rundown of dates and performers:

• May 27: Kooley High and The Hot at Nights
• June 3: Hank Pattie & The Current featuring The Mallarme Chamber Players and Rebekah Todd & the Odyssey
• June 10: Eric Gales and Abby Bryant & The Echoes
• June 17: Toubab Krewe with Crucian Fiya
• June 24: Sarah Shook & The Disarmers with Blue Cactus
• July 1: Dillon Fence with Arson Daily

By Julian Grace, WRAL anchor/reporter

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts will be welcoming back indoor guests Friday night for the first time since the pandemic began.

The downtown venue has taken extra steps to ensure people feel comfortable and safe for the first performance in 14 months.

Typically, 2,400 people can fill the Duke Energy Center, but for now, capacity is set at 800 people for the purposes of social distancing.

You can buy tickets in pods, and each pod will be at least six feet away from each other.

Pinecone, which books the acts, usually uses the Fletcher Opera, but the organization moved over to the Memorial Auditorium to allow for social distancing.

"I sincerely hope people will look at opportunities like this and consider coming out and experiencing the performing arts again" said David Brower, executive director at Pinecone. "It's been a long year, we've all gotten comfortable in our homes, but let's not forget how wonderful it can be to come together and experience live music."

WRAL was told CDC guidelines are being strictly followed. And staff is ready to put on a show.

For Immediate Release

April 28, 2021

IN-PERSON AUDIENCES TO RETURN TO THE DUKE ENERGY CENTER AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR

(RALEIGH, NC) – Guests will once again grace the seats at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, as the North Carolina Symphony welcomes small, socially distanced audiences to Meymandi Concert Hall for six performances this spring—in accordance with capacity regulations for in-person gatherings set by Governor Roy Cooper.

"The health and safety of our audience, musicians, and staff is our first priority as we gradually re-open Meymandi Concert Hall for live performances," says Sandi Macdonald, North Carolina Symphony President & CEO. "Over the past month, the Symphony has tested our in-person protocols at the concert hall with smaller groups of audience members, and we are confident in providing a safe and welcoming atmosphere for our patrons. We are appreciative of the audiences that have been enjoying our streaming concert broadcasts, and are thrilled to now be able to bring them back for the live musical experience.”

The Symphony's in-person performances will feature music of Beethoven as part of its LVB250 Festival, which has been celebrated throughout the 2020/21 season, commemorating 250 years since the composer's birth. On Friday, April 30, 2021, Augustin Hadelich joins for Beethoven's Violin Concerto; on Friday, May 14, the Symphony performs Beethoven's Symphony No. 4; and on Friday, May 21, the Symphony performs Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 with Orion Weiss joining for Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 19. Each date includes performances at 1pm and 7pm.

A limited number of tickets may be purchased from the North Carolina Symphony at this link.

Over the past year, the Duke Energy Center staff has been hard at work preparing for a safe re-opening. Having expanded already-stringent cleaning procedures in the wake of COVID-19, the Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex received GBAC STAR™ accreditation, the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation for facilities. “The safety of our guests is our number one priority and we’re delighted to finally be re-opening our doors to audience members so that they can once again enjoy live performing arts,” says Michelle Bradley, Duke Energy Center’s Assistant General Manager.

When attending upcoming events at the Duke Energy Center, guests can expect socially distanced seating, enhanced cleaning, and hand sanitizer stations available throughout the venues. Masks will be required at all times, touchless temperature scanning will take place upon entry, and touchless payment options and ticket scanning will be used. In addition—implementing new security features that were designed more than a year ago—all guests will enter through a security checkpoint, which includes a metal detector and bag screening; handbag size will be limited to 12 x 12 x 10 inches.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began over a year ago, the Duke Energy Center pivoted to strictly virtual events and so far, has successfully hosted more than 42 streamed performances, including productions from the North Carolina Symphony and Carolina Ballet. The Symphony will continue streaming its concerts at least through the spring; the in-person performances of Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 will be filmed for release as streaming concerts.

Events are being added daily to the calendar at the Duke Energy Center, with 33 in-person events booked currently over the next few months. Other resident theatre companies have also announced their upcoming seasons, including PineCone’s Down Home Concerts series beginning in May with The Gibson Brothers with Tray Wellington and NC Theatre’s season beginning in July with Songs for a New World.

A list of upcoming events, as well as more information about new entry procedures and cleaning protocols can be found at www.dukeenergycenterraleigh.com.

                                                                                 ###

About Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts

Set amongst the backdrop of our Capitol, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts has stood as a historic and cultural focal point in Downtown Raleigh since 1932. It has played host to Broadway classics, rock legends and major political figures while maintaining an emphasis on education of the arts and artists housed within Raleigh’s community. With four separate event spaces available, the breadth and depth of events past, present and future has made this Raleigh’s Premier Arts Venue.

For more info please contact:

Sarah McAlister

Duke Energy Center

919-996-8719

sarah.mcalister@Raleighnc.gov

Meredith Laing

NC Symphony

919-789-5484

mlaing@ncsymphony.org

by: Amy Cutler

Posted: Apr 21, 2021 / 10:33 PM EDT / Updated: Apr 21, 2021 / 11:42 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The governor’s announcement is good news for mass gatherings like concerts and the N.C. State Fair.

While many have been holding events, they’ve only been allowed to do so at 50 percent capacity. That could change starting in June.

“We’re really excited,” Kerry Painter, the Director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex said.

It’s been more than a year since most people have attended a concert or convention.

“It will create entertainment for the people who are really, really wanting to do something safe but enjoyable, it’ll get the restaurants reignited, it’ll get the hotels reignited,” Painter said.

She oversees the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts and Red Hat Amphitheater.

Painter said the currently rules don’t work for most artists.

