New Guidance released for Outdoor Events

We have been supporting the ongoing lobbying alongside Event Industry bodies to gain some clarity on the future of the events & festival industry throughout the Covid-19 crisis. 

Yesterday, guidance was released by DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport) and stated that from tomorrow, the 11th of July, performances outdoors with a socially distanced audience can take place in England in-line with the guidance. This guidance allows for the hosting of larger groups in public outdoor spaces by industry professionals following the guidance. 

Significantly, this guidance includes outdoor events & festivals, indoor unseated music venues, bars & restaurants as well as typical performing arts settings. 

In terms of the outdoor events & festival industry, specifically, The EIF – Events Industry Forum has been working with DCMS to find a way through for the festival & events industry and have issued this press release along with a link to the agreed guidance for restarting the events industry. 

EVENTS INDUSTRY WELCOMES GUIDANCE FOR RESTARTING

The Event Industry Forum (EIF) and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) have today agreed guidance for restarting some elements of the UK’s £30.4 billion outdoor events industry.

New guidance, compiled by EIF in consultation with Government departments, sets out how event organisers can restart some outdoor events this summer.

Today’s guidance specifically lists different types of organised outdoor events that can now safely go ahead with COVID-19 secure planning in place, including outdoor performances, county shows and firework displays. The Culture Secretary has announced that performances outdoors can take place from 11 July with a socially distanced audience.

The guidelines drawn up by the Event Industry Forum, with support from DCMS and representatives from across the events industry, will keep staff, performers and visitors safe at small-scale events this summer.

The outdoor event industry has welcomed the guidance as a positive step.

“Our industry has been decimated by COVID-19 with most of the outdoor events planned for this summer and the Autumn already cancelled,” says Jim Winship, Secretary of the Events Industry Forum.   “Nevertheless, publication of this guidance gives the green light which we hope will enable some smaller events to take place.

“We hope this will just the first step on the road to recovery which will allow the outdoor event industry to return at full blast in 2021.”

The guidance can be found on the EIF website at www.eventsindustryforum.co.uk