The Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce in its Report “Life Worth Living” recommended that the treatment of cultural activities and venues under the various levels of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021 Plan for Living with COVID-19 be reviewed. The Taskforce noted that many cultural centres, venues, galleries and cinemas offer large areas with ample circulation and controlled auditoria and spaces capable of facilitating large numbers of people in accordance with public health guidelines.
On 13 December the Department announced a series of performance test events comprising a performance of the Irish Chamber Orchestra at the National Concert Hall on Saturday 19 December and a production of Landmark Productions and Octopus Theatricals' innovative “Theatre for One” at the Abbey Theatre for a limited run from Friday 18 December.
These test events are informing further assessments of the potential for a wider range of locations to accommodate live performance in 2021.
The test events were subject to the following requirements:
- each event was ticketed with assigned seating;
- only the named person assigned a ticket could attend;
- all attendees were asked to have their smartphone switched on and HSE COVID app installed (for contact tracing purposes);
- the arrangements were supervised by an occupational health and safety professional who engaged with local public health/HSE; and
- venues adhered to best practice on ventilation.
SLUA Safety Consultants reviewed the safety plans for each venue prior to the Departmental approval. Covid-19 safety measures were in in place and implemented by both venues and included separate supervised points of entry/exit for attendees and performers. Conditions of ticket issue were clearly communicated to attendees in advance of each event regarding face-coverings, temperature taking, contact tracing information, social distancing and what to expect on arrival.
At the National Concert Hall, a special Christmas Celebration with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, took place on 19 December. The concert ran for 45 mins without an interval. As part of their Covid-9 safety measures, Code Blue First Aid Responders completed temperature checks for all attendees on arrival before entering the auditorium. The entrance and foyer was supervised to prevent congregation and all attendees were escorted to their seats immediately. Mask wearing was obligatory for duration of concert. Tickets were restricted to 100 (capacity of the main auditorium of the National Concert Hall is 900 seats) with 64 people attending on the day. 2 meter social distancing applied with every second row vacant, with no more than 6 people per row. There was no bars or refreshments of any type provided for this event.
The Abbey Theatre hosted “Theatre for One”, comprised of six five minute plays by leading Irish playwrights with each original 5-minute play performed by one actor, for one audience member in a specially designed booth located in the foyer of the theatre. This event ran to schedule from 18-23 December. 129 tickets issued (capacity for the event was 189) with 122 attending overall.
“Theatre for One (and a Little One)", for one adult and one child aged ten or under, was originally scheduled to run on the 29-31 of December. However, following the dramatic increase in the incidence of COVID-19, the final performances were cancelled. 44 tickets issued for this run (capacity was 96), with 39 attending overall.
Both venues were asked to survey audience members to gauge audience sentiment. The survey contained questions around transport, group composition and COVID-19 protection measures along with some more site specific questions and took attendees no longer than 5 minutes to complete. The venues conducted the surveys and provided the Department with anonymised results. A total of 47 audience members responded to the survey (21% of total attendance).
Of those surveyed, almost all respondents indicated that they felt comfortable in their surroundings and safety protocols and measures where clearly communicated and implemented.
Feedback from staff, audiences and artists in relation to the events in both locations has been overwhelmingly positive. Artists and performers in both locations have indicated that they not only felt safe in their surroundings, but also very much appreciated the opportunity to perform.
I recently established a Live Entertainment Working Group in order to facilitate stakeholder consultation and develop COVID-19 Guidelines for the Live Entertainment sector. The Group will examine all pertinent information and produce a high level principles set of guidance that all venue promoters can adopt for their specific purposes. The first meeting of this group was held on the 21 April 2021.
The Government announced last week, that the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media will work with the Department of Health and Department of the Taoiseach to progress arrangements to hold a further limited number of pilot live events for sport and live entertainment, both indoor and outdoor. This is to inform the safe reopening of these activities and events when the public health situation allows.
