04/06/2026
The Healthy Ears, Limited Annoyance (HELA) Research Cooperative, part of the broader HELA Initiative, has recently opened its first of three funding calls. This funding call aims to support pilot/feasibility studies around the audience experience at live music events. This webinar will go through the funding call’s research priorities, application...
01/06/2026
One of the sections in HELA Certification focuses on acoustics. What does the venue sound like? This is a more complex question than it may seem! Sound like for whom? For the audience? And who is the audience? This question dominates a lot of what we do and is one of the reasons the Complete training starts with audience expectations. Those expectations...
25/05/2026
The HELA Research Cooperative, the research arm of HELA Initiative, has opened its first funding call for applications. Focused on safe listening at music venues and events, this call aims to support innovative, multidisciplinary feasibility studies, ideally serving as a springboard for future larger-scale projects, that address gaps in knowledge...
05/05/2026
With the launch of the HELA (Healthy Ears, Limited Annoyance) Research Cooperative, momentum continues to build globally to deliver safer listening experiences to attendees of music venues and events. However, the evidence base around safe listening is incomplete, with many important questions yet to be answered. In this webinar, Ian Wiggins (HELA...
01/05/2026
It is a strange aspect of the life of a touring musician or engineer that you will circumnavigate the globe in just over a month. Originally, this tour was meant to include a show in Abu Dhabi, but it was inevitably cancelled. The tour now moves to North America and returns to Europe for the Festival season. I am back now, having only done the first...
24/03/2026
The Healthy Ears, Limited Annoyance (HELA) Research Cooperative (Co-op), part of the broader HELA Initiative, launched in January 2026. The HELA Research Co-op aims to unite experts across the fields of engineering, health, physics, architecture, computer science, public policy, music, psychology and beyond to facilitate interdisciplinary research...
17/03/2026
Adam Hill, HELA Initiative Governance Board Chair, was invited to speak at Production Futures On Tour at the Roundhouse in London on Monday, 9 March 2026. These events are focused on bridging the gap between education and employment by showcasing behind-the-scenes roles in touring, festivals and production, allowing students nearing the end of their...
16/03/2026
March 2026 marked one year of Healthy Ears, Limited Annoyance (HELA) Initiative — a year of research‑informed collaboration, learning and shared commitment to safer, more sustainable listening at live music events. What began as a shared ambition has grown into an international effort, shaped by academics, freelancers, audiologists,...
03/03/2026
Presented by HELA Initiative Vice Chair, Jon Burton will be talking about the practical implications of HELA certification, not just for individuals, but for the touring industry as well as the range of venues where musical events take place.
26/01/2026
The HELA Initiative continues to expand internationally, offering certification and strategic support for promoters, venues, artists, and technicians committed to building a safer, more sustainable future for live events. In a landmark moment for the live events sector, multi-award-winning rock band Biffy Clyro has become the first international...
09/07/2025
From the fields of Glastonbury to football stadiums packed with Oasis fans, this year is a big one for music lovers. A record 23.5 million music tourists – up 23% from the previous year – enjoyed live music and festivals in the UK last year, according to figures from UK Music, but just how detrimental are those loud songs,...
03/03/2025
The live event industry is set to transform with the launch of the HELA (Healthy Ears, Limited Annoyance) Certification, the world's first initiative aimed at promoting best practices for responsible sound management at live events. This groundbreaking resource, led by researchers within the Electro-Acoustics Research Lab (EARLab)...
