Outdoor performances can now take place

Performing arts can now take place outdoors from today, Saturday 11 July with a socially distanced audience present.

Outdoor theatres, opera, dance and music can resume so long as they take place outside and with a limited and socially distanced audience.

The Government will also work with the sector to pilot a number of small indoor performances with a social distanced audience to help inform plans about how best to get indoor venues back up and running.

A change in planning rules will also mean theatres, concert halls and live music performance venues will be protected from demolition or change of use by developers, stopping those that have been made temporarily vacant during lockdown disappearing altogether and giving extra security to these businesses as they start to re-open.

New guidance, published by the Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport today, will help performing arts organisations, venue operators and participants in the UK understand how they can work and take part in the performing arts safely, and keep their audiences safe.

The guidance follows the government’s five-stage roadmap outlining how it will get audiences back into performing arts venues. It provides advice on all aspects of performance, from casting, sound and lighting, costume and fitting, to cloakrooms, orchestra pits, hair and make-up.

Singing and the playing of brass and wind instruments will be permitted in a managed and controlled professional working environment to minimise risk.

The Secretary of State has also commissioned a scientific study on the risks associated with singing and brass instruments which will be done in partnership with Public Health England, professional musicians from the Royal Opera House and the BBC and scientists from Imperial College, London and Bristol University.

The following measures should be considered to allow for safe resumption of performances:

• A reduction in venue capacity and limited ticket sales to ensure social distancing can be maintained
• All tickets must be purchased online and venues are encouraged to move towards e-ticketing for help with track and trace
• Venues should have clearly communicated social distancing marking in place in areas where queues form and adopt a limited entry approach. Increased deep cleaning of auditoriums
• Performances should be scheduled to allow sufficient time to undertake deep cleaning before the next audience arrives
• Singing and the playing of brass and wind instruments in groups or in front of an audience is limited to professionals only
• Performers, conductors, musicians must observe social distancing wherever possible

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “Our culture, heritage and arts are too precious to lose. That’s why we’re protecting venues like theatres from redevelopment if they fall on hard times.

“From July 11 we can all enjoy performances outdoors with social distancing and we are working hard to get indoor audiences back as soon as we safely can.”

All venues will be instructed to produce risk assessments and review their cleaning regimes, however deep cleaning and social distancing systems, including floor markings are all required to be completed in a way that does not damage the historic fabric of any listed buildings.

The full guidance can be viewed at:

• www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/performing-arts