Live-streamed Concerts Must Adhere to Strict Health Protocols, says Department

Live-streamed Concerts Must Adhere to Strict Health Protocols, says Department

'Full protective measures' and 'controlled environments' required for any live-streaming of events.

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has said that live-streamed concerts by venues can take place during Level 5 restrictions but only under strict adherence to health and safety protocols. This means that the venues should be ‘controlled environments with a named event organiser, owner or manager and with full protective measures in place.’

In the list of essential services under Level 5, the government has included ‘the production of television and radio programmes, video, sound, digital or other electronic content and the broadcast or publication of the same to the public’. It was not clear, however, to what extent live-streaming of concerts was included.

In response to an enquiry from the Journal of Music, a spokesperson for the Department said today (22 October) that the regulations provide for ‘the filming or other recording of performances in a theatre, concert hall, museum or art gallery, without an audience present, for the purposes of broadcasting such performances on the internet, radio or television.’

The Department says, however, that any concerts in venues should only take place with strict adherence to the Return to Work Safely Protocols as published by the Government. 

There are a number of concert live-streams and broadcasts planned for the coming days, including the RTÉ NSO’s weekly concert on Friday from the NCH, the Tradition Now folk and traditional music concerts at the NCH on Saturday and Sunday, the first concert in Irish National Opera’s Mezzo Masterpieces series with Paula Murrihy on Saturday, Music for Galway’s Abendmusik: Journey of the Spirit on Sunday, City of Derry International Choir Festival and Achill International Harp Festival.

See the full Department statement below. 

Published on 22 October 2020

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