Following the earlier reopening of cultural facilities and rehearsal venues, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) will resume operation of its performance venues from 26 June (Friday) onwards, including the Macao Cultural Centre, Dom Pedro V Theatre, Black Box Theatre in the Old Court Building, Macao Contemporary Art Center - Navy Yard No. 2 and the Macao Conservatory Auditorium. IC has taken into account the opinions of the Health Bureau and formulated relevant anti-epidemic guidelines, performed a simulation exercise as well as a thorough cleansing and disinfection of the venues, in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for performers and audiences.

IC has always placed public health in high priority. Having taken into account the opinions of the Health Bureau on the prevention of the pandemic, IC has formulated the ‘Infection Prevention Guidelines for Organizers or Individuals Using the Cultural Affairs Bureau Performance Venues’ and the ‘Infection Prevention Guidelines for Visitors in the Cultural Affairs Bureau Performance Venues’. All performers, staff and members of the audience must observe these preventive guidelines. To avoid the gathering of large crowds, the number of attendees will be strictly controlled, with the number of audience seats not exceeding half of the total number of available seats.  A capacity limit will also be implemented in the auxiliary facilities of the venues such as practice rooms, rehearsal rooms and break rooms. In addition, performances will be scheduled alternately if there is more than one theatre or performance space in the same venue. A distance of 2 metres must be maintained between the audience seats and the outer ring of the stage. All performance venues will strengthen cleaning and disinfection.

All visitors to the venues must wear face masks, undergo body temperature checks, present their ‘Macao Health Code’ of the day and follow the crowd control measures on site. In the venues, a distance of one metre must be maintained between each seat. To better enforce the measures of the preventive guidelines and make better preparations for the reopening, IC has organised a comprehensive simulation exercise at the Macao Cultural Centre and has communicated and coordinated with the staff of its venues.

The ‘Infection Prevention Guidelines for Organizers or Individuals Using the Cultural Affairs Bureau Performance Venues’ and the ‘Infection Prevention Guidelines for Visitors in the Cultural Affairs Bureau Performance Venues’ are available on IC’s webpage for the booking of artistic and cultural spaces at www.icm.gov.mo/en/artspace. For better preventive measures in regards to the pandemic, IC will continue to pay close attention to the development of the outbreak and follow the relevant guidelines of the Health Bureau. For the latest information, please visit IC’s website at www.icm.gov.mo and follow IC’s official WeChat account ‘IC_Art_Macao’ and ‘IC Art’ page on Facebook.