An open letter to Nadine Dorries, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Dear Madam Secretary
It’s been well aired that, as you take on one of the most wide-ranging briefs in UK government, the Media part of “Culture, Media and Sport” is likely to be foremost in your mind. But I strongly suggest that you turn your focus to the Culture area and take urgent action, particularly as regards live performance. Let me remind you that as far back as 2016, the performing arts industry was estimated to be worth £23 billion of Gross Value Added to the UK economy – that’s bigger than the automotive industry and bigger than farming. It’s not an industry that the government can afford to imperil.
The whole arts industry depends on a vibrant scene of artists performing live in front of enraptured audiences – whether in the concert halls and opera houses that our publication covers or the thousands of venues across the country, from the smallest folk or comedy clubs to West End and regional theatres to circus tents and outdoor rock festivals. If live music, comedy, circus and theatre go to the wall, the whole industry – recording and TV production included – will wither and eventually die.
Right now, the burning need isn’t for money, it’s for safety.
Live performance is staggering to its feet as it tentatively welcomes its first audiences since the lifting of regulations: one more punch to the head would knock it out. Of course, it fears the blow of another episode of lockdown and widespread event cancellations, but there’s another terror that keeps it awake at night: that audiences won’t return because they are not confident of attending an event without risking Covid-19 infection.
The UK government must now take two major steps to address both those risks: mandate that people attending large-scale events must show proof either of Covid vaccination status or of a recent test or natural immunity, and mandate that they wear masks unless there is a strong medical reason not to do so.
My colleague Mark Pullinger has written persuasively about half-full houses with audiences unchecked and largely unmasked. He has talked extensively to industry figures and it’s clear that unless given a mandate from government, venues and promoters will not impose rules themselves. It’s also clear that without those rules, a significant number of audience members will not wear masks and that as a result, a far greater number of people will stay away. There are other countries where the situation is very different: where masks and vaccination/test status are enforced, audiences are returning in large numbers and with confidence.