“They really need 80 to 90% in order to afford and make the show viable,” Painter explained.

The Convention Center has opened for smaller events like a volleyball tournament a couple of weeks back.

“What this announcement will really mean is that we save the stuff on the calendar for this summer and for fall,” Painter said.

“Here at the state fair, we have had events all along, but many events have not been able to take place,” Kent Yelverton, the State Fair Manager said.

That includes the N.C. State Fair, which was canceled in 2020.

“We did have to make the decision, the very hard decision to furlough two-thirds of our staff, about 54 employees,” Yelverton said.

Back in February, they announced they would move forward with the State Fair in 2021.

“We’re certainly hopeful it will look very normal,” he said.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2021
RALEIGH CONVENTION + PERFORMING ARTS COMPLEX
NAMES NEW ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER

Department Veteran to Lead the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts Raleigh, N.C. - After a national search, the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex is pleased to announce the promotion of department veteran Michelle Bradley to the position of assistant general manager, where she will oversee the overall and day-to-day operations of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts (DECPA) in downtown Raleigh. With more than 20 years’ experience at DECPA, Bradley brings with her an extensive knowledge of the venue, a firsthand understanding of its operations and business goals, and a portfolio of well developed relationships with promoters, industry professionals, local organizations and the venue’s resident companies. Bradley began her new position on March 13.

“Michelle has been a passionate driver for expanding the role of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in our community,” said Kerry Painter CEM/CVP/CVE, director/general manager, Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex. “She continues to champion the arts as a way to build bridges and has improved access to the venues, advocated for events that meet the cultural interests of our community and developed partnerships to welcome a new wave of patrons to the theater. I cannot think of a better person to lead our fantastic performing arts center out of this pandemic and into a busy, vibrant future.”

Bradley, who began her City of Raleigh career in 1998 as a receptionist, eventually went on to hold the Director of Marketing position for a decade before being promoted to Theatre Manager in 2019. In her roles, Bradley has brought success to the DEPCA, including an overhaul of the center’s safety and security measures and impressive annual ticket sales of $11.5 million. In March 2020, she quickly stepped in as the venue’s interim assistant general manager, not knowing that a pandemic was on the horizon. On leadership during a global health crisis, Bradley credits an attitude of resiliency and adaptability: “Embrace the moment when it is presented. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and do better.”

Most recently, Bradley has developed a partnership with the African American Cultural Festival, resulting in the production of the City of Raleigh’s inaugural Kwanzaa Celebration, as well as a Virtual Celebration of Black History Month and “The Hidden Crisis: Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19 within the African American Community.” An active member of the International Association of Venue Managers, Bradley has participated in the Association’s Venue Management School and Academy for Venue Safety and Security
programs.

The Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts has served as Raleigh’s premier performing arts venue since 1932. The venue draws approximately 400,000 guests annually to its four separate event spaces and is home to the Carolina Ballet, North Carolina Theatre, North Carolina Symphony, North Carolina Opera, and PineCone. With roughly 600 events each year, the venue draws an average of $35.4 million in economic impact to Raleigh’s businesses, hotels, and restaurants.
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ABOUT THE RALEIGH CONVENTION + PERFORMING ARTS COMPLEX
The Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex is home to four pristine venues in Raleigh, North Carolina. Owned and operated by the City of Raleigh, the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and Red Hat Amphitheater are located within a two-block radius in the heart of Downtown Raleigh and welcome approximately one million visitors annually. Nearby, the City of Raleigh-owned Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek welcomes roughly 300,000 people each season.

ABOUT THE DUKE ENERGY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Set amongst the backdrop of our Capitol, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts has stood as a historic and cultural focal point in Downtown Raleigh since 1932. It has played host to Broadway classics, rock legends and major political figures while maintaining an emphasis on education of the arts and artists housed within Raleigh’s community. With four separate event spaces available, the breadth and depth of events past, present and future has made this Raleigh’s Premier Arts Venue.

CONTACT
Sarah McAlister
DECPA Marketing Manager
919-996-8719
sarah.mcalister@raleighnc.gov

Click Above to Read the Full Story

Raleigh joins nationwide movement to honor lives lost to coronavirus pandemic

Posted January 19, 2021 9:47 p.m. EST

By Kirsten Gutierrez, WRAL reporter

Raleigh joins nationwide movement to honor lives lost to coronavirus pandemic

From the Fayetteville Street office towers and Raleigh’s municipal building to the governor's mansion and the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, the color amber was a common theme on Tuesday night as cities and towns across the Triangle joined the nationwide coronavirus memorial.

"She'd be smiling, she'd be laughing," said Hannah Robbins, who lost her mother, Mary Ward, to the virus in November. "I know she'd be crying – she was an emotional person – seeing the community come together."

Ward was one of more than 400,000 people in the U.S. killed by coronavirus.

"It's so baffling how many people lost a family member, who lost a loved one and that numbers keeps rising," said Robbins.

Reneka Colbert lost two of her loved ones last year: her grandmother Una Mae Daye shortly after celebrating her 90th birthday and her uncle Robert Foster.

"That's a lot of people to have lost in just one year from this pandemic," said Colbert.

Colbert explained that the hardest part was not being able to say goodbyes.

"With them passing from COVID, we could not see them at the funeral nor in the casket. They were not embalmed. We were left with that's it, it's over. It feels as if they were discarded as trash, and it hurt, it really hurt," said Colbert.

The memorial gave both families a chance to know that their loved ones aren’t just another number.

"Seeing the community come together in remembrance of her, and all the families that were broken during this time, is just so amazing," said Robbins.

"They had a brightness about them that changed our community, and their light is gone, and it's missed, and it will continuously be missed. It's a void that will not be filled," said Colbert.

