Page 2 - The Portugal News - Online Edition
P. 2

2          The Portugal News · 21 Nov 2020                        News

      Music and festival industry on the brink




      The Portuguese Association of Music Festivals (Aporfest) has called on the Government
      to come up with a “strategy” for the sector, which is at risk of collapse, while

      demonstrations are being organised to highlight the plight of the sector.



                                                                                              “a country without culture and   as artists to join the protest.
                                                                                              entertainment in the future”. And   The concert venues closed in
                                                                                              the little that survives will tend to   March, when the first state of
                                                                                              be devoid of quality. How long will   emergency was declared, although
                                                                                              professionals in this sector have to   the shows began to be postponed
                                                                                              continue to sacrifice themselves   or cancelled before that. The
                                                                                              without any light at the end of the   venues were able to reopen from 1
                                                                                              tunnel?”                     June but with hygiene and safety
                                                                                              In May, the Government       standards defined.
                                                                                              announced a ban on “festivals   With the entry into force of the
                                                                                              and shows of a similar nature”   second state of emergency and
                                                                                              until 30 September. At the end   the decree of a new partial curfew,
                                                                                              of September, the Government   ,concert venues throughout the
                                                                                              decided to extend this ban until 31   country have been once again
                                                                                              December this year. However, these   forced to change schedules or
                                                                                              types of shows are allowed with   postpone programming, so as to
                                                                                              marked places and compliance with   maintain the activity, which can
                                                                                              rules that allow social distancing.  ensure their survival.
                                                                                              In the case of postponements, ticket   The Government has decreed the
                                                                                              holders were entitled to request   curfew between 11pm and 5am,
                                                                                              their exchange for a voucher “of   on weekdays, from Monday 16
                                                                                              equal value to the price paid”,   November as well as “limitation
                                                                                              valid until 31 December 2021, and   of freedom of movement”
                                                                                              which can be used in the “purchase   on weekends of the 14 and
                                                                                              of tickets for the same show to be   15 November and 21 and 22
                                                                                              held on a new date or for other   November.
                                                                                              events held by the same promoter”.   The number of 121 initial
      Festivals and music concerts across the country have been largely postponed, leaving the sector facing economic   If the voucher is not used by 31   municipalities, most affected by
      turmoil. (Photo: Lusa/ Jose Sena Goulão)                                                December,  2021, “the bearer is   the pandemic, covered by those
                                                                                              entitled to a refund of [his] value”,   restrictions, rose last week to 191
                                                                                              and may request it from 1 January,   municipalities, as announced by
                                        The first news of cancellations   were meant to take place were   2022, within 14 working days”.  the Prime Minister last week, after
                                        or postponements of festivals   all postponed to 2021. Barroselas   Meanwhile, another industry   meeting of the Council of Ministers.
                                        for 2022, as is the case with   Metalfest is the first Portuguese   association, the Association of   For APEFE, this decision “is a big
