Six Leading Industry Organizations Unite to Form Exhibitions Industry Collective Priorities Centered Around Workforce Development, Sustainability, and Health and Safety

Written by mark@esca.org on January 15, 2024. Posted in News and Updates

10 JANUARY 2024 – DALLAS, TX – Today the Exhibition Services & Contractors Association announces its participation in creating the Exhibitions Industry Collective to drive awareness on essential issues within the exhibitions ecosystem.

The Exhibitions Industry Collective is comprised of six key industry organizations, including Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA), Experiential Designers & Producers Association (EDPA), International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE), International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), and the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO).

Each organization has previously worked together on industry advocacy with ECA and is now expanding this effort to address workforce development, sustainability, and health and safety as a unified effort.  By leveraging the strengths in their respective fields, the Collective will better serve the larger exhibitions and events community by bringing more awareness to key stakeholders and a defined path of success for each member base.

“ESCA takes great pride in being a driving force behind the formation of the Exhibitions Industry Collective. Our commitment to workforce development, sustainability, and health and safety is unwavering. As a key contributor to bringing this influential group together, ESCA is dedicated to shaping a future that ensures a thriving and resilient exhibitions ecosystem.” – Julie Kagy, Executive Director, ESCA.

To kick off 2024, IAEE will host a virtual Exhibitions Industry Awareness Week from February 20-23 and will feature each of the six organizations in the Collective.

Exhibitions Industry Awareness Week aims to promote the exhibitions industry as a career path opportunity for students, faculty, those looking for a career change, and all members in each industry sector. Attendees will learn about sector-specific information, including jobs available to those considering a career, salary information, skill requirements, and training needed.

Stay tuned in the next few weeks for a new website for the Exhibitions Industry Collective that will feature a defined roadmap for the Collective’s initiatives and house top-level information on each organization in the Collective. The site will serve as a launch point for more exhibitions and industry sector details depending on the user’s interest.

Registration for Exhibitions Industry Awareness Week will open at the end of January.

ABOUT ESCA

Established in 1970, the Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA) serves as a unified voice for service contractors and their partners in the exhibition industry. ESCA is committed to advancing the exhibition, meeting, and special event industries. Through education, information exchange, and shared professionalism among members and their customers, ESCA fosters collaboration across all aspects of the exhibition industry.