Before the pandemic, the tradeshow industry didn’t have a defined or consistent playbook for engaging with elected officials. There was no regular cadence of meetings or dialogue, but now there is. In the past, our elected officials were uneducated about the importance of our industry and the impact it has on the greater U.S. economy.
But because of the efforts of many in our industry these past 18 months, they are now aware of the contribution of the event industry to the GDP. Representatives of the EDPA have met with more than 100 elected officials and their legislative staff to tell our industry’s story and to request aid.
What’s next for EDPA’s advocacy efforts? CEIR Predict reported the U.S. economy would fully recover by Q2 of 2022, but our industry is typically two fiscal quarters behind the general recovery. The EDPA will continue to lead the charge for additional financial relief programs for our industry. The hope is to see further legislation put forward in Q4 of 2021 or early 2022, including a piece of legislation drafted specifically to assist members of our industry.
Because our industry is broad, the EDPA will continue to advocate for all small businesses that play a part in the production of live events with a continuing focus on industry-government affairs, association alignment and relations, workforce development, and exhibitor advocacy.
The enthusiasm of the tradeshow community for this advocacy work has been inspiring. In particular, the following companies have provided substantial direct financial support for these efforts.
- Classic Exhibits
- Display Lighting & Supply
- EACA (Exhibitor Appointed Contractor Association)
- Exhibit Concepts
- Hill & Partners
- Optima Graphics
- T3 Expo
“I believe we have the potential to be a group that helps write policy in the future and not have to be reactionary for our future causes,” says Matthew Little, president of the EDPA Texas chapter.
You can lend financial support via this link: www.edpa.com/industry-advocacy. If you would like to be more involved in EDPA’s advocacy efforts, please reach out to dlowe@edpa.com.
Founded in 1954, the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) is recognized internationally and serves thousands of professional members representing more than 300 corporations across 18 countries. EDPA is committed to driving growth within the exhibit, event, and experiential industry through advocacy, networking, education, and good works. Find out more at www.EDPA.com
