News
Helping Secure the Culture Industry to the Ground
Thursday 30th July 2020
From your local music venue to the nation's leading performance spaces, our whole arts and cultural landscape needs to change. They need to find a way to manage a 'new normal' as the result of social distancing measures. This pandemic is with us for the foreseeable future, and it is time to get out there and enjoy our arts and culture in whatever way we can.
Why is it important for the Arts and Culture industry to resume?
The arts enable us to connect with ourselves, each other and the rest of the world. As well as providing entertainment and escapism, they play a vital role in the heart of communities across our nation. There are also significant economic benefits to a thriving Arts scene. Before the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting lockdown, the UK's Creative Industries contributed almost £13 million to the UK economy every hour! For every £1 spent at the theatre, consumers spent another £3 on food, drink, accommodation and travel in the local area (with significantly more being spent in the West End).
What are the current guidelines issued by the government?
Government guidance includes the following measures to allow for the safe resumption of performances:
- Reduced venue capacity and a limit set on ticket sales, this will assist in ensuring social distancing measures can be maintained
- Ticket sales must occur online, using an e-ticketing solution to aid the track and trace process
- Social distancing markings and signage must be in place, specifically in areas where queues form, plus a limited entry approach or any one-way system should be clearly communicated
- Performance schedules must allow sufficient time for deep cleaning before the next audience arrives
- Singing and the playing of brass and wind instruments in front of an audience is limited to professionals only
- All performers, conductors and musicians performing at the event must also follow social distancing measures wherever possible
These guidelines outline the government's five-stage roadmap aimed at getting audiences back into performing arts venues (indoors). Spirafix Ground Anchors is doing our part to assist in getting some live performances started as soon as possible through the installation of outdoor performance areas.
Over the past couple of weeks, outdoor performances such as theatres, opera, dance and music events were allowed to resume, with a limited and socially distanced audience. One such venue is the outdoor opera at Glyndebourne, Sussex, which is where our expertise comes into play.
We have used our spiral ground anchor technology to erect the staging and structures within the grounds of Glyndebourne to ensure that this year the garden concerts and opera will go ahead. The opera house may be silent this summer, but the gardens will never have been more full of music.
As we are all aware, the main problem with planning an outdoor event in the UK is the weather! But thanks to our spiral ground anchors, putting in place a suitable temporary structure couldn't be easier! If you are considering going ahead with your event by moving it outdoors, we would be happy to chat to advise on the options available to you.
Contact us on sales@spirafix.com or +44 1633 890910