Posted at 9:00 a.m.
Mr Prime Minister, at the risk of repeating ourselves, let’s go with a clear introduction: like the catering, hotel and business tourism industries, the entertainment industry has been one of the economic sectors most affected by the pandemic.
Your government recently announced that starting February 7, indoor events will be able to accommodate half capacity spectators, up to a maximum of 500 people. As for external events, a maximum of 1000 participants must be respected. No announcement has been made yet on the rules that will eventually apply for shows and events in the summer.
For the cultural community, this announcement is clearly insufficient. After two years of uncertainty and changing health measures, we ask for predictability as to a full resumption of our activities, because the challenges we face become, this time, insurmountable. In our case, week-to-week reopening announcements don’t work.
First of all, it is important to reaffirm that the reduced gauges are perhaps perceived as a valve for the public hungry to find the cultural scene, but in no case they are for the organizers of events and the promoters of shows. .
For many, in addition to being a logistical headache, a room at 50% capacity is running at a loss. They must therefore cancel the planned shows. It is to be expected that many of them will not be able to survive financially a new period of activities at reduced capacity.
Loss of confidence of partners from here and elsewhere
The uncertainty as to the date of a real recovery also causes a loss of confidence among the artists and their teams. Shows have been postponed far too often and we are now witnessing an unprecedented wave of cancellations.
Trust has also crumbled with international artists. Since indoor and outdoor events always have to deal with reduced capacities and as many health restrictions, it is increasingly difficult for us to convince international artists to come and perform on Quebec soil. Other cities, on Canadian or American soil, resume dates that were originally intended for us. A change that is not insignificant: it is a market that is breaking down for the benefit of others, which are taking shape. Need we remind you: nowhere in North America do tours have to deal with restrictions as severe as here in Quebec.
While Quebec was once an obligatory stop on a North American tour, our lack of cohesion with the health measures that are deployed everywhere else today threatens our presence on the road for international artists.
This wave weighs extremely heavily on the mental health of artists and all workers in our industry. Moreover, a predictable but regrettable consequence of the current situation will be the accentuation of the shortage of labor and expertise in our community, already undermined by the shortage of labor affecting the all sectors. Who still wants to work in such an unstable industry with ever-changing rules?
The lack of predictability as to the date of the recovery also worries external events. Important socio-economic engine and exceptional tourist showcase, the events must deal each year with a considerable financial risk. They incur huge sums in production and programming costs, taking the gamble of replenishing the coffers in a few days at most. How many festival-goers will they be able to accommodate? How much own-source revenue will they be able to generate? Without predictability, how to take a calculated bet and not risk extremely important financial losses? It’s hard to plan and coordinate smooth operations with an interesting customer experience when you don’t know where you’re going.
The predictability required
The experience gained in theaters and major events around the world shows that they are largely safe. However, if we want a revival of the cultural milieu, this generator of collective happiness and significant economic spinoffs, it is now that we must restart it.
What we respectfully ask of you, Prime Minister, is an announcement of a date when indoor and outdoor events can be held at full capacity.
*Co-signers: Laurent Saulniervice-president, programming cultural events and festivals, of Spectra; Michael Sabourinspokesperson for the Association of Independent Performance Halls of Quebec (ASSIQ) and President of Club Soda; Martin RoyChairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Major International Events Group (REMI); Francois-G. GoatherdGeneral Manager of Évènements Attractions Québec (EAQ); Patrick KearneyPresident of the Grouping of Regional, Artistic and Independent Festivals (REFRAIN); Patrick Rozonvice-president of French-language content at Just for Laughs and general and artistic director of ZOOFEST; Anne HudonPresident and CEO of BLEUFEU and the Festival d’été de Québec; Louis Bellavancevice-president of content and artistic direction of BLEUFEU and the Festival d’été de Québec; Thomas Gregoiregeneral and artistic director of Festivoix; Pascal LefebvrePresident of Igloofest and Piknic Électronik; wayne zronikPresident of Business Operations, Live Nation Canada