Oliver Dowden Says Details on the Reopening of Theatres Will Be Published 'Imminently'

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden says that further details of when theatres will be able to reopen will be published "imminently."

According to The Stage, Dowden says that he wants arts organizations to be able to open "as rapidly as possible."

He said that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport had been "working flat out" to get the arts back up and running.

"I want to see these institutions open their doors as soon as it is safe to do so, and I'm working extensively with the sector on how to achieve this and will be publishing further roadmap timings for further steps imminently," he said.

DCMS' roadmap for the reopening of theatres will be made up of a five-step plan, but dates have yet to be announced.

Read more on The Stage.

This comes after the UK government recently announced a £1.57 billion rescue package to help the nation's cultural, arts and heritage institutions weather the impact of COVID-19. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the funding will go to support struggling theatres, museums, galleries, music venues, heritage sites and independent cinemas. It includes £880 million of grants for the financial year to April 2021, supplemented by £270 million of repayable loans.

Recently, pantomime producer Michael Harrison also gave the government a deadline of August 3 to confirm 'no earlier than' dates for the reopening of theatres.

"But I'm not just saying this for pantomime, I want the roadmap for theatre," Harrison had said. "If we were able to get the Palladium pantomime on, then there will be other West End shows that would do the same. Pantomime would be part of rejuvenating the sector."

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