USITT is looking for young, talented members of the performing arts industry for its annual Young Designers & Technicians Awards. The Institute is pleased its sponsors for this program continue to support and encourage new talent in the performing arts of the future.

The nomination process will open at the beginning of October. Each submission will require an entry fee and specific materials, which may include photographs, appropriate paperwork, drawings, and renderings. All nominees and nominators must be current USITT members. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit www.usitt.org/activities/awards/YDTAward.html for more information.

All nominations must be received by noon on October 30, 2009. The deadline for submissions is November 16. Awards will be presented March 31, 2010 at the YD&T Awards Luncheon during USITT's 50th Annual Conference & Stage Expo in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Riggers and electricians can demonstrate abilities to employers by taking the ETCP exam.

All three ETCP examinations will be given at the November 2009 LDI show in Orlando, Florida. The entertainment electrician exam is scheduled for Friday, November 20; the arena rigging exam the morning of Saturday, November 21, and the theatre rigging exam that afternoon. Candidates who wish to take multiple exams will receive a discount for the second exam. Interested individuals must submit an application, along with supporting materials and fee, to the ETCP office no later than October 26. Space is limited, so submit application soon.

Candidate information, including eligibility requirements and applications, is available on the ETCP website, or contact Meredith Moseley-Bennett, ETCP certification manager, at 212-244-1505 or certification@esta.org to have materials mailed.

Rigging examinations are given daily at over 190 computer based testing centers across the United States and Canada. After applications are received and accepted, candidates will be sent information on how to schedule the examination at a convenient site, date, and time.

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Effective October 1, the Washington State Convention & Trade Center (WSCTC) will require an ETCP Certified rigger for any rigging, either ground support or aerial, which falls within specified categories. In addition, rigging supervisors, who must be ETCP Certified, are required to submit inspection and approval documentation to the WSCTC of all rigging installations.

Certified riggers may be employed from service contractors authorized by the event license holder or secured from labor organizations which are signatories to the WSCTC Labor Council Agreement. All service providers and labor organizations must submit their employees’ ETCP Rigging Certification documentation to the WSCTC director of operations, and WSCTC will maintain an approved list of ETCP Certified riggers.

Information regarding ETCP certification can be found at etcp.esta.org. Questions regarding the ETCP requirements at the WSCTC can be directed to Ed Barnes at 206-694-5040.

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