Cape Town - The Theatre and Dance Alliance (Tada) has launched an “#OpenTheatresSafely” campaign to lobby the government and relevant structures to assist in raising the curtains for the first time since March last year.
The alliance drafted and introduced a manual for the safe and responsible opening of theatres and performance venues, saying the current capacity limits were killing playhouses, the artists and co-workers who depend on those venues to make a living.
Tada secretary-general Jaco van Rensburg said the campaign also aims to create awareness of the country’s performing arts industry that has to fend for itself entirely.
Van Rensburg said theatres were not afforded the same rights as restaurants, casinos and shopping malls.
“Many theatres have over the last few months closed their doors permanently and the industry’s unemployed workers were on their knees with playhouses still under strict lockdown regulations,” he said.
Cape Cultural Collective (CCC) chairperson Mansoor Jaffer supported the calls by the Tada.
He said they were firmly behind an approach that would allow battling artists to use theatres and other performance spaces to earn a living.
Jaffer said the CCC was constantly experimenting with different approaches to ensure that their members were able to exercise their creative energies and talent.
He said at the same time, they have joined the People's Vaccination Movement of SA as part of their efforts to keep as many people as possible, including artists, safe from the pandemic.
“We wish to express our solidarity with all organisations, including Im4theArts and many others, who work hard to serve the interests of artists and to promote the arts as a crucial element of development and transformation in our society,” said Jaffer.
He said they were looking forward to being part of theatre productions in the near future.
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s spokesperson Masechaba Khumalo noted the media enquiry, but did not respond by the time of publication.