Concert organisers in Denmark are calling for clarity over Covid measures, with current restrictions due to expire on 16 January. In a bid to combat the spike in omicron cases, music venues and other indoor cultural institutions were ordered to close their doors on 19 December. Despite the Danish parliament…
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German biz calls for clarity on Covid winter plan
The Event Management Forum has expressed frustration at the government's reluctance to engage directly with the live industry
By James Hanley on 20 Jun 2022
Jens Michow
Germany’s events business is calling for clarity on the government’s Covid containment plans for the autumn and winter period.
The Event Management Forum (EMF), which includes the BDKV (Federal Association of the Concert and Event Industry) and venue association LiveKomm (LiveMusikKommission), has welcomed recommendations drawn up in preparation for potential developments with the pandemic.
According to Die Welt, plans reportedly under discussion include considerations for masks to be made compulsory in all indoor public spaces during the winter months.
However, the EMF expresses frustration at the authorities’ continued reluctance to engage directly with the industry, and the lack of aid measures planned for the sector should a worse-case scenario emerge in the coming months, leading to the re-introduction of social distancing measures and capacity restrictions at concerts.
“Organisers don’t plan tours overnight and must therefore be able to anticipate the feasibility of their events in order to avoid damage,” says Axel Ballreich, chair of LiveKomm.
“Ticket sales for cultural events are already going extremely poorly because the audience first wants to wait and see whether events”
Having previously reported weak advance sales for shows planned for autumn 2022 and spring 2023 due to low consumer confidence, BDKV president Jens Michow reiterates the market is still plagued by uncertainty.
“Ticket sales for cultural events are already going extremely poorly because the audience first wants to wait and see whether events are taking place reliably,” says Michow. “Added to that, many fear the risk of infection or have changed their leisure behaviour due to the crisis.
“Also, the price increases that have taken place in all areas and the uncertainty as to what effects the war in Ukraine in the coming months will have is causing German people to limit their spending on leisure time.”
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