Pilot Scheme Will See 80 Concerts in Nine Days in The Netherlands

Culture
07 Apr 21

What are the risks of being infected with Covid-19 at a concert? The Dutch government is making an attempt to properly answer that question, by running a series of 80 test gigs over a nine day period. After which the case for a return to live music may be considerably strengthened…

The Dutch government has announced an extensive pilot scheme of cultural events which will see the Netherlands hosting over 80 concerts across nine days, according to an IQ report.

Music venues across the country, including Amsterdam’s Paradiso and Milky Way, will welcome roughly 11,000 visitors at reduced-capacity shows between April 22nd and April 30th, 2021.

The programme stretches across April and involves theatre shows and museum openings, as well as the use of test certificates which display Covid-19 test results or vaccination status.

The scheme's participants are obliged to show either a negative Covid-19 test result or proof of vaccination upon entry, and adhere to the 1.5-metre social distancing rule inside the concert venue itself.

“There is close consultation with the municipalities about the feasibility and enforceability of the pilots,” says minister for education, culture and science, Ingrid van Engelshoven.

“If these are successful, a good start can then be made with test evidence on a large scale. It is important that we start with this, also for all those cultural institutions that have not been able to receive an audience for a long time. The monuments, museums, theatres and music venues can now carefully open their doors.”

Some of the larger April events include 1,500 participants at Castle Arcen, 2,500 at Arnhem's Dutch Open Air Museum, 1,500 at Amsterdam's Maritime Museum and 1,500 at the Utrecht Railway Museum.

The pilot scheme will take place alongside Fieldlab Events’ upcoming test shows, which includes May's Eurovision Song Contest and the 3FM Awards - which were announced earlier today.

The 3FM Awards will be presented on 15 April at Utrecht's TivoliVredenburg venue, 1,000 people in attendance. Son Mieux and The Vices are expected to perform at the event.

The most recent Fieldlab Events pilots saw test festivals held at the Lowlands site in Biddinghuizen on March 20th and 21st. The government’s new CoronaCheck app was trialed at the festivals.

The dates for the full pilot programme can be seen on the central government website, while artists slated to perform have yet to be named in full.

March 12th marked the one-year anniversary of the shutdown of the live entertainment industry in Ireland.