Raleigh to Host First-Ever Collegiate Esports National Championship in 2021

Monday, November 09, 2020, 10am

Collegiate Sports Management Group brings event to the Raleigh Convention Center
 

New York City, NY (Nov. 9, 2020) – Collegiate Sports Management Group (CSMG) announced today it will be hosting the first Collegiate Esports National Championship (CENC) on April 29 through May 2, 2021 at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. The championship tournament will feature schools from CSMG partners including the ECAC Esports, the National Junior College Athletic Association Esports (NJCAAE) and the High School Esports League (HSEL). After competing all semester, the qualifying teams will compete in Raleigh for a chance to be crowned national champions.

CSMG chose Raleigh as the perfect location for the first national championships as the city has experience in hosting large scale esports events, including the Rainbow Six event in 2019 and the East Coast Game Conference (ECGC) for the past 11 years. The gaming community is strong and vibrant in Raleigh and CSMG is excited to add their championships to the city’s esports portfolio.

“We are delighted to be hosting the Collegiate Esports National Championship here in Raleigh, N.C.,” said Tori Collins, Director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance and Co-Chair of the new esports committee Greater Raleigh Esports Local Organizing Committee (GRELOC). “Our area has a long tradition of hosting successful collegiate championships in traditional sports. To be able to celebrate and showcase our globally recognized esports ecosystem supported by local companies such as Epic Games, Ubisoft, Lenovo, Red Hat and others is a win-win for us. Our commitment to esports player’s health and wellness remains paramount, and we along with our local partners are confident we can deliver a world-class event for everyone involved in 2021.”

CENC will include other exciting gaming events highlighted by an NFLA competition featuring former NFL stars and a two-day HBCU Technology Career Fair. The first-of-its kind HBCU Career Fair will bring a brighter focus on the HBCU community and the brilliant students attending HBCU schools within the Raleigh region. This recruiting event will bring companies face-to-face with students seeking career opportunities in the technology industry. The GRELOC in partnership with Subnation, a gaming lifestyle media platform, will look to develop and produce a Fan Festival that celebrates the culture of gaming and lifestyle of esports.

“The Collegiate Esports National Championship will provide schools and colleges along the CSMG pipeline from high school to junior college to 4-year colleges to compete under one roof for the first true esports national championships. This gathering of gamers of all ages will be the highlight of the 2020-2021 collegiate esports season. Brands will be able to connect with the gaming community at our LAN event, through our linear partner, ESTV, and across multiple digital channels,” stated Neil Malvone EVP at CSMG.
 

ABOUT COLLEGIATE SPORTS MANAGEMENT GROUP
Founded in 2014, CSMG is a College Sports Properties Group that drives the business performance of college athletic conferences and schools, providing them with a successful growth strategy and generating revenue to support their athletic department and initiatives. CSMG specializes in Marketing Rights/Revenue Generation, Content Creation and Distribution, Media Rights Strategy and Negotiation, Sponsorship Sales, Name Image and Likeness Solutions, Licensing, Event Production and Management, Ticketing and Esports. Visit www.collegiatesmg.com for more information.

MEDIA CONTACT
Neil Malvone, EVP at CSMG
nmalvone@collegiatesmg.com
908-510-0087

EXHIBITOR Magazine Honors Best North American Convention Centers

10/1/2020
Last year, Exhibitor Media Group, which produces both EXHIBITOR magazine and Find It – Marketplace, the buyer’s guide to trade show products and services, announced an initiative to identify and recognize North America’s best convention centers for trade shows and events. Small, medium, and large convention centers located anywhere in North America were invited to apply, and entrants were evaluated using an objective algorithm weighted to reflect how EXHIBITOR magazine readers value a variety of variables. The myriad criteria considered were categorized into five primary areas:

• Facility & Functionality
• Location & Accommodations
• Service & Execution
• Expansions & Upgrades
• Awards & Industry Participation

The evaluation process also included a survey of event planners, show organizers, and exhibit managers who have recently hosted (or exhibited at) events within each facility, as well as a review of entrants’ event spaces, selling points, and innovations, conducted by a panel of corporate exhibit managers.

“While individual exhibit managers rarely have a say in where their trade shows are held, they are often the ones most impacted by that decision. This is their opportunity to give credit where credit is due and celebrate the exhibitor-friendly venues that do their part to make trade shows and events as smooth, successful, and painless as possible,” said Travis Stanton, editor of EXHIBITOR magazine, noting that everything from the number of nearby hotel rooms to the cost and quality of Wi-Fi access can have a significant impact on exhibiting companies’ experience at events. “Simply by virtue of being included in this list, these facilities have proven their ability to host trade shows and events of all shapes and sizes while providing world-class service and state-of-the-art accommodations.”

The highest-scoring venues were named among EXHIBITOR Magazine’s 2021 Centers of Excellence, and they will be featured in an upcoming issue of EXHIBITOR, as well as via an online portal where readers can learn more about each of the 30 facilities that qualified for this honor. The portal, housed within the Find It – Marketplace website, enables face-to-face marketers to quickly and easily research potential event venues and learn more about the convention centers that are hosting the trade shows and exhibitions on their annual calendars.

“The online portal helps to ease the venue-selection process for the 85 percent of our readers who are tasked with overseeing their organizations’ meetings and events in addition to managing their companies’ exhibit-marketing efforts,” said Stanton. “Additionally, exhibitors who are planning to participate in trade shows being held at these facilities can learn more about each venue, including everything from the number of loading bays to the maximum ceiling height within exhibit halls.”

