WOMEN OF LIVE

Geni Lincoln

GM and SVP of Live Events

The Forum

Like many arena executives, Geni Lincoln’s last year wasn’t as quiet as a year without traditional events might’ve suggested.

“We have worked closely with Los Angeles County to utilize the Forum in any way we can to be an impactful partner and serve our community,” said Lincoln, general manager and senior vice president of live events at the Forum in Inglewood, California. “From casting ballots to getting a COVID-19 test, we are honored that our venue space is trusted with such important community efforts and so easily adaptable to these new challenges. This has also been a unique time to work closely with all of the other entertainment partners throughout our industry to engage with each other as we all collectively plan for our return to events.”

But while the Forum has played a critical community role in recent months, Lincoln and her colleagues are excited for the return of more normal fare.

“We look forward to welcoming fans back to the venue as soon as it is safely possible,” she said. “I’m among millions of music fans who can’t wait to attend a live concert again. It’s going to be incredibly cathartic to be in a room with other music lovers once again singing, dancing, and cheering together. I think we will all have a greater and newfound appreciation for the world of live entertainment, and I hope we hold on to that connection we all feel. Will I cry? Most definitely.”

The specific nature of the programming matters less to Lincoln than having programming at all, and she explained she’ll see “literally anything, as long as there is lots of Forum cake!”

— Eric Renner Brown