Covid-19: standing festivals authorized from July 1 with “4 m2” per person, Bachelot announces

The conditions for the reopening of festivals are gradually taking shape.

Outdoor shows and in a standing configuration will be able to resume with a "gauge of 4 m2 per festival-goer" from July 1, Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot announced this Thursday morning.

"Outdoor festivals in standing configuration will be able to resume, according to a gauge of 4 m2 per festival-goer and within a limit which will be defined by the prefect according to local circumstances", precisely indicated the former Minister of Health, who was heard by the Cultural Affairs Commission at the General Assembly.

Likewise, "standing shows and concerts will be authorized to resume according to an appropriate protocol and a maximum limit set by the prefect in view of local circumstances," she said.

To read also "We will be there in 2021": the platform of music festivals to meet the public

However, these criteria worry professionals.

“If we are talking about a land of 4000 m2 for 1000 people, that can be considered, there are spaces large enough not to stick to each other.

But if we are talking about a square of 4m2 per person, it is unmanageable.

Nobody wants to live such an experience ”, reacted Aurélie Hannedouche, head of the Syndicate of current music (Sma).

"If the prefect answers us ten days before a demonstration, it will be too late," he adds.

We have 40-50 of our members who want to organize an event in July-August, if they do not have an answer by May 15, they will cancel, it is too vague and too risky ”.

A phased schedule

Roselyne Bachelot also said that she was working with the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire and the Prime Minister Jean Castex "for the establishment of ticketing compensation funds". Big festivals of current music, such as Eurockéennes or Hellfest, have already canceled due to health constraints.

The world of culture is preparing for a gradual reopening on May 19, following the schedule announced by Emmanuel Macron in his interview with the regional press (including Le Parisien).

For the first period until June 8 with a curfew at 9 p.m., museums, monuments and art centers will be able to welcome the public according to a gauge of 8 m2 per visitor.

For cinemas and theaters, the public must be within the limit of 35% of their usual limit and of 800 spectators.

Finally, festivals in a seated configuration will have to respect the same percentage of tonnage, but with a limit raised to 1,000 festival-goers.

infog deconfinement macron LP / Infogra

From June 9 to June 30, the curfew will be postponed to 11 p.m. and the restrictions relaxed (gauge of 4 m2 for museums and 65% for cinemas and shows). From July 1, gauge restrictions will be lifted for all venues and where the audience is seated.