The venues that qualified for EXHIBITOR Magazine’s 2021 Centers of Excellence include:

• Anaheim Convention Center
• Caesars Forum
• Cobb Galleria Centre
• Colorado Convention Center
• Cox Business Convention Center
• Duke Energy Convention Center
• Edmonton Convention Centre
• Edmonton Expo Centre
• Enercare Centre
• Greater Columbus Convention Center
• Greater Tacoma Convention Center
• Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
• Indiana Convention Center
• Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas
• Kentucky International Convention Center
• Los Angeles Convention Center
• Mandalay Bay Convention Center
• McCormick Place
• Minneapolis Convention Center
• Mohegan Sun
• Orange County Convention Center
• Overland Park Convention Center
• Quebec City Convention Center
• Raleigh Convention Center
• Renasant Convention Center
• San Diego Convention Center
• TCF Center
• The Broadmoor Event Center
• Vancouver Convention Centre
• Walter E. Washington Convention Center

In addition to naming North America’s 30 best venues for trade shows and events, EXHIBITOR will be announcing the finalists for six special awards next month, including Best Convention Center in four size-based categories, Best New or Improved Convention Center, and Best Customer Service & On-Site Support. The winners of those awards will be announced during a ceremony held in conjunction with IAEE’s Expo! Expo!

For more information on the Centers of Excellence competition, visit www.ExhibitorOnline.com/Awards/CoE. And for more information on all of the 2021 Centers of Excellence recipients, visit www.ExhibitorOnline.com/FindIt/CoE.asp.


About Exhibitor Media Group
The leader in trade show and corporate event marketing education, Exhibitor Media Group publishes the award-winning EXHIBITOR magazine, a monthly publication featuring best practices in trade show marketing. EXHIBITOR's learning events include: EXHIBITORLIVE, Best Practices in Trade Shows and Events; EXHIBITORFastTrak accelerated learning conferences; and EXHIBITOR eTrak, professional online learning. Exhibitor Media Group is also the founder and sponsor of CTSM (Certified Trade Show Marketer), the industry's only university-affiliated professional certification program. Learn more at www.ExhibitorOnline.com.

EXHIBITOR is a registered trademark, and EXHIBITORLIVE, EXHIBITORFastTrak, and EXHIBITOR eTrak, are trademarks of Exhibitor Publications, Inc. in the USA and other countries. All company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated.


Contact:
CentersofExcellence@exhibitormagazine.com

RALEIGH, NC – October 2, 2020 – Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex has announced it has achieved Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation, the gold standard for prepared facilities. Under the guidance of GBAC, a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, the Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention in its venues.

“We’re honored to be the first multi-venue complex in North Carolina to receive GBAC STAR™ accreditation. By working with GBAC, we have ensured that the Raleigh Convention Center, Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and Red Hat Amphitheater have the highest level of cleaning, disinfecting, and infectious disease prevention systems in place,” said Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Director/GM Kerry Painter. “Our goal is to re-open our doors in the safest manner possible and this achievement is proof of our team’s dedication and hard work.”

As the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR™ helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations. The program verifies that Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex implements best practices to prepare for, respond to and recover from outbreaks and pandemics.

“GBAC STAR accreditation empowers facility owners and managers to assure workers, customers and key stakeholders that they have proven systems in place to maintain clean and healthy environments,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “By taking this important step to pursue GBAC STAR, Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex has received third-party validation that it follows strict protocols for biorisk situations, thereby demonstrating its preparedness and commitment to operating safely.”  

To achieve GBAC STAR™ accreditation, Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex was required to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 core elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment strategies to personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response measures. Learn more about GBAC STAR accreditation at www.gbac.org.

About Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex

The Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex is home to four pristine venues in Raleigh, North Carolina. Owned and operated by the City of Raleigh, the Raleigh Convention Center, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and Red Hat Amphitheater are located within a two-block radius in the heart of Downtown Raleigh and welcome approximately one million visitors annually. Nearby, the City of Raleigh-owned Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek welcomes roughly 300,000 people each season.

About GBAC, a Division of ISSA

Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis, mitigation, response and recovery, the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance and leadership to government, commercial and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises. The organization’s services include biorisk management program assessment and training, Forensic Restoration® response and remediation, the GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation program, training and certification of individuals and consulting for building owners and facility managers. For more information, visit www.gbac.org.

About ISSA

With more than 9,300 members—including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners and associated service members—ISSA is the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry. The association is committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Northbrook, Ill., USA, the association has regional offices in Mainz, Germany; Whitby, Canada; Parramatta, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China. For more information about ISSA, visit www.issa.com or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800. 

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Press Contact:

Sarah McAlister
Marketing Manager
919-996-8719
Sarah.mcalister@raleighnc.gov

by: Judith Retana

Posted: Oct 2, 2020 / 06:44 PM EDT / Updated: Oct 2, 2020 / 06:56 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)- A sign about a postponed and later canceled event is still posted at the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts in Raleigh, but inside, staffers are getting ready for opening day.

Safety measures for the center begin when people walk through the doors.

“We pride ourselves, prior to, on how quickly you could get into the building. Now, it’s going to slow it down a little bit more. [It will take] about 28 seconds now [compared] to 10 seconds before,” said Michelle Bradley, Interim Assistant General Manager.

An non-contact wrist thermometer starts the customer experience at the center. The stand alone, automated device will announce whether your temperature is safe.

Arrival times will be staggered. Patrons will also see more cleaning staff than usual.

“We really try to stay in the background more where now we’re really going to be interfacing with the public,” said Bradley.

In a release, the performing arts center said, “As the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation, GBAC STAR helps organizations establish protocols and procedures, offers expert-led training and assesses a facility’s readiness for biorisk situations.”

Cleaning staffers will use heavy duty cleaner chemicals and electronic sprayers. They could be see hitting every table, seat and railing throughout the Duke Energy Center.

“We are now certified in bio-hazard cleaning so it has changed how we think of everything,” said Kerry Painter, director and general manager for the performing arts complex.

