February 9, 2017: United Talent Agency to Host Refugee Rally Instead of Oscar Party, E3 Will Be Open to Public For the First Time, Google Search Is Offering Customized Fashion Week Content

1. UNITED TALENT AGENCY TO HOST REFUGEE RALLY INSTEAD OF OSCAR PARTY: The United Talent Agency has canceled its annual Oscar party in favor of a rally for refugees. The cancelation is in response to President Trump's travel ban. The Hollywood Reporter: "The agency said it would be donating $250,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union, the group that has seen a temporary victory in legally challenging Trump's travel ban, as well as the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian organization. It will also be hosting a pro-immigration rally at its L.A. office on Feb. 24, two days before the Oscars ceremony is broadcast on ABC. Already this awards season, nominees and winners have stepped up their political rhetoric over the President's actions and have used their winners' remarks to make pointed notes about inclusiveness. Last year, UTA held its exclusive Oscar party at chairman Jim Berkus' residence. A number of major studios and agencies hold galas and parties on the biggest awards night of the year, including CAA, WME-IMG, ICM Partners and The Weinstein Co. It's unclear whether UTA's move will foreshadow any similar moves by other agencies. The same day that UTA changed its plans, WME-IMG co-CEO Ari Emanuel sent a staffwide note stating that the agency plans to form a Political Action Committee and vowing to protect company diversity." http://bit.ly/2kTYnWL

2. E3 WILL OPEN TO PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME: The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo will be open to the public for the first time ever when it returns to Los Angeles in June. Tickets for 15,000 people are slated to go on sale Monday. GameSpot: "For years now, there have been calls to open E3 to the public. The ESA conducted an experiment of sorts for this in 2016 with its E3 Live event, which was free and open to the public. It was located outside of the Los Angeles Convention Center, the site of E3, and attendees could go hands-on with upcoming games and take part in other events. There was 'incredible attendee enthusiasm' for this event, the ESA's senior VP of communications, Rich Taylor, tells GameSpot. So the next step was to invite fans to actually walk the halls of E3 and get closer to the action. 'The feedback we heard was clear—they wanted to play the games inside the convention center. In addition, exhibitors inside the convention center wanted to have access to the fans. So this year we're bringing the two together,' Taylor said. 'It's a changing industry, and E3 has always evolved to meet industry needs and anticipate where we’re heading together—as an event, as an industry, and as fans. The decision to open our doors to 15,000 fans was a strategic decision. It is thanks to our members and their vision and leadership that made this possible. We have a model that allows the business of the industry to continue for our business and media attendees and provides an opportunity for video games' biggest fans to experience the latest in innovative, immersive entertainment.'" http://bit.ly/2kPdj8V

3. GOOGLE SEARCH IS OFFERING CUSTOMIZED FASHION WEEK CONTENT: For the second consecutive season, Google is offering special Fashion Week-related content to users who search “fashion week.” Women’s Wear Daily: “This season, designers and brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Burberry, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein and others have signed on to post fashion week content directly to Google Search during fashion shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris. In a feature that was piloted during New York Fashion Week last season, designers will share information before, during and after the shows. Marc Jacobs, Carolina Herrera and Proenza Schouler have already started sharing content. Google is scrapping any shoppable elements in the Search feature to focus on what it found to be the most useful tools. This go around, the search giant has added a partnership with Launchmetrics and GPS Radar to show runway photos in real-time. Additional fashion week content—which appears when users type ‘Fashion Week’ or a related topic into Google Search—includes street style and party photos from photo agency BFA. … The first season that Google introduced this product, it linked with RewardStyle to share influencer street style posts that are normally only seen within apps such as Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat. This type of search feature, in which Google builds special search results tied to an event, has previously been used with the Olympics, Coachella, the Oscars and more.” http://bit.ly/2kpJsRf

* LOCAL NEWS *

COAST TO COAST:  A new Star Wars-theme land will open at both Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando and Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, sometime in 2019. 

CHICAGO:  The American Writers Museum will open May 16 downtown. The museum will host an invite-only press conference on February 21 offering a preview of the venue, which is under construction.

HOUSTON:  Chef Tim Love has announced a partnership with Levy Park as the exclusive concessions vendor. Love's Fort Worth-based Woodshed, smoked chicken kiosk Love Bird, and a beer garden in a renovated double-decker bus are slated to open this spring and summer.

LOS ANGELES:  The 34th annual PaleyFest Los Angeles, taking place March 17-26 at the Dolby Theatre, has announced its initial talent lineup. Panels will include members of cast and crew from shows including The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Orphan Black, Westworld, and more.

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

NEW YORK:  The Maine Office of Tourism is supporting the exhibition "Marsden Hartley's Maine," which will be on display from March 15-June 18 at the Met Breuer.

Diffa's 20th annual Dining by Design will take place March 16-20 at Pier 92.

The second annual Dessert Goals dessert festival will take place March 25-26 at the Dobbin Street event space in Williamsburg. The event will feature bites from vendors including Silk Cakes, Coolhaus, Jae NYC Eats, and more.

Music venues in Queens and Brooklyn are bringing in new revenue by hosting benefits to counter President Trump's policies. DNA Info: http://dnain.fo/2llwoAe

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

SAN DIEGO:  The fourth annual San Diego Travel & Adventure Show will take place March 4-5 at the San Diego Convention Center.

TORONTO:  Roundhouse Winter Craft Beer Fest will take place Saturday at Steam Whistle Pilsner. The event will feature beer from 40 Ontario craft brewers.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health will host the discussion Roe to Whole Woman's Health—the Fight Ahead for Bodily Autonomy on February 15. The event will be held in conjunction with Roe, a new play at Arena Stage.

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

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