Following the earlier reopening of cultural facilities and rehearsal venues, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) said in a statement yesterday that it will resume operation of its performance venues from Friday onwards, including the Macau Cultural Centre, Dom Pedro V Theatre, Black Box Theatre in the Old Courthouse, Macau Contemporary Art Centre – Navy Yard No. 2 and the Macau Conservatory Auditorium.
The bureau said that it has taken into account the views of the Health Bureau (SSM) and set up anti-COVID-19 guidelines, performed a simulation exercise as well as a thorough cleansing and disinfection of the venues, “in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for performers and audiences.”
Having taken into account the views of the Health Bureau on the prevention of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the bureau has set up infection prevention guidelines for organisers and individuals using its performance venues, as well as infection prevention guidelines for visitors at its performance venues, the statement pointed out.
“All performers, staff and members of the audience must observe these preventive guidelines,” the statement said, adding that in order to avoid the gathering of large crowds, the number of attendees will be strictly controlled, with the number of audience seats not exceeding half of the total number of available seats.
A capacity limit will also be implemented in the auxiliary facilities of the venues such as practice rooms, rehearsal rooms and break rooms, the statement said. In addition, performances will be scheduled alternately if there is more than one theatre or performance space in the same venue. A distance of two metres must be maintained between the audience seats and the outer ring of the stage. All performance venues will strengthen cleaning and disinfection, the bureau pledged.
All visitors to the venues must wear facemasks, undergo temperature checks, present their Macau Health Code of the day and follow the crowd control measures on site. At the venues, a distance of one metre must be maintained between each seat, the statement said.
The guidelines are available on bureau’s webpage for the booking of artistic and cultural spaces at www.icm.gov.mo/en/artspace. For the latest information, the bureau urged the public to visit its website at www.icm.gov.mo and follow its official WeChat account ‘IC_Art_Macao’ and ‘IC Art’ page on Facebook.