Cleaning has become detailed all the way down to the color towel used for each area of the performing arts center.

Customers can expect more prepackaged food and drinks at the concession stands. There will be much less seating throughout the lobby to discourage gathering.

Seating in the auditoriums will be spread out, too. The center will seat people in pods of three or four and keep them separated.

“If you want to sit way far back, we’re OK with that. We’ll get you the seat that makes you feel safest and makes you feel together but separate,” Painter said.

Limited capacities may make it tricky to book talent who are used to big productions. No shows are scheduled just yet at Duke Energy Center.

“One-hundred people is not a great pivot for us to be able to show a lot of things but it’s a good beginning for us,” said Painter.

Meanwhile Duke Energy Center is waiting for their guests to arrive.

“The whole staff is excited. We are looking forward to when we could open those door even for just one patron,” Bradley said.

BY CAROLINE BLAIR CENTRAL NC

PUBLISHED 10:24 AM ET SEP. 04, 2020

RALEIGH N.C. — Entertainment venues like the Raleigh Convention Center and the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts usually play host to hundreds of events and thousands of people every year. However, the coronavirus pandemic has halted everything, leaving the centers empty and struggling financially.

Kerry Painter is the director of the Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex and also leads a coalition of arts and entertainment venues throughout North Carolina. The coalition has been working to create new protocols. She told Spectrum News 1 anchor Caroline Blair in a two-part interview that those new guidelines are essential so that when they’re given the green light from Gov. Roy Cooper, they can properly open back up. 

As phase 2.5 gets underway at 5 p.m. Friday, entertainment venues like theaters, performing arts centers, and concert halls are left in the dark. That isn’t keeping Painter and others from working to create a more than 20 point check system that includes how they’ll handle everything from entrance to their venue, food and beverage sales, ticketing, social distancing, and of course cleaning.

Painter says the experience will be different once they’re able to open, but they working to make it safe. 

Raleigh Convention Center Expands Sanitization Protocol and Begins GBAC STAR Accreditation

8/12/2020
The Raleigh Convention Center (RCC) has strengthened its commitment to ensuring a safe environment through its pursuit of the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR™ accreditation, expanding facility cleaning methods and increasing its meticulous catering and food operations.

GBAC STAR is the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation program for public and commercial facilities. Its 20 elements establish requirements for facilities to implement the highest standards of work practices, protocols, procedures, and systems to control risks associated with infectious agents, such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. RCC will be creating foundational communications for informing all stakeholders around the ongoing and rigorous steps being taken around cleanliness, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention. GBAC STAR is administered by GBAC, a division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association.

In addition to participating in this prestigious accreditation program, RCC is taking the following measures:

• elevate training for team members
• introduce new, targeted disinfectant solutions including EPA-registered List N Disinfectants, which meet the criteria for use against the SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19
• expand the number of sanitizer stations
• establish CDC-recommended employee wellness screenings upon arrival
• require gloves and masks for staff
• increase intensity and frequency of the building’s cleaning and disinfecting.

“Establishing protocol that meets and sometimes exceeds CDC recommendations is our top priority. As excited as we are to reopen our doors, we are adamant about first taking extra precautions to protect our attendees, performers, meeting and event planners, stakeholders and employees,” said Kerry Painter, CFE/CEM/CMP, Director/General Manager of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex.

Kerry Painter serves as Chair of NC Live, a coalition providing guidance and best practices across the state for safe reopening of venues and facilities. Leaders of arts and entertainment venues in Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham, Raleigh and Wake County have taken tangible actions to develop procedures to safely welcome back fans to concerts, performances and comedy events in the future. In total, the 18 venues in the coalition received over 3.3 million patrons during more than 2,500 performances in 2019.


About Raleigh Convention Center
The LEED Silver-certified Raleigh Convention Center is a bustling hub for the culture, commerce, and technologies that make the Triangle one of the most admired and sought-after regions in the United States. Its modern 500,000 ft2 facility includes a stunning granite lobby with dramatic windows and downtown views, an elegant 32,000 ft2 ballroom, and a massive 150,000 ft2 exhibit hall, all with outstanding tech amenities and award-winning culinary delights. The center has welcomed over 4.5 million visitors since its opening in September 2008. www.raleighnc.gov

About Global Biorisk Advisory Council
Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis, mitigation, response, and recovery, the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance, and leadership to government, commercial and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address, and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises. The organization’s services include biorisk management program assessment and training, Forensic Restoration® response and remediation, the GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation program, training and certification of individuals, and consulting for building owners and facility managers. For more information, visit www.gbac.org.


Contact:
questions@exhibitormagazine.com

Reporter: Travis Fain

Posted: 8/1/2020

Disasters have a multiplying effect, and a pandemic like COVID-19 has the potential to change our world for decades to come. We speak with some experts in the field of psychology, education, entertainment and urban design about this.

Posted June 24, 2020 8:36 p.m. EDT

By Joe Fisher, WRAL multimedia journalist

RALEIGH, N.C. — With Gov. Roy Cooper hitting the pause button on North Carolina's efforts to resume business and social activities during the coronavirus pandemic, it's clear it will be quite a while before area entertainment venues are hosting concerts, plays and other events.

But that hasn't stopped venue managers for preparing for their eventual reopenings.

At the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, social distancing markers are on the ground, plans are in place to bring in machines to take people's temperatures and managers have put together a seating chart for 400 people – 23 percent capacity – to enjoy a symphony concert or a ballet.

"The goal is to space it out so everyone doesn’t walk in the door at the same time," said Kerry Painter, director of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex. "It used to take 10 seconds to get people in a concert. Now, it’s going to take 28."

Her estimate includes time to apply hand sanitizer at the door. Shows in Raleigh will likely start at 30 percent capacity, Painter said.

