The Government’s Phased Reopening plan provides a road map for organisations, including those supported by the Arts Council, to reopen their workplaces, cafés, galleries, artist studios, theatres, rehearsal and dance studios at various times in the coming summer months. Many arts organisations will face this challenge of reopening after a few difficult months of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.

The purpose of Theatre Forum’s Re-opening Arts Centres Guidelines published is to bring the necessary public health and safety expertise to all of the country’s arts centres. Working with Theatre Forum, Peter Jordan and Joanne Moore of SLUA Event Safety Consultancy have prepared these Guidelines so Arts Centres can reopen as workplaces as well as safe places of assembly. A Working Group, chaired by Patricia McBride of An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny and a director of Theatre Forum, provided feedback from the Arts Council as well as the sector.

Arts organisations face other challenges too. Some of the most critical are how to make and programme work while keeping audiences safe given the social distancing requirements likely to be in place for the next while. To discuss these and other production and programme challenges, there will be an Open Forum on Thursday, 21st May at 2pm. This too is open to everyone – more info.

Note that guidelines, including the Covid-19 Business Response Plan, is living document and subject to change as public health advice changes in coming months. Updates and additional resources will be published regularly. Please share the Reopening Arts Centre project information freely with your colleagues and networks.