UTVrijhof CultureNews archiveUpdate corona crisis and consequences for Culture & Events
Vrijhof Culture
Vrijhof Culture
Vrijhof Culture
Vrijhof Culture
Vrijhof Culture
Vrijhof Culture
Vrijhof Culture

Update corona crisis and consequences for Culture & Events

Meanwhile, we have been living and working with the Coronavirus for several months now. The government is easing the measures step by step, which also has an effect on the Culture sector and the opportunities for Culture on the Campus.

In June we started a number of rehearsals of cultural associations in the outdoor area of the Campus. The Open Air Theatre, the little square with the Fono and a number of outdoor accommodations of Sport have regularly housed rehearsals of cultural associations since June.

As of July we are one step further, also with Culture. This year we do not apply a full summer closure, but we are closed in the weekends. Two associations have been given permission to rehearse in the Vrijhof because the outdoor area is not suitable. This has to do with the subsoil and the weather. Unfortunately, more is not possible at the moment because the maximum capacity of the Vrijhof and the Campus is still limited.

The Apollo cultural umbrella organisation has worked together with the associations on suitable protocols for the various associations. As government measures change and the national protocols are adapted to them, the associations also change their own protocols where necessary to suit the rehearsal space. A lot of constructive work has been done to connect all of this.

At the moment we are working on a look through towards September, which programme can we bring, which exhibitions we show, which courses need to be overtaken and which rehearsals fit in our accommodation. For the latter, Apollo is adjusting the rehearsal schedule and the audience programme is also being adjusted. First of all, our programme is considerably thinned out because we can't fit everything in our rooms anymore. Also Studium Generale is living up to the possibilities. Our joint focus is on the social well-being of students and staff within the possibilities of our time.

In order to be flexible and to improve our online possibilities from September onwards, the Theatre Engineering department is working on the implementation of a streaming platform to support 'hybrid rehearsals', among other things. Partly rehearsals in the accommodation and partly online. Of course, this will not work for all associations, but some of them can use it for their rehearsals for multiple members. The possibilities for lectures and other activities can also increase as a result.

Unfortunately working in the Vrijhof at the time of writing is not yet possible, we work at home as much as possible and therefore a physical chat or asking a question is just not possible. On the one hand this is a pity, on the other hand it is wise, the virus is still among us and our health is paramount.

For the cultural associations and their teachers, directors, conductors and instructors we want to have our regular appointments back in order as of September. We don't want to change anything about the rehearsal rights of associations and the instruction, but it does strongly depend on the possibilities offered to us by the government and the UT. So as long as we have to keep a minimum distance of one and a half meters we cannot allow large groups in our rooms. These measures therefore determine to a large extent the possibilities of the associations and programme makers.

This is the last update before the summer holidays.

We wish you a very nice summer holiday in good health and hopefully until September!

On behalf of Culture & Events, Mark Weirath.