The diploma was approved by the Council of Ministers, last Thursday, defining new provisions on shows, in the context of the easing of lockdown plan, and was promulgated "this afternoon", by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, as can be read on the Presidency page of the Republic.
This diploma "changes the exceptional and temporary measures to respond to the pandemic of the covid-19 disease, in the cultural and artistic scope", and "establishes the rules applied to the shows of the year 2021". The diploma provides for the possibility of "pilot test events", in conjunction with the Directorate-General for Health (DGS), to define new technical guidelines in the Culture sector.
The scheduling of these test events may eventually pave the way for the possibility of "changing the current orientation", which defines audience limits, depending on the physical distance and the available area, in cultural facilities, such as theatres and cinemas, and in conducting outdoor events. The diploma also establishes the conditions for the eventual refund of the value of tickets for shows and festivals, initially scheduled for 2020, and, meanwhile, postponed to 2022. According to the Government, “in the case of shows and festivals initially scheduled for the year 2020, and which occur only in 2022, consumers are expected to be able to request a refund of the ticket price, within 14 working days from the date of expected date for the event to take place in 2021 ”. If the consumer does not request the return, "it is considered that he accepts the rescheduling of the show for the year 2022". The same applies "to vouchers issued with validity until the end of the year 2021, which become valid until the end of the year 2022".
In a statement issued at the end of the meeting, the office of the Minister of Culture, Graça Fonseca, said that the creation of a specific credit line is also being analysed, with the Ministry of Economy, for the sector of shows and festivals , "as proposed by the respective representative entities". Among other measures defined by the Government, now enacted, are also the schedules of museums, monuments, palaces, archaeological sites, galleries and similar establishments, with the possibility of operating "until 10:30 pm, during weekdays, and at 1 pm, on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays ”, with“ the same [security] rules that existed at the time of their closure”.