Painter also leads a group that’s developing rules for venues statewide, including the Durham Performing Arts Center, where Broadway hit "Wicked" is planned for October before it moves to Greensboro and Charlotte.

"[The audience] can expect to be asked to wear a mask, because we know sitting next to people for any extended period of time is a hazard," she said.

Durham’s Carolina Theatre and the Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro have continued to livestream concerts, with managers questioning whether audiences would even be ready to return right now.

Live Nation has plans for drive-in concerts in St. Louis, Nashville, Tenn., and Indianapolis, and Painter said that's an option for Raleigh once North Carolina's mass gathering restrictions are lifted.

“Five hundred is a lot of people, [but] maybe not when they are managed this way," she said. "They don’t have a lot of autonomy, unlike an open space or a festival."

When live events do return, cleaning will be a top priority.

"It's all going to take more staff – more staff to clean, more staff to consistently check," Painter said.

Raleigh is working towards a seal of approval from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council that will assess how each venue prevents the spread of infectious disease.

"We hope it tells people we have taken all the precautions that science tells us we can," she said.

"If it’s on the lawn, you would have these 12 square feet for your four people, and we would paint it off, and that’s your space," she said.

By: Connie Gentry

Posted: June 23, 2020

Revenue losses for the Raleigh Convention Center and the city are mounting daily as the convention and events industry was the first to shut down due to the pandemic and will likely be the last to open.

“We’ve lost $80.8 million in direct impact and are down 189,000 attendees at our last count,” said Kerry Painter, director and general manager of the Raleigh Convention Center and Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

Best-case scenario, the earliest anticipated reopening will be in the fall and, even then, the complex would likely open in modified stages, with events that can be adequately supported by lower attendance.

As Painter explains, events such as concerts and conventions require large crowds of people. “For a concert to make money, it requires a great capacity of audience. Where the symphony has some performances, like a chamber group, that could be [successful] having 300 to 500 people in a 2,200-seat theater.”

Conventions, which require that many attendees fly in from other areas, will likely be delayed longer. “We’re super busy come 2022, ‘23, and ‘24,” notes Painter, adding that many conferences that had to be canceled this year have moved on to the next date.

It becomes complicated, and even more competitive, because associations and conference groups are often booked years in advance. A conference scheduled for Raleigh this year might have been moved to 2024, she said, simply because that’s the next year in the rotation being planned.

“We were really riding high,” Painter said. “What is a bit of a silver lining: Raleigh is still Raleigh, and Covid has happened to the world, not just us. It isn’t going to change the perception of our location. We were gratefully busy, and many conferences had grown beyond the capacity of our building or the hotels in our city.”

Before the pandemic, the city had been planning to expand the convention center with a hotel and mixed-used project downtown. Now, with no clue how quickly the convention industry will recover, those discussions have slipped to the back burner.

"The convention center hotel and development project has been a priority, but unfortunately with the impact of the pandemic and the hospitality community and the hospitality tax it makes it difficult to move forward at this time," Assistant City Manager Jim Greene said earlier this month.

But that doesn’t mean the convention center is sitting idle. RCC is pursuing accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) to earn the GBAC STAR, which is the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation program for public and commercial facilities.

“We’re looking at certification for the entire complex, which would include Red Hat Amphitheater, Duke Energy Performing Arts and the Convention Center,” Painter said. “The application process and accreditation cost approximately $4,000, which covers the three downtown venues.

RCC joins a host of other major venues around the country that are seeking the GBAC STAR certification, including McCormick Place in Chicago, the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta and the Las Vegas Convention Center.

RCC expects to learn by late summer or early fall if the complex has received the certification.

“This accreditation is unique in terms of rigor and approach. It examines 20 elements of a venue’s prevention, response and recovery and it is performance-based, requiring proof that you are thoroughly and consistently going above and beyond standard cleaning protocol,” Painter said.

The accreditation is intended not only to make the convention center more competitive in its bid to host events, but also to make attendees, exhibitors, performers and staff feel comfortable and safe.

"Not only will visitors see the changes we’ve made to keep them safe – expanded and increased cleaning, temperature checks, staff wearing masks, and signage on social distancing – but they’ll have peace of mind knowing that an international third-party cleaning association gave us their gold seal of approval," Painter said.

Typically, the RCC hosts 633 events in the theater each year and another 400 events a year at the convention center, many of which run simultaneously. Cleaning and sanitizing are all done by in-house staff, although the volume of events does require a contingency of part-time workers to augment the full-time staff. Reopening may require even more staff.

Painter said the center has been successful in keeping many of the canceled events on the calendar at a later date, and they are considering a range of creative approaches to future events. For instance, some groups have asked if the amphitheater can be used for part of a meeting in order to have a greater capacity outside.

“That’s the beauty of our complex; we have space and viability to move groups around. For most places, when you have to allow a 6-foot social distancing space, there’s not a lot of back-up space, but in our complex there’s a lot of back-up spaces that can be utilized together,” she said.

One of the more interesting requests has been a query about hosting a trade show that would include some product launches, and the people involved are contemplating something along the lines of the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) event held in Austin, Texas.

“We’re exploring possibly doing pods or tents instead of being inside the venue, where you have to direct people around aisle-ways. In this discussion about the SXSW idea, we’re talking about using the Red Hat Amphitheater and maybe the lot across the street. We don’t want to turn it into a festival, because it would be hard to space people on the streets.”

By Joe Fisher, WRAL reporter

Posted May 19, 2020 9:37 a.m. EDT

The top performing arts venues in Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and Charlotte are joining forces to plan for the return of concerts, comedy and other touring shows.

The “NC Live” coalition, a group of leaders from 18 venues, will provide a list of best practices to Gov. Roy Cooper to help plan for the safe return of live entertainment in Phase 3. That could happen as soon as June 19.

