The lights in many theatres, cinemas and cultural spaces in Spain remain lit. Using strict safety protocols, culture is working to remain a safe space at the height of the third wave, offering people an escape route, while offering the cultural sector hope for the future.

Since the outbreak, cultural spaces, bodies and institutions have worked together to achieve safe culture, which has allowed them to reach the present with practically no infections registered in these spaces. This tremendous effort against COVID-19 has led to some exceptions being established such as in Madrid, where theatres, cinemas and other cultural activities may, for now, extend their closing times to beyond 9 pm – the time set for the closing of all leisure, hotel and catering and commercial establishments. A similar measure to that applied in October in Catalonia, thanks to which audiences were allowed to return home after the curfew, provided they could justify their attendance at a cultural event.

With the end of the lockdown and the arrival of the ‘new normal’, a whole host of concert halls, museums, theatres, festivals, artists, promoters, technical staff, agencies and other sector workers united under the slogan of #SafeCulture (culturasegura.org). Their commitment was to uphold safety while continuing to perform their activities, despite the restrictions, pushing through and guaranteeing such measures as the compulsory use of a face mask, capacity controls, safe working conditions, a seated audience on non-adjacent seats, facilitating accesses to venues and online sales (for prevention and to trace attendees over the following weeks), the provision of hydro-alcoholic gels and ongoing disinfection, with staggered arrivals and departures.

Along this same line, protocols and measures headed up by the Ministry of Culture and Sport were introduced from the outset. The National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (Spanish acronym: INAEM) – the independent cultural agency for the performing arts and music – has redesigned capacities in all spaces, including the National Auditorium and the Zarzuela Theatre, and such creative centres as the National Drama Centre, the National Ballet and the National Spanish Orchestra and Choir, which are also disinfected on a daily basis. The programmes of all the artistic centres have also been adapted to avoid intermissions and an accumulation of the public, as well as the usual measures such as the obligatory use of face masks, hydro-alcoholic gel, the closure of cafes and the recommendation to buy entry tickets through online channels, also facilitating the refund of tickets up to 24 hours beforehand.

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Cinemas have also followed strict protocols. Thanks to strict compliance with the measures established by the Ministry of Health during the ‘de-escalation’, going to the cinema has become a totally safe cultural activity.  As stressed by the Spanish Cinema Federation​ (Spanish acronym: FECE), no outbreaks have taken place in any cinema in Spain, mainly thanks to two measures: first, the very nature of the activity of going to the cinema, which involves little social interaction, primarily takes place with people who reside in the same household and that films are watched in silence, thus limiting aerosol emissions. Secondly, the use of optimum air renewal systems, face masks, hydro-alcoholic gels, the separation of spectators and the disinfection of cinema seats after each showing.

Museums have also become safe spaces. Since the end of the lockdown, certain protocols have been followed, such as the one established for museums managed by the Sub-directorate-General for State Museums. The National Archaeological Museum, the National Romanticism Museum and the Sorolla Museum in Madrid have remained open, as have the National Roman Art Museum in Merida, the National Subaquatic Archaeological Museum in Cartagena, the Altamira National Museum and Research Centre in Santillana del Mar and the National Sculpture Museum in Valladolid, which have adhered to the indications given by the Ministry of Culture and the corresponding regional authorities.

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Despite the strong impact of the crisis on the culture sector – the cinema box office and museum visits have dropped by more than 70%, and many musicians and artists have lost their job – keeping screenings open in cultural spaces offers the sector breathing space – in addition to public financial support – and sends out a clear message to society that culture remains alive in Spain.

Because culture is a right and a key asset of our democracy. As stated in Article 44 of the Spanish Constitution, “the public powers will promote and oversee access to culture, which everyone is entitled to”, and in Article 1492, which provides that the public powers consider “the provision of culture as a duty and an essential provision”, and hence its survival must be guaranteed. In line with this, all the Upper House groups approved an Institutional Statement back in September, requesting the Spanish Council of Ministers to declare culture an essential attribute, as are healthcare and education, thus protecting “an activity that is so necessary to strengthen society and make it more cohesive”, and that “as well as nourishing the soul, it is a driver of innovation and development at an economic level”.