All live performances to resume in full with relaxed Covid-19 restrictions
All live performances here, whether in theatres, concerts or even street busking, may return in full with the easing of Covid-19 safe management measures.
The National Arts Council (NAC) said in a statement on Tuesday (March 29) that there will no longer be restrictions on the number of performers and crew or unmasked performers in a production.
Singers and wind musicians will also no longer need to conduct additional antigen rapid tests before performances. But all staff will need to comply with the Ministry of Manpower's workplace vaccination rules that only fully vaccinated individuals can return to the workplace or have recovered from Covid-19 in the past 270 days.
Indoor venues can welcome up to 1,000 audience members at full capacity. More than 1,000 audience members will be allowed at bigger venues, as long as the capacity is at 75 per cent. They must be masked and fully vaccinated.
Similarly, museums and heritage institutions can admit up to 1,000 visitors or 75 per cent capacity for larger venues.
Audiences at outdoor venues may also be unmasked if distances of at least 1m are kept between groups.
Live performances can also resume in other venues. This means musicians and singers can return to live gigs at food and beverage establishments, while buskers can perform unmasked, with social distancing, in outdoor settings.
There will no longer be size limits for arts classes in mask-on indoor settings and vaccination-differentiated safe management measures classes. Under Phase 2 heightened alert, enrichment classes were limited to a maximum of 50 people per class in groups of up to five.
NAC also announced a new busking e-service portal which will offer buskers greater access to locations and time slots.
Arts groups were quick to respond. Theatre company The Necessary Stage added tickets for Opposition, its last production at its Marine Parade Community Centre home, which were promptly snapped up.
General manager Melissa Lim, 45, welcomed the relaxation of rules. "This means the world to us, particularly since Opposition is the final production to be staged at our black box theatre, and we are grateful to be able to have more people experience the magic of our space one last time."
Mrs Rosa Daniel, NAC's chief executive, said in a statement that this is a huge step for the arts and culture sector. "We hope the public will share in our joy and support the community by purchasing a ticket, attending a live performance, or even spreading the word."
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