To test in practice the use of COVID-19 certificates for vaccinated persons / persons who have recovered from the virus, who will be able to resume attending cultural events from 15 June, and to determine how to organise cultural events in an epidemiologically safe manner also for residents who have not yet been vaccinated, the Ministry of Culture, organisers of cultural activities and events, in close cooperation with epidemiologists and specialists from the Ministry of Health and the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, will continue implementing cultural pilot projects from 10 June.
In total, 6 pilot projects are planned at 4 cultural venues –
- on 10 June, two film screenings at the Forum Cinemas “Kino Citadele” cinema (at 18.00, "Boss Level: Augstākais līmenis" [Boss Level], an action science-fiction thriller, 16+, and at 19.00, "Daudzsološa jauna sieviete" [Promising Young Woman] (thriller/drama, 16+),
- on 11 June, an open-air concert at Dzintari Concert Hall,
- on 12 June, two theatre performances at the Valmiera Drama Theatre,
- on 13 June, a performance on a specially constructed outdoor terrace at the “Hanzas perons” cultural and entertainment centre.
The selected pilot projects cover various types of public events (theatre, concerts, films), venues (indoors and outdoors), and audience types (only vaccinated persons / persons who have recovered from the virus, or a mixed audience).
The aim of the pilot projects is to develop and test in practice the prerequisites for the safe and economically viable resumption of operations in the culture and entertainment sectors, as well as to end the cultural sector’s inactivity. It has already been reported that members of society who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered from the virus are expected to be offered the opportunity to resume attending cultural events in person after 15 June. At the same time, epidemiologically safe solutions must continue to be explored and tested with regard to the possibility for children (up to 16 years of age) and persons who have not completed the full vaccination course to attend public events in person.
Individual, epidemiologically safe event guidelines have been developed for the implementation of each pilot project. The common safety measures (basic requirements) established for all pilot projects are the sale of personalised tickets, with spectators seated in fixed seats and the pilot project organiser collecting spectators’ contact information; checking COVID-19 certificates / negative COVID-19 test results at the entrance to the cultural venue; special procedures for organising spectator flows; monitoring air quality indoors; and other measures.
Tickets for the aforementioned pilot projects will be available for purchase, but please note that the audience for events held as part of the pilot projects may vary. This is necessary in order to develop scenarios both for events attended by vaccinated persons and persons who have recovered from COVID-19, and for events with a mixed audience. Before purchasing tickets, please consult the information on the event organisers’ websites.
It has already been reported that the first pilot project took place in the museum sector from 21 April to 4 May of this year: the Latvian National Museum of Art opened its doors to visitors to the exhibition "Nepieradinātās dvēseles. Simbolisms Baltijas valstu mākslā" (Unruly Souls: Symbolism in the Art of the Baltic States), dedicated to the centenary of the Republic of Latvia, in an epidemiologically safe manner. The pilot project proceeded safely; 4,040 people visited the exhibition over the course of two weeks.
Author:
Head of the Public Relations Department
Ministry of Culture
km.gov.lv
