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PLASA AWARDS FOR INNOVATION

PLASA Awards for Innovation presented on a black table 2023

Celebrating innovative new product ideas

Widely respected throughout the entertainment technology industry, the awards recognise and reward next-generation products and the people behind them. 

The awards are proudly run in association with LSi magazine, which provides extensive exposure for all vetted entrants and winners of the awards. And the 2023 PLASA Awards were proudly sponsored by Medialease and Yutree.

award sponsors

SEE 2023 WINNERS

PLASA Awards for Innovation on display in London at the awards ceremony at Olympia London

AWARDS

The judges can award up to eight Innovation Awards - one of which can be upgraded to a Gold Award for excellence.

Plus, the judges can present one Sustainability Award for a product that shows impressive eco credentials. 

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INDEPENDENTLY JUDGED

The PLASA Awards for Innovation are independently and impartially judged by a team of trusted industry experts.

“It has been great to see big names launching products at what is acknowledged to be the most independent industry awards. It is heartening to see creative engineers in the industry continuing to develop new and innovative products in such numbers.”

- James Eade, Chair of the Judging Team

Young woman looking at product on Innovation Gallery at PLASA Show

TOP RATED FOR QUALITY AND CREDIBILITY

 

READ THE FULL REPORT

Source: AV Industry Awards Report 2022, Copper Leaf Media 

PLASA Show visitors browsing products on the Innovation Gallery

INNOVATION GALLERY

All nominated products are showcased in the Innovation Gallery at the PLASA Show.  And the winners can be viewed all year round in the online Innovation Gallery.

See the Innovation Gallery

AWARDS CEREMONY

The awards are presented during a special ceremony at PLASA Show, introduced by the Managing Director and Chair for PLASA and a few special guests.

See the 2023 winners

 

PAST WINNERS

2022

Artistic Licence Micro-scope upgrade kit (SUSTAINABILITY AWARD)

Ayrton Cobra (GOLD AWARD)

Minuit Une IVL Photon

Nicolaudie Wolfmix W1

PMI Gear Smokegenie

Robe Robin iFORTE

Sauca Live Light

Shure KSM11

XM Automation XMove

2021

Astera: PixelBrick

Chauvet Professional: Maverick Silens 2

Copper Candle: Bonestream, Copper Stream and Cue29

EM Acoustics: R10

Glensound: Divine

LANG: CarbonBlack Technology

2019

Artistic Licence sunDial quad (GOLD AWARD)

Elation Professional Artiste Monet

ETC Augment3d

Nexo P12 point-source loudspeaker

Robe Esprite

Shure TwinPlex Subminature Lavalier & Headset Microphones

SSE Azimuth

Theatrixx 8-bay Reversible Rackmount Converter

2018

Astera LED Titan Tube (GOLD AWARD)

Artistic Licence  matisse dmx

Avolites Synergy

Bose EdgeMax

ETC Relevé Spot

Holoplot ORION

Production Resource Group (PRG) SPACEFRAME™

Robert Juliat SPOTME

TMB ProPlex IQ Tester

2017

City Theatrical DMXcat

Claypaky K-EYE K20 HCR

Drop Hyperlay

Eaton Zero-88 RigSynch

Elation Artiste Dali

Elation Proteus Hybrid

Shure Axient Digital

Stage Smarts Smart PDU

2016

Klang KLANG:fabrik (GOLD AWARD)

GDS Fade to Warm ArcLamp (SUSTAINABILITY AWARD)

Artistic Licence Art-Net v4

Clay Paky Scenius Profile

D3 Technologies D3 r14 software

d&b audiotechnik NoizCalc

Hall Stage LivePipe

LSC Lighting Mantra Lite & Wings

Ten 47 Powerline QC

2015

ETC Eos Version 2.3 (GOLD AWARD)

Area Four Industries EXE CellAvid SL6

d&b audiotechnik V7P and V10P loudspeakerRC4 Wireless RC4Magic-DMXpix

Eaton - Zero 88 FLX Lighting Console

Elation Lighting Platinum FLX

Robert Juliat DALIS

 

2014

LumenRadio CRMX Chip (GOLD AWARD)

GDS ARCLamp (SUSTAINABILITY AWARD) 

Clay Paky Mythos

Elation Sniper

Neutrik XIRIUM XPhilips Vari-Lite VL4000 Spot

Philips Strand Lighting Emergency DMX Bypass Switch

RC4 Wireless DMX4dim Series 3

Robe BMFL

2013

TMB for the Solaris LED Flare (SUSTAINABILITY AWARD) 

