BACKAdvice to avoid theatres is “crippling blow” to performing industry, says creative head
Without an outright ban, theatres cannot claim on their insurance. This is a devastating blow for UK performance venues, says creative head. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has advised people to “avoid pubs, clubs and theatres” in a move that could bankrupt shows, UK theatre producers have said. Unless theatres are forced to close, they cannot claim on their insurance to mitigate some of their losses. The move has been criticised as a “crippling blow” to the creative industry. Caroline Norbury, chief executive of the Creative Industries Federation and Creative England, criticised the move, adding: “As the social distancing measures announced are only advisory, rather than an outright ban, we are deeply concerned that creative organisations and cultural spaces will find they are unable to claim compensation for the huge losses they will experience as a result of COVID-19.
Bühnenverlage fordern finanzielle Unterstützung
Aufgrund des Coronavirus sind aktuell viele kulturelle Veranstaltungen abgesagt. Bühnen- und Medienverlage sehen sich und ihre Künstler dadurch vor einer existenziellen Bedrohung. Durch den Stillstand gebe es voraussichtlich Verdiensteinbrüche in Millionenhöhe, so der Verband Deutscher Bühnen- und Medienverlage. Die Kulturschaffenden wenden sich daher mit einem offenen Brief an Kulturstaatsministerin Monika Grütters (CDU), Wirtschaftsminister Peter Altmaier (CDU) und Finanzminister Olaf Scholz (SPD). Neben Zuschüssen und finanzieller Unterstützung solle auch über Steuerzahlungen, sonstige Abgaben oder Versicherungsbeiträge nachgedacht werden. Selbstständige, die während der Viruskrise von ihrer Arbeit absehen müssen, sollten darüber hinaus in die Arbeitslosenversicherung aufgenommen werden.
Stage publishers demand financial support
Due to the coronavirus many cultural events are currently cancelled. Stage and media publishers see themselves and their artists facing an existential threat. According to the Association of German Stage and Media Publishers, the shutdown is likely to result in millions in lost earnings. Therefore, the cultural workers are addressing an open letter to the Minister of State for Culture Monika Grütters (CDU), the Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU) and the Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz (SPD). In addition to grants and financial support, they said that consideration should also be given to tax payments, other fees or insurance contributions. In addition, self-employed persons who have to refrain from working during the virus crisis should be included in unemployment insurance.
Les conservatoires s’organisent pour faire cours à distance
« Plusieurs professeurs ont déjà fixé des rendez-vous avec leurs élèves sur Skype ou Facetime », explique Aurélien Daumas-Richardson, directeur du CRR de Caen. A la différence de l’Education nationale, chaque conservatoire dépend de sa collectivité : il n’y a donc pas de directive générale sur la marche à suivre pendant la période de confinement.
« Actuellement, les collectivités sont sous l’eau, c’est donc à nous de prendre l’initiative d’organiser un enseignement à distance », poursuit le directeur, qui note une réelle mobilisation des enseignants des conservatoires, à Caen, mais pas seulement. Les réseaux sociaux jouent là un rôle clé : le groupe Facebook « Enseignement artistique à distance » rassemble, depuis trois jours, près de 4000 professeurs.
The conservatories are organizing themselves to offer distance learning courses
“Several teachers have already made appointments with their students via Skype or Facetime,” explains Aurélien Daumas-Richardson, Director of the CRR in Caen. Unlike the French National Education system, each conservatory depends on its community: there is therefore no general guideline on how to proceed during the confinement period.
“At the moment, the communities are under water, so it is up to us to take the initiative to organize distance learning,” continues the director, who notes a real mobilization of conservatory teachers in Caen, but not only. Social networks play a key role here: the Facebook group “Distance Art Teaching” has brought together nearly 4,000 teachers over the past three days.