I wanted to share a story that feels important for our industry to know. Several months ago, Zinteco — one of Ukraine’s leading live event production companies — lost its Kyiv workshops after Russian Shahed drones struck the area. Decades of investment in lighting, audio, staging equipment, and tools were completely destroyed.
What followed, however, was a clear reminder of how connected our industry really is.
Zinteco never talked about stopping. The work it does — especially since the war began — has provided moments of normalcy and relief for audiences across Ukraine. When news of the damage spread, companies throughout the live events community stepped in. Equipment was donated. Cables and truss were shipped. People sent what they could.
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Video of destroyed inventory in the Zinteco facility.
TMB coordinated with Company NA to donate thousands of pieces of truss and cable and covered the shipping costs. It also brought 40 of Zinteco’s Flare fixtures to the U.S., refurbished them, and added custom Ukraine-flag labels. Mainlight has been renting those fixtures, with all rental proceeds going directly back to Zinteco.
There are many similar efforts, most of them done quietly. These companies aren’t looking for recognition — they’re helping because it feels like the right thing to do.
Those who met Olga Kushpitovska from Zinteco at LDI may already be familiar with the situation and may be looking for ways to help. Sharing the story felt like the most useful place to start. Between LDI, the holidays, and sorting out a simple way to collect support, things moved slowly, but with the new year it’s time to move forward and raise awareness.
This is a story worth sharing beyond a single crowdfunding page.
For anyone unfamiliar with Zinteco: if you’ve attended a major show in Ukraine, you’ve likely seen its work. Zinteco supports everything from arena concerts to official state events. They’re the kind of crew you rely on when things get complicated.
In live production, we depend on each other. That’s how this industry works. And when one of our own is hit hard, people step in to help where they can.
If you’d like to learn more, a website is now live at bringlightback.org, which explains the effort and how individuals or companies can participate.
If this resonates, please consider sharing the story. Every bit of awareness helps Zinteco get back to what it does best — supporting live events that bring people together, even under very difficult circumstances.
—Joan Lyman Melzig