Artistic Licence eSense

Bleasdale Interactive User Manual

Clay Paky A.Leda B-EYE K20

Flare Audio SB18C

Line 6 StageScape M20d

LumenRadio SuperNova3

QSC Audio PLD/CXD Amplifier

Robe Mini-Me

SGM G-Spot LED

2012

CAST Group BlackTrax (GOLD WINNER)

ETC Source Four LED (SUSTAINABILITY AWARD) 

Avolites Sapphire Media Infinity Video Control System

Digital & Future Technologies Super Twofer

Harman International JBL VTX V25 Line Array with D2 Dual-Diaphragm Driver Technology

Martin Professional MAC Viper Profile 

Robe Robin DLF Wash

Stageco Arena Lift

Tait Technologies Pixel Table

2011

Shure Axient Wireless Manager (GOLD WINNER)

GDS ARCSystem (SUSTAINABILITY AWARD)  

Chromlech Gleamer DMX

ELC Green-Go

Gerriet G-Quick

Harman HiQnet Performance Manager

Martin Professional MAC Aura luminaire

Total Solutions Video Tech Truss

2010

Martin Audio Multicellular Line Array (GOLD WINNER)

CAST BlackTrax - First Phase

Clay Paky Sharpy

Coemar Spa Reflection FullSpectrum

d&b audiotechnik B4 subwoofer

Outline Audio Mini Compass Mode

LumenRadio CRMX Nova Flex

Robert Juliat Aledin

 

The Gottelier Award is a special award which recognises the invaluable contributions of the people behind the products that have changed our industry over the decades. 

The award is named in memory of Tony Gottelier, the renowned industry innovator and commentator who passed away in 2006.

All the nominees are submitted and voted for by YOU - the industry! And this year's winner is Howard Eaton. 

Howard Eaton is well-known for their bespoke solutions which have brought magic to countless theatrical productions around the world. From Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s flying car, to the crashing chandelier in the Phantom of the Opera, to the flying Olympic rings at London 2012. 

Howard comments, “It is quite something to be nominated for this award and very special indeed to be added to the list of friends and colleagues who have won it. Thank you to PLASA and LSi and special thanks to my friends and colleagues whose continued hard work, dedication and support make it possible to develop and build the things that help deliver the shows we work on” 

JB Toby from Avolites' Gottelier Award

PAST GOTTELIER WINNERS

2022

JB Toby

JB Toby joined Avolites in the late nineties and focused on developing the dimming range which put Avolites in a powerful position in the live touring market.

In 1999, JB spearheaded a team and launched the Art 2000 dimming range which is now a well-known product in the live entertainment, film and TV worlds. Not only would it start a revolution in intelligent dimming, the Art 2000 dimming range would also act as a catalyst within the film and TV world, being put to work on the sets of the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and James Bond movies. The Art range legacy continues in the form of Art 2000+ and Art 2020.

2019

Christian Heil

Christian Heil founded L‑Acoustics in 1984 and would revolutionise the live audio industry in the 1990s with the introduction of the line source technology that improves sound control over audiences of any scale.

With the introduction of L‑ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology in 2016, L‑Acoustics aims to once again transform how the world experiences music in both live and recorded environments.

2018

Alan Jacobi 

Alan Jacobi has worked rigorously to raise the profile and professionalism of the rigging industry and long recognised the need for training and education.

He's been a driving force behind the NRC accreditation scheme since the very beginning in 2005, and Unusual Rigging is an Assessment Centre for the NRC.

Awarded the LVO in a special honours list drawn up by the Queen for his work on the production and co-ordination of the Golden Jubilee celebrations, AJ has worked solidly to make rigging an acknowledged and established profession.

2017

Wayne Howell 

Wayne Howell founded Artistic Licence in 1988. He was a major contributor to the development of DMX512-A in the 1990s, and released his free, public domain Art-Net protocol a few years later. Art-Net is now in its fourth version and has been adopted by hundreds of manufacturers worldwide. 
Wayne has continued to expand and diversify the Artistic Licence brand, and is well known for his books, articles and seminars.

Artistic Licence enjoyed a cracking show at London Olympia, with a hugely popular set based around a Van de Graaff generator to demonstrate the electrical resilience of its splitters and gateways.

2016

Anne Valentino

Anne Valentino has spent most of her working life contributing to the creation of lighting control consoles. Starting as a technical director at a Houston performing arts centre, she worked for lighting manufacturer Kliegl before moving on to Strand Lighting.

Here she began her work with lighting control products which would define the industry, from later versions of the Strand Light Palette, through ETC's Obsession and Expression consoles, to Vari-Lite's iconic Virtuoso and back again to ETC where she developed the Eos, Ion and Gio consoles.