The group will consider whether and how to implement modifications such as cashless transactions, venue disinfection, staggered fan arrivals and temperature checks and will offer the best practices to all facilities.

Painter said they are considering possibilities like grouping families in seating, then leaving space between, seating people three rows apart or even removing some seating all together.

Painter said she presumes a lot of guests may be in masks. There's a possibility masks could be mandated--but nothing is certain yet.

“It’s a chance for North Carolina to get together and say, ‘What can we all do the same?' What can we all do to make our guests feel protected and safe?” said Kerry Painter, general manager of the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex.

Painter oversees 1,200 events at a year at four venues including Red Hat Amphitheater, Coastal Credit Music Park at Walnut Creek, Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts and the Raleigh Convention Center. Many dates have been canceled, but she remains optimistic that the season can be saved with the right precautions.

“I would presume a lot of people will be in masks and it may be mandated. We’re not sure,” Painter said. “We have been looking at everything from Korea to Europe [and] talking to Australia and then all across America many times in a week.”

Painter says separating the audience will be easier than dancers, musicians and other performers.

"Two ballerinas can not do a pas de deux separate. They have to touch,” she said.

Painter says any recommendations will include a decrease in capacity and added measures in the concessions with plexiglass barriers and contactless payment.

Painter says venues will likely need more concession staff to eliminate long lines, more cleaning crews and more restroom attendants.

“All of it is going to cost more money because it takes more bodies,” Painter said. "Everything is going to multiple in cost.”

The NC Live coalition is comprised of: Coastal Credit Music Park at Walnut Creek, Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, PNC Arena and Red Hat Amphitheater in Wake County; Carolina Theatre of Durham, Durham Performing Arts Center and Durham Convention Center; Blumenthal Performing Arts, Bojangles Entertainment Complex, Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre, Live Nation Carolinas, PNC Music Pavilion and Spectrum Center in Charlotte; and Greensboro Coliseum Complex, Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts and White Oak Amphitheatre in Greensboro.

(Raleigh, NC) May 19, 2020 --- North Carolina is home to many of the largest and most popular arts and entertainment venues in the country, and now industry leaders from many of these facilities are joining together to plan for the return of concerts, Broadway, and comedy events.  

The newly formed “NC Live” coalition will provide guidance and best practices to ensure safe reopening of these facilities. The group has an executive committee of representatives from Blumenthal Performing Arts, Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Durham Performing Arts Center, Greensboro Coliseum Complex, Live Nation Carolinas, Spectrum Center, and Red Hat Amphitheater.

Many patrons visit arts and entertainment facilities across NC each year, among the coalition, 18 of the venues saw over 3.3 million patrons during more than 2,500 performances in 2019.

The temporary suspension of these venues has leaders actively discussing and developing procedures to safely re-open their doors to fans, when the time comes. Specific plans are still in the works but will include venue and fan experience modifications such as cashless transactions, venue disinfection, staggered fan arrival time, and temperature checks. The safety of our artists, fans and staff is our top priority as we move forward to reopening our arts and entertainment facilities.

Full list of NC Live Members:

Charlotte: Blumenthal Performing Arts, Bojangles Entertainment Complex, Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre, Live Nation Carolinas, PNC Music Pavilion, and Spectrum Center.

Durham: Carolina Theatre of Durham, Durham Performing Arts Center, and Durham Convention Center.

Greensboro: Greensboro Coliseum Complex, Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, and White Oak Amphitheatre.

Raleigh/Wake County: Coastal Credit Music Park at Walnut Creek, Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, PNC Arena, and Red Hat Amphitheater.

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Press Contact:

Sarah McAlister

Sarah.mcalister@raleighnc.gov

919-996-8719

Kerry Painter has managed a lot of different event and performing art spaces in a lot of different North American cities. But the chance to run four great, distinctive spaces like Raleigh's Convention Center, Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Ret Hat Amphitheater and Coastal Credit Union Music Park are what made coming to Raleigh an opportunity too alluring to turn down. We talked to Painter about her first year managing those four city properties, what's going on there now and what the plans are for the future, including recently revealed plans to add a hotel.

We also talk about the city moving away from CACs, new plans in North Hills and we discuss our Question of the Week: what is your most memorable concert at Red Hat Amphitheater and Coastal Credit Union Music Park?

Special thanks to our sponsor, Steele Residential--check them out for buying, selling or renting!

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Posted October 27, 2019 12:18 p.m. EDT

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall, Go Ask Mom editor

RALEIGH, N.C. — Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, home to countless N.C. Symphony, North Carolina Theatre, Carolina Ballet and traveling Broadway show performances, is now certified sensory inclusive.

The Duke Energy Center partnered with KultureCity, a national nonprofit that works to make communities better for those with sensory needs, to achieve the certification. KultureCity also has worked with the PNC Arena and N.C. Zoo in North Carolina, along with 350 other venues around the world.

At the Duke Energy Center in downtown Raleigh, the new initiative will promote an accommodating and positive experience for all guests and fans with a sensory issue who attend a performance, according to a press release.

To become certified, medical professionals trained Duke Energy Center staff on how to recognize guests and fans with sensory needs and how to handle a sensory overload situation, the release said. Sensory bags, equipped with noise canceling headphones provided by Puro Sound Labs, fidget tools, and verbal cue cards will also be available to all guests who may feel overwhelmed by the environment.

Sensory sensitivities are common among those on the autism spectrum. But people with dementia, PTSD and other conditions also can suffer from it, making it difficult to attend live shows with big crowds, loud noises and lighting changes.

