City arts venues stick by mandates despite government’s plan
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/02/2022 (939 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Many concertgoers will still have to be fully vaccinated and masked even after Manitoba lifts all public health restrictions next month.
Vaccine requirements will remain at some concert venues beyond March 1, when the province will remove vaccine mandates for indoor venues, restaurants and businesses. There is still uncertainty about the logistics of maintaining the mandates without a provincial public health order in place.
“A lot of things are up in the air. One thing that a lot of people aren’t considering is, this all depends on a government app that no one has given any indication will keep running,” said Gerry McDougal, marketing and IT manager for the Centennial Concert Hall.
After the province lifts vaccine and mask mandates, the concert hall plans to leave it up to show presenters whether to continue to require masks and proof of vaccination, meaning rules could change depending on the performance.
The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra plans to temporarily keep vaccine and mask requirements after surveying patrons who overwhelmingly favoured maintaining restrictions.
Until at least the end of March, the WSO will stay at 50 per cent capacity and continue to check proof-of-vaccine cards and photo identification, even when staff is no longer able to scan the vaccine cards using the province’s app. They’ll continue to ask people to wear masks, knowing they won’t be able to enforce that recommendation. The WSO will re-evaluate its requirements for the remainder of the season, which wraps up in mid-May, executive director Angela Birdsell said Wednesday.
She said she suspects most patrons are vaccinated and care deeply about safety.
“It’s likely no secret that symphony orchestra audiences are generally in an older age bracket, 45 and older, 50 and older, so clearly safety is a key consideration and key concern for that group, because they’re such a high-risk group if they get COVID,” Birdsell said.
About 758 symphony patrons responded to a WSO online survey last week that asked about lifting restrictions. Eight-six per cent favoured keeping the vaccine mandate and 81 per cent favoured keeping the mask mandate.
“We’ve heard what people have to say and we just feel that we owe it to our patrons to keep this going a little bit longer.”
“It’s likely no secret that symphony orchestra audiences are generally in an older age bracket, 45 and older, 50 and older, so clearly safety is a key consideration and key concern for that group, because they’re such a high-risk group if they get COVID.”
– Angela Birdsell
At the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, vaccine and mask mandates will stay put until April 16, following consultation with patrons.
“We will reassess based on a number of factors, including patron response, COVID-19 recommendations from public health, and how the other performing arts organizations of Winnipeg are proceeding. It’s our current understanding that our colleagues at the symphony, ballet and opera are all assessing how to best welcome live audiences back to the performing arts,” a theatre representative stated in an email.
Music and performing arts venues sold tickets to upcoming performances based on current health orders that require attendees to be fully vaccinated.
Park Theatre owner Erick Casselman said it feels a bit like “the wild, wild west” to remove restrictions at the venue now, but said they’re finalizing plans and considering keeping vaccine requirements until summer.
“We just think it’s safer, especially because (for) a lot of the shows, we were advertising them with vaccination (proof), so people were buying with that in mind. If we pull the rug out from underneath them, it’s kind of like we were false advertising. So we’ll continue on, at least until probably June,” he said.
The province hasn’t announced any way for businesses and venues to opt-in to vaccine requirements after the orders are lifted, and hasn’t explained what information it is providing to businesses that want to maintain mandates. A provincial spokesperson didn’t answer questions Wednesday, indicating there will be a news conference later this week.
“We just think it’s safer, especially because (for) a lot of the shows, we were advertising them with vaccination (proof), so people were buying with that in mind. If we pull the rug out from underneath them, it’s kind of like we were false advertising.”
– Erick Casselman
For now, many venue operators are mulling what to do.
True North Sports & Entertainment hasn’t announced whether it will drop or extend the mandates for concerts or sporting events once restrictions expire.
“We are reviewing changes to public health orders concerning proof of vaccination and masking requirements, and will communicate updates as we learn more,” corporate communications director Krista Sinaisky stated.
katie.may@winnipegfreepress.com
Katie May
Reporter
Katie May is a general-assignment reporter for the Free Press.
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