2015

David Cunningham

David Cunningham was an early pioneer of computer lighting systems who developed a number of landmark products for Strand during the 1970s and 80s, including the Multi-Q memory lighting system, the Micro-Q console, the Lightpalette and the CD80 dimming system.

He went on to develop the Source Four profile through his own company, Entertec, before entering into a hugely successful partnership with ETC, with whom he went on to develop many other successful products, including the Sensor dimmer.

2014

Pasquale 'Paky' Quadri 

Coming from humble origins the young entrepreneur Pasquale Quadri grew up in an extremely creative environment. The son of a magician he was raised in a small provincial Italian town.

'Paky' established Clay Paky in 1976 and in just under 40 years his contribution to cutting-edge and superior quality lighting has been immense.

2013

Jim Bornhorst 

The man who pioneered the moving light, Jim Bornhorst is widely considered the father of the modern show lighting fixture.

Setting out to improve the efficiency of PAR Can rigs by creating a "gel changer" he and his team instead created the first Vari-Lite - the prototype VL0 - complete with integrated dichroic colour mixing. With the support of Genesis, the first moving light rig was seen in Barcelona in 1981, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

2012

John Meyer

John Meyer is one of the original pioneers of the modern sound reinforcement industry.

He began his career in 1967 by building a customised system for the Steve Miller Band, and from there he went on to develop loudspeaker systems for the likes of Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Grateful Dead. Since founding Meyer Sound Laboratories in 1979 with his wife Helen, Meyer has continued to research, experiment and develop sound technology ever since - building Meyer Sound into an iconic brand and a consistent world leader in the pro audio market.

2011

Terry Clarke 

In 1975 Terry Clarke founded Klark-Teknik with his brother Phil. During his time at KT, Terry designed several products that became industry standards in the touring and installation sectors - including the DN70 delay line, the DN27 and the DN360 Graphic EQs, and the DN780 digital reverb - many of which are still in use worldwide.

In 1984 KT bought DDA and in 1985 bought Midas, going on to launch the popular XL2 and XL3 consoles before selling the company to Mark IV. In 1992 he founded XTA Electronics and launched amplifier manufacturer MC2 Audio in 1994, going on to design the well regarded MC, T and E Series amplifiers.

2010

Fred Foster

Fred Foster started ETC in 1975 with the goal of installing the first memory lighting-control system in the New York Metropolitan Opera House. During his time he has developed a wide range of innovative products including Mega-Cue, the Concept console that led to the Expression / Express line of control desks, the Obsession Console and the Sensor Dimming System.

He contributed to the design of the Eos, Congo and Ion desks and led the commercialisation of what became the Source Four family of spotlights. He was also a member of the USITT panel that defined what became the DMX-512 protocol.

2009

Alex Cooper

Alex Cooper's entry into pro audio came in 1979, when he realised that a life of rock and roll stardom did not await him. Having encountered Klark Teknik DN27 graphic equalisers while on the road with his band, and realising the company was based in his home town of Kidderminster, he approached them for a job.

Little did he know it, but this move would lead to his becoming one of the audio industry's leading designers of signal processing equipment and mixing consoles.

By the early eighties he had risen to become head of the test department, and in 1985 was tasked with figuring out how to test the newly-acquired Midas consoles. In his role as director of console development, Alex has been, and remains, a fundamental part of the legendary 'Midas Sound'. 

2008

John Stadius

Stadius is a distinguished audio designer: in 1978, he joined Soundtracs PLC, designing disco consoles, mixers, power amplifiers and speakers. As technical director between he continued to design a wide range of analogue mixing consoles for live, broadcast and recording uses - from the company's first digitally-controlled analogue console in 1982, to its first fully digital console - the Virtua - in 1996. 

In 2002 the company was bought by DiGiCo, and Stadius created the D5 - the company's first truly live digital console - then the DS00 for post and broadcast, the D5T for theatres and the D1 for the live arena.

The latest development from Stadius and his team is the creation of 'Stealth Digital Processing'.

2007

Tony Andrews

A highly regarded designer and manufacturer of high quality point source loudspeaker systems, with numerous patents to his name, Tony Andrews' landmark developments include the hugely successful Flashlight and Floodlight systems, and more recently the distinctive Funktion One Resolution Series.

2023 innovation award winners posing for a photo with their awards

VIEW 2023 WINNERS

Exhibitor talking to a visitor at plasa show

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    Sennheiser
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    Prolight Concepts
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    Area Four Industries
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    Solotech
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    Wharfedale Pro
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    Holotronica
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    Canford Audio
  • “PLASA Show 2023 will go down in Avolites history for many reasons... The vibe this year was the best it’s been since 2019, the stand was busy nearly all the time, and more meaningful discussions were had than expected. Roll on 2024...”
    Andrew McKinlay
    Avolites

 

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