Latest arrangements on cultural venues (Updated on 4/5/2022)

in view of the relaxation of some social distancing measures announced by the Government, some cultural venues are reopened from April 21 (Thursday), and more venues reopened gradually by phases from May 5 (Thursday).

Public libraries and study rooms resume services
All public libraries resume services from April 21 and starting from May 19, the limit on the number of users in public libraries are suitably relaxed. Facilities to be reopened include the adult, young adult and children's libraries, the newspapers and periodicals areas, the Toy Library of Hong Kong Central Library and computer facilities. Students' study rooms are reopened on April 19 early with extended opening hours until May 31. All book drop services of public libraries and those located at MTR Central, Kowloon Tong and Nam Cheong Stations as well as the self-service library stations at Island East Sports Centre Sitting-out Area, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Tsuen Nam Road, Tai Wai, will maintain services. The counting of overdue fines shall resume from May 5. Please visit the website of Hong Kong Public Libraries for details.

Museums are reopened
All museums (except the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence and the Sheung Yiu Folk Museum) are reopened on April 21. And starting from May 19, the limit on the number of users in museums are suitably relaxed. Public programmes will resume gradually. For public programmes to be held at museums, including the screeniing programmes of the Hong Kong Film Archive, the limit on the number of audiences/users and other arrangements are increased from 50 to 85 per cent of the original.

Performance venues are reopened
All performance venues (except for Tai Po Civic Centre, Sheung Wan Civic Centre and Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre) are reopened for performances or activities with live audiences from April 21 with special seating arrangements. The limit on the number of audiences/users in each facility of LCSD performance venues are relaxed starting from May 19, with capacity to be increased from 50 to 85 per cent of the original. Consecutive seats will be limited to eight. For details, please refer to the notifications of individual venues.

Performers who are unable to wear masks during rehearsal or performance must take a government-recognised reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction nucleic acid test for COVID-19 and obtain a negative test result within seven days before their first entry to the performance venues, and undergo a rapid antigen test for COVID-19 every day before entry into the premises. For activities to be held in minor facilities of the performance venues such as music/dance studios and lecture/function/conference rooms, the number of users are limited to half of the original capacity in most cases. For the number of users, the number of participants in each cluster and other details, please refer to the notifications of individual venues. Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the hiring facilities. All hiring activities open to the public at outdoor facilities remain suspended.
   
URBTIX
URBTIX maintains Internet and mobile app ticketing and hotline services. URBTIX outlets and ticket dispensing machines at LCSD performance venues resume operation together with the reopened venues from April 21 onwards. Ticket holders of cancelled events are advised to contact the respective event organisers or check their latest announcements on refund arrangements. For events for which organisers choose to arrange refunds at URBTIX outlets, details will be announced on the URBTIX webpage in due course.

Music centres resume counter services
All music centres of the Music Office resume counter services from April 21. All instrumental music training classes, musicianship classes, and some outreach music courses organised by the Music Office will resume face-to-face classes on the same day. In light of public health considerations, both Chinese and Western wind instrumental classes will continue to be conducted online until further notice.

Special measures
In order to comply with the requirements stipulated in the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, the LCSD will ensure necessary measures to be adopted at reopened venues. Users of sports premises, performance venues, museums and public libraries are required to scan the "LeaveHomeSafe" QR code before being allowed to enter for necessary contact tracing if a confirmed case is found. In accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Vaccine Pass) Regulation (Cap. 599L) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, all persons entering or remaining at sports premises or other indoor venues under the management of the LCSD must comply with the requirement of the Vaccine Pass. To expedite the process of admission, appeals are made to members of the public to download and install the "LeaveHomeSafe", "iAM Smart" or "eHealth" mobile app in advance and/or store the QR code of a COVID-19 vaccination record or COVID-19 vaccination medical exemption certificate in the app, or carry a paper copy of their COVID-19 vaccination record and/or COVID-19 vaccination medical exemption certificate printed with an encrypted QR code for scanning by the staff members of certain premises. Members of the public who opt for showing their COVID-19 vaccination record or exemption certificate printed without an encrypted QR code are reminded to arrive earlier to avoid delaying their visits as longer time is required for such registration.

Visitors to facilities of sports premises, public libraries, museums, performance venues and music centres will be subject to temperature checks and will need to use hand sanitiser before admission. They also need to wear their own masks. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection measures will be conducted at venues.

The LCSD will pay close attention to the latest developments of the pandemic, as well as the requirements for scheduled premises as stipulated in the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F), and review or revise the above reopening arrangements in due course.