[UPDATED] Phase Two of Re-Opening for Arts and Culture Stakeholders
(Updated on 19 Aug 2020)
As Singapore enters Phase Two of Re-opening, further guidance would be provided by relevant agencies for their respective sectors. There will be a progressive resumption of other activities for arts and culture companies and practitioners, to support continued artmaking, cultivation of audiences, and the professional upgrading of our community. Through this advisory, NAC would like to provide further information on these activities, and the safe management measures which have to be in effect before these activities are permitted to resume.
All indoor and outdoor performances and venues (e.g. theatres, concert halls, blackboxes) will remain closed and the National Arts Council (NAC) will continue to engage arts and culture stakeholders on safe management measures that will allow live performances and events to resume in a safe manner for performers and audiences.
Arts and culture organizations can log onto MTI’s Go Business portal with your CorpPass to confirm the activities you are permitted to resume, and the date of resumption.
Workplaces
Arts and culture premises, including studios for art-making, can be used as workplaces, subject to the Ministry of Manpower’s Requirements for Safe Management Measures at the Workplace. Access to the premises should be restricted to employees and authorised visitors only. Arts and culture premises should remain closed as workplaces if they are unable to adhere to MOM’s requirements.
[UPDATED] Digital Productions and Rehearsals
Since 22 June 2020, all arts and culture premises have been available for use by arts and culture companies and practitioners for digital productions and recording of courses and performances, as well as rehearsals without audiences. This is subject to requirements on physical distancing (>= 1m), group size (<=30), with a maximum of 10 performers unmasked at any given time where necessary, or a maximum of 5 unmasked where live singing is involved. In addition, all unmasked performers need to maintain at least 2m safe distance from others, with any equipment sharing kept to a minimum. Should any practitioners wish to seek a waiver of this 30-person, 10-unmasked limit, you can contact NAC at NAC_Feedback@nac.gov.sg, with your reasons and proposed additional safe management measures.
Special provisions have been introduced for digital productions programmed or commissioned by NAC, Esplanade, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Chinese Orchestra and Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, on account of their role in the development of Singapore’s arts and culture sector, and as national cultural institutions and companies. These provisions include involving no more than 50 persons (cast and crew), with no more than 20 performers unmasked at any given time, and apply to any companies/practitioners involved in any such commissioned or programmed work. Productions with “live” singing however have tighter restrictions on group size, involving not more than 30 persons (cast and crew) with no more than 5 performers unmasked at any given time.
Further adjustments to what is allowed for digital productions and rehearsals will be laid out in NAC’s advisory for digital productions and rehearsals during Phase 2.
Training classes and professional workshops
Training classes and professional workshops may resume, except for singing and voice training due to the higher health risks involved. All other classes, courses and workshops must not involve any element of singing and voice training, and must adhere to
Additional requirements will apply to classes, courses and workshops which involve physical activities (e.g. dance). Classes which involve activities with potentially high risk of virus transmission through droplet spread (such as singing, voice projection, playing of wind or brass instruments or other instruments that require intentional expulsion of air), will not be permitted to proceed until further notice.
Commercial Art Galleries and Non-Profit Exhibition/Gallery Facilities
Commercial Art Galleries can re-open to the public from 19 June, similar to other retail establishments, subject to Enterprise Singapore’s safe management measures for retail establishments. Non-Profit Exhibition/Gallery Facilities may also re-open to the public for exhibitions from 26 June 2020, subject to the safe management measures set out in National Heritage Board’s advisory for museum stakeholders. Owners/managers of such facilities are to submit their safe management plan (SMP) to NAC at least three days prior to reopening to the public.
NAC reserves the right to suspend activities if there are gaps in the SMP submitted or inadequate implementation, until the necessary rectifications are made. If the facility wishes to deviate from the safe management measures indicated in NHB’s advisory, NAC’s explicit approval must first be obtained before facilities can be re-opened.
Venue Requirements
The owners/managers of all arts and culture premises which re-open for the above-mentioned activities are to also ensure that they implement visitor registration and contact tracing measures via SafeEntry, including health declarations and temperature screening measures. They should also adopt SG Clean standards for sanitisation and hygiene standards. Notices should be put up to remind visitors and employees of prevailing safe management measures, practice social responsibility and encourage the observance of social norms.
Arts and culture premises located in tenanted spaces (e.g. commercial malls) must comply with the requirements above, as well as any other requirements that the Government may impose through landlords on tenants. Arts and culture companies and practitioners who are also landlords must ensure their tenants comply with any such requirements.
Venue Hire Subsidy
The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth will extend its existing 30% subsidy for venue hire and in-house production costs (where applicable) to 80% during Phase Two, subject to review and the prevailing national situation. This subsidy will be for arts and culture activities permitted to resume in Phase Two at venues in the Esplanade, National Gallery Singapore, National Heritage Board museums and heritage institutions, STPI Creative Workshop & Gallery, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Singapore Conference Hall, as well as those managed by Arts House Limited.
It will also be extended to select arts centres with shared facilities under NAC. Participating organisations will communicate details of how arts and culture stakeholders can benefit from the extended subsidy, separately.
Towards a Safe and Sustainable Re-opening
Arts and culture companies and practitioners who do not implement or comply with requirements may be closed down, ineligible for government grants and assistance, and subject to penalties under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020. Additional penalties may be imposed on arts and culture stakeholders if the premises are found to have been a place of transmission of COVID-19, if they have not adhered to these requirements.
A safe and sustainable re-opening requires all of us, including arts and culture stakeholders, to play our part. It is critical that we continue to exercise caution, adhere to safe management measures, and practice social responsibility. Collectively, we can progressively re-open our economy and society while remaining safe.
For more information, please refer to this page.