It's just the latest venue or group to provide support for those with sensory issues in the Triangle. The Museum of Life and Science also has taken steps to support guests with autism and sensory disorders. Marbles Kids Museum offers evening play for families with kids with special needs every other month and lights up, sound down movie screenings in its IMAX theater twice a month.

Kidzu Children's Museum has hosted sensory-friendly play. And Raleigh Little Theatre, Theatre in the Park, North Carolina Theatre, N.C. Symphony and Durham Performing Arts Center all have worked to provide resources and special performances for families with members on the spectrum. Raleigh Little Theatre will host a sensory performance of its current family production "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," at 1 p.m., Nov. 9.

For families planning to attend a performance at the Duke Energy Center, they can now download the free KultureCity App to learn about the sensory features are available and where they can access them. The app also offers a social story, which will provide a preview of what to expect while enjoying a performance at the Duke Energy Center.

“To know that you soon will be able to see families attend a performance, a true community binding experience, with their loved ones who have a sensory challenge and who were not able to previously attend, is truly a heartwarming moment. Our communities are what shapes our lives and to know that the Duke Energy Center is willing to go the extra mile to ensure that everyone, no matter their ability, is included in their community is amazing," said Dr. Julian Maha, KultureCity's co-founder, in the press release.

RALEIGH, NC (October 25, 2019) — KultureCity has partnered with the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts to make all performances and events that the center hosts to be sensory inclusive. This new initiative will promote an accommodating and positive experience for all guests and fans with a sensory issue that visits the Duke Energy Center.

The certification process entailed the staff at the Duke Energy Center being trained by leading medical professionals on how to recognize those guests and fans with sensory needs and how to handle a sensory overload situation. Sensory bags, equipped with noise canceling headphones (provided by Puro Sound Labs), fidget tools, and verbal cue cards (produced in conjunction with Boardmaker) will also be available to all guests who may feel overwhelmed by the environment.

Sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation are often experienced by individuals with autism, dementia, PTSD and other similar conditions. One of the major barriers for these individuals is sensitivity to over stimulation and noise, which is an enormous part of the environment in a venue like the Duke Energy Center. With its new certification, the center is now better prepared to assist guests with sensory sensitivities in having the most comfortable and accommodating experience possible when attending any event.

Prior to attending an event, families can download the free KultureCity App where one can view what sensory features are available and where they can access them. Also, on the App is the Social Story which will provide a preview of what to expect while enjoying a performance at the Duke Energy Center.

“To know that you soon will be able to see families attend a performance, a true community binding experience, with their loved ones who have a sensory challenge and who were not able to previously attend, is truly a heartwarming moment. Our communities are what shapes our lives and to know that the Duke Energy Center is willing to go the extra mile to ensure that everyone, no matter their ability, is included in their community is amazing.” Dr. Julian Maha, Co-Founder, KultureCity.

About KultureCity

KultureCity is a leading non-profit recognized nationwide for using their resources to revolutionize and effect change in the community for those with sensory needs; not just those with Autism. Since the program’s inception, KultureCity has created over 350 sensory inclusive venues in 4 countries; this includes special events such as: NFL Pro-Bowl, NFL Super Bowl, MLB All Star Weekend. KultureCity has won many awards for its efforts: NASCAR Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award in 2017, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Quiet Space Sensory Room at Quicken Loans Arena was a finalist for the 2018 Stadium Business Award, and the 2018 Clio Sports Silver for social good in partnership with Cleveland Cavaliers/Quicken Loans Arena. Recently, KultureCity was awarded one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019 by FastCompany. www.kulturecity.com

About the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts

Set amongst the backdrop of our Capitol, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts has stood as a historic and cultural focal point in Downtown Raleigh since 1932. It has played host to Broadway classics, rock legends and major political figures while maintaining an emphasis on education of the arts and artists housed within the Raleigh community. With four separate event spaces available, the breadth and depth of events past, present and future has made this Raleigh’s Premier Arts Venue. www.dukeenergycenterraleigh.com

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Venue Press Contact:

Sarah McAlister

Duke Energy Center

919-996-8719

sarah.mcalister@raleighnc.gov

On this week's Around the Triangle, we'll learn about changes at the Raleigh Convention Center. Kerry Painter is the facility's new General Manager; she'll share details about upgrades and a new six-show ticket package. 

• Midtown Magazine Best of Raleigh Diamond Awards Best Live Theatre - Bronze 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019
• News and Observers Raleigh's Best Performing Arts Venue Winner 2021, 2019
• Indy Week Best of the Triangle Awards Best Live Theater Venue in the Triangle - Finalist 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018
• WRAL Voters' Choice Awards Best Performing Arts Venue - Second Place 2022, Runner Up 2021, 2019, 2018
• Carolina Parent Readers Favorites Performing Arts - Honorable Mention 2019
• Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence 2019

• International Association of Venue Managers: Education and Service Award 2023
• City of Raleigh: Climate Action Award for Waste and Energy Management 2021
• VenuesNow: Excellence in Concessions: Sustainability 2021
• Center of Excellence by EXHIBITOR Magazine - 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020
• Convention South Most Creative Place to Host a Meeting - 2011
• Convention South Readers’ Choice Award - 3x winner

• INDY Week Best of the Triangle Awards Best Outdoor Music Venue - Winner 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2013 Finalist 2021, 2020, 2017, 2016
• Midtown Magazine Best of Raleigh Diamond Awards Best Live Music Venue - Gold Winner 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015
• WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards Best Live Music Venue - Winner 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 Second Place 2023, 2022, Finalist 2021

• INDY Week Best of the Triangle Awards Best Outdoor Music Venue - Finalist 2021, 2020 
• Midtown Magazine - Best of Raleigh Diamond Awards - Best Live Music Venue - Silver 2024, 2023, 2020, Bronze 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2016
• WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards Live Music Venue - Runner Up 2021, 2020