Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Arts reopens performance spaces

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts announced the reopening of national performance spaces on Thursday.

In a statement it said the following spaces are now open, in keeping with public health regulations: Queen's Hall, Naparima Bowl, the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) and the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA).

Several shows are scheduled to be hosted there, including Steeling the Night, featuring the National Steel Symphony Orchestra (NSSO), the National Theatre Arts Company and the National Philharmonic Orchestra.

It said the spaces will also follow health and safety guidelines created specifically for the entertainment industry which were developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

Minister of Tourism Randall Mitchell said, “We are cognisant of the need to provide people with an avenue to enjoy our culture and the arts, but we are equally adamant that this must be done at no risk to our health and safety, which is why Queen's Hall, Naparima Bowl, NAPA and SAPA worked with the Ministry of Health to come up with protocols for their spaces.

Mitchell said, “The technical and production teams must follow covid19 regulations. Administrators also insist on very strict protocols for patrons, so overall everyone is in a space that is adhering to best practices.”

Rental costs for the spaces have been reduced by 50 per cent to “further assist artists and creatives.”

The full guidelines for the performance spaces are available on the ministry’s website: https://bit.ly/2J98Vjh