Loop, Ableton’s three-day summit for music makers, has been canceled. The event was originally scheduled for April 2020, before being postponed to April 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now being called off until an indefinite date this week.
On the cancelation, Ableton stated, “we cannot guarantee the level of health and safety that our event demands. In addition to the welfare risk, the ongoing global pandemic has continued to cast unmanageable doubt over all aspects of our event planning … future travel and event restrictions has made it impossible to confirm bookings, and to assure the quality of the event and diversity of voices to a degree that’s acceptable for us to move forward.”
The annual three-day conference typically consists of discussions, performances, presentations, studio sessions, installations, and hands-on workshops traversing music, technology, and creativity. Artists, tech enthusiasts, and other music creatives come together to further their craft, share ideas, and network.
Troubling times for live events
Loop’s cancelation may spell trouble for large in-person gatherings in the coming year. While people across the world weather the whirlwind of 2020, enveloped by the lethal spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and an ensuing global economic crisis, many hope 2021 will bring greener pastures.
The music industry, in particular, desperately needs its lifeblood of live events—from summits like Loop to concerts at local nightclubs—to stay afloat. Ableton pulling out of the event eight months out highlights the uncertainty live events may have to deal with well into 2021.
To adjust amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Ableton plans to organize Loop as an online event, while finding ways for “exchanging ideas and inspiration in localized community settings.”
Read Ableton’s full statement on the cancelation of Loop’s 2021 event here.