                                   “ SWR Barroselas Metalfest,   music festival to be postponed from   Promoters of Shows, Festivals   blow for the sector.”
                                    which did not happen in 2020 and   2021 to 2022 and there are fears   and Events (APEFE) will hold a   “We do not understand, because if
      ANGLOPRESS Edições e Publicidade, Lda  will not happen in 2021, returning in   that many others could follow suit.  “Demonstration for Culture” on   the rules are followed in the venues,
      Copyright ©2020 Anglo Press Lda. The Portugal
      News is part of the Portugal News Group estab-  2022 is of great concern. It is time for   Aporfest argues that music   Saturday in Lisbon.  and if they are safe - and are safer
      lished 1977. Depósito Legal Nº 80258/94  the festival, events and culture sector   festivals cannot be forgotten   Contacted by Lusa, Sandra Faria,   than going to the supermarket -
      CONTACTS                      to finally be looked at with a strategy   and they criticised the lack of an   from APEFE, explained that the   how can supermarkets be open and
      Postal Address:               for guardianship and to prevent the   “effective and efficient strategy   demonstration will take place   concert halls not, within those times,
      Apt 13 • 8401-901 • Lagoa
                                    entire sector and its professionals   of the Ministry of Culture. The   “inside Campo Pequeno, as if it   when circulation is organised, when
      Courier Address:              from no longer existing” Aporfest said   association states that “more than   were a show”. That is, “complying   there is social distancing between
      Rua Município de S. Domingo    in a statement.             300 annual festivals bring wealth   with the rules imposed by the   people, when it is mandatory to wear
      Urb.Lagoa Sol, Lote 3 r/c
      8400-415 Lagoa                The pandemic has caused music   to Portugal, coming from the   Directorate-General of Health”,   a mask?” questioned Sandra Faria,
                                    festivals to be cancelled or postponed   flow of national and international   and with the capacity of the   from APEFE, in a statement to Lusa.
      Classifieds:  +351 282 380 315   around the world this year, which   audiences, something that becomes   enclosure limited to 2,000 people.  The Culture sector, which “is already
      Sales:   +351 282 380 310
      Accounts:   +351 282 343 653   bring together thousands of people   more important when festivals are   According to Sandra Faria,   experiencing tragedy in 2020”,
      Newsdesk:  +351 282 380 313   and the focus mainly being on the   held outside of main cities”.  APEFE invited “formal and   considers that the situation has been
      General:   +351 282 341 100
      Email: info@theportugalnews.com  summer months.            Warning that the “situation is   informal associations and   made even worse due to the weekend
      Web:  www.theportugalnews.com  In Portugal, the 2020 festivals that   on the edge”, Aporfest foresees   movements of the sector”, as well   restrictions, she concluded.
      PRINT & DISTRIBUTION
      Printers:  Unipress, Porto
      Print-run: 15,370 copies this edition   Weekly Weather
      Distributors:  VASP
                                              Warm and bright weekend
      Member of  apct audited circulation
      Publisher:  Paul Luckman
      publisher@theportugalnews.com  Mild temperatures and sunshine are expected across Portugal this weekend
      Photos:  LUSA • Press Association
                                    Lisbon:                      The north:                   The centre:                  The south:
      While The Portugal News has done its utmost to
      ensure all advertiser information is correct, the   It is to be a largely sunny weekend   It is to be warm and mild   Clear skies and sunshine is   Sunshine and intermittent cloud
      paper is unable to verify the content and/or claims
      of adverts provided.          in the capital with temperatures   in the north with highs of 19   predicted in the centre all weekend   is expected in the south of the
                                    reaching highs of 19 degrees and   degrees and lows of 9 degrees   with temperatures reaching daily   country on Saturday and Sunday
      While The Portugal News has done its utmost to
                                    lows of 11 degrees. From Wednesday   over the weekend.  From Mon-  highs of 17 degrees and nightly lows   with temperatures peaking at 19
      ensure all advertiser information is correct, the
      paper is unable to verify the content and/or claims   there will be a chance of rain with   day the clouds are due to roll in   of 10 degrees.  The mild weather is   degrees and nightly lows of 14
      of adverts provided.
                                    the heaviest showers on Wednesday   with rain then expected from   to continue into the next week until   degrees.  From Tuesday cloud cover
                                    and expected to continue through   Wednesday and temperatures to   rain clouds make an appearance   is to increase before the rain clouds
      Publicação registada na Entidade Reguladora para
      a Comunicação Social com o número 127217  until Friday when temperatures are   then drop to highs of 16 degrees   on Wednesday with temperatures   form on Wednesday, however tem-
      Estatuto Editorial: www.theportugalnews.com/
                                    to drop to highs of 16 degrees.  and nightly lows of 10 degrees.  falling to highs of 13 degrees.  peratures will remain steady.
      editorialguidelines
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7