Jambon hopes to quickly be able to offer perspective to cultural …

Good consultation took place between my cabinet and a delegation from the Crisis Cell Culture. The industry proves every day that it is able to work safely in times of corona. Hopefully, in consultation with the experts, we can quickly offer more perspective. #safety council @tomkestens

– Jan Jambon (@JanJambon) August 18, 2020

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The industry demands an end to ever-changing rules. ‘The yo-yo movements of the political measures in recent months and the resulting lack of clarity towards the public have proven detrimental to our sector. Society needs culture and we can bring it, but we will only be able to do that if we can count on sufficient ticket income. ‘

This morning the Criscel Cultuur announced that it was aiming for an occupancy rate of 60 percent of the hall capacity. ‘The current measures that cap visitor numbers to 100 spectators, regardless of the size and capacity of the hall, are unworkable and make performances totally unprofitable for most of our houses’, it sounds in a press release distributed by NT Gent, among others. “Our sector works on the basis of the strictest parameters and protocols that we agree with virologists and governments,” said a press release. ‘Even in that context, our audience activities can operate at at least 60 percent capacity.’

The demand to go to 60 percent “is a proposal that is supported by the virologists and our industry experts,” it still sounds.

Aid measures

Even if the Security Council agreed to that question on Thursday, support measures will still be necessary, the crisis cell notes. This requires an extension of temporary unemployment up to and including the summer of 2021. “There is, as for the entire economy, an urgent need for an integrated recovery plan for the cultural sector until the end of 2021.”

The Crisis Cell Culture consists of a number of art organizations and cultural institutions, including Consultation on the Arts Organizations (oKo), Live Sector Consultation, Flemish Museum Consultation and Corona Taskforce Belgian Event Sector.

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