The shifting tides of pandemic protective measures have arts and cultural organizations facing extinction level realities. The new provincial health orders that took effect on Nov. 20, bans social gatherings in live theatres until Dec. 7.
Arts Club Theatre Company executive director Peter Cathie White was hopeful about the return to live performances under social distancing rules prior to last week’s announcement. But the third largest not-for-profit theatre company in Canada after the Shaw and Stratford festivals has had to layoff employees in all areas of operations. And that was before the most recent shutdown.
Bronwyn Campbell, the general manager of the Commodore Ballroom, freely admits that 2020 has been a challenging year for all arts presenters. The beloved concert hall turns 90 this month with a performance by Colin James scheduled. The venue hasn’t hosted a live audience event since reopening, so the new measures won’t alter its ongoing live streams.
Artists and audiences alike are learning to live with the ongoing uncertainty of presenting music, dance, theatre and more in this difficult year. As the theatre community waits on the OK to reopen, other cultural spaces such as museums are tweaking already in-place safety measures that extra bit more to, hopefully, be able to stay open.