Blog
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Greetings from the UV Team
What an unimaginable ride we have all been on in 2020! We hope you are staying healthy, safe, and finding joy in spite of everything. We want to share what Ultimate Ventures has been up to during these challenging times. It has been a busy seven months to say the least!
First, we will tell you about our “pandemic transition”, Ultimate Kits™ which was recently featured on the Texas Today show. Then, we will share some exciting “award-winning” news for Ultimate Ventures!
We also want to provide you with updates regarding the Live Events Industry in Texas, as well as the newly formed Texas Chapter of the Live Events Coalition, which Laurie Sprouse, our co-founder and president, is chairing.
We look forward to welcoming you back soon!
The UV Team
Introducing Ultimate Kits, the Newest Member of the UV Family!
With so many of our client’s meetings turning virtual this year, we needed to find ways to support them in this new world. Therefore, In April we launched Ultimate Kits™, a corporate gifting/kitting company.
Check out our Virtual Meeting Kit and Virtual Meeting Conversation Paddles™, a fun way of communicating during those frequent (and often monotonous) Zoom meetings. We also have a selection of curated holiday kits for the upcoming holiday season. But, one of our favorite kits this year has been our Limited-Edition Texas State Fair Kit which is being sold on our website until October 17th.
For our clients who need something completely unique, custom kits are also available. We were honored to work with the Alliance for Women in Media to create a luxury gift experience for their VIP award winners. You can read all about it on our blog.
Visit Ultimate Kits and Learn More
UV Celebrates TWO ILEA Esprit Awards
We are thrilled to share that we won TWO International Live Events Association (ILEA) Esprit Awards at the first-ever ILEA Virtual Awards Celebration: Best Event Design/Decor ($25,000-$75,000) for our “When Modern Meets Classic” Awards Dinner and Best Corporate Event ($75,000-$150,000) for our “Color Block Party” Lawn Reception. We were runner-up for Best Corporate Event (Under $75,000) for our “Splendor in the Garden” Lawn Party at the Dallas Arboretum.
Texas is Open for Business!
When you are ready to start talking about meetings and events, know that Texas IS open for business! North Texas is slated to host major upcoming sporting events this fall: The 2020 World Series, the Professional Bull Riders World Finals, and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys’ National Finals Rodeo will all will take place in Arlington!
All across our state, venues and hotels are limited only by 50% capacity and social distancing requirements and are successfully providing meeting opportunities with the most stringent safety protocols. In fact, Dallas Hospitality Community leads the nation through GBAC Star Clean City Initiative with Dallas hotels, convention center, DFW Airport (the first airport worldwide to receive the certification) and select arts and cultural institutions.
Taking Action with the Texas Live Events Coalition
At the onset of the pandemic, it became clear the Live Events industry would need additional federal support to keep the industry afloat while we waited out the impact of the pandemic. UV and UK President, Laurie Sprouse, stepped in to lead the formation of the Texas chapter of the Live Events Coalition as the Chair. The Ultimate Ventures team is dedicated to this mission and has contributed countless hours to help lead the industry’s recovery and successful return.
The coalition formed to educate the local media and our state legislators on the size, impact and immediate needs of our industry through advocacy, letter writing campaigns and even “Empty Event” Installations.
“Empty Events” have now been staged nationwide to bring attention to the plight of the Live Events industry, which was the first industry shut down by the pandemic and will be the last to fully reopen. Featuring empty tables and chairs with place card settings to represent the 12 Million Americans – and the vast myriad of types of jobs – employed in the Live Events Industry, ample messaging shares the stark statistics and realities of the industry.
Dallas held the very first “Empty Event” in the country on the Omni Dallas lawn on July 30th. Our team was there, bright and early in the morning with masks on, ready to work with other local vendors to set-up the event. The Long Center in Austin was the site of Texas’ second “Empty Event” on August 27th.
Dallas Empty Event
Austin Empty Event
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