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Can arts venues survive social distancing?

With such reduced capacity can venues ever make the finances stack up, and what is lost when the audience, and performers, must be so far apart?

Social distancing has become one of the key measures for controlling coronavirus, but implementing it is creating an existential threat to arts venues like theatres, museums, galleries, independent music venues and concert halls. With such vastly reduced capacity - as much as 90% - can venues ever make the finances stack up, and what is lost when the audience, and performers, must be so far apart?

Despite the restrictions, some venues are starting to find ways of making it work. John Wilson goes to the Wigmore Hall where they're beginning live concerts on Radio 3 next week. Violinist Alina Ibragimova performs in the hall - the first instrument played there in ten weeks - and speaks to John alongside Director of the Wigmore Hall John Gilhooly about what it means to be creating live performance again amidst such huge financial uncertainty.

Alan Davey tells us what to expect from this years' Proms.

Across Europe some museums and galleries are already open. Christina Haak, deputy director of the Berlin State Museums, which include the Pergamonmuseum, Neues Museum and the Alte Nationalgalerie, tells us what it was like welcoming audiences again.

Robert Hastie, Director of Sheffield Theatres, reports on his plans for Shakespeare in the Park this summer, which have the aim of keeping some theatre alive in the city.

And Dominique Frazer, who runs the Boileroom indie music venue in Guildford, discusses how social distancing is impossible in their venue which is all about getting close to bands and each other.

Presenter: John Wilson
Producer: Hannah Robins

Available now

28 minutes

Social distancing in arts venues

Social distancing in arts venues

Images:

Main Image: violinist at the Wigmore Hall, London

Image to the Left: John Wilson in an audience of one聽at the Wigmore Hall.


91热爆 Radio 3 live聽lunchtime concerts from the Wigmore Hall start on 01 June 2020. Hear them on 91热爆 Sounds, or stream the HD video on the

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