Jersey Arts Centre postponed and cancelled events

Daniel Austin, director of the Jersey Arts Centre, has released a statement on what actions the association is taking to minimalise the spread of covid-19:

Dear Members, Friends and Visitors

Below is an update on the steps Jersey Arts Centre is taking to help minimise the spread of COVID-19 and our current operational status.

In taking the unprecedented decision that our youtheatre should not perform before an audience tonight in ‘Beasts and Beauties’, and because almost all our hirers and promotions wished to either cancel or postpone their events between now and the end of April, Jersey Arts Centre Association has taken the equally unprecedented step to temporarily suspend its usual activity for an initial period of six weeks.

Currently, the building at Phillips Street will remain open and cafejacs will remain open, and whilst some of our staff will be working remotely on planning for the future, and developing ideas on how we continue to tell our beautiful stories on-line and in different ways, there will be members of staff working safely at Phillips Street and at Charles Street.

Three of our key purposes at Jersey Arts Centre are to EDUCATE, INSPIRE and to ENCOURAGE DEBATE and we would have failed in the first instance (to educate) if we had not taken the decision above.

Tomorrow, Friday 20 March at 3pm, Jersey Arts Centre will outline its first-phase plan to continue ‘to educate, inspire and encourage debate’ through on-line activity and storytelling, via our website and social media.

In order to support the health and well-being of our audiences, members, volunteers and staff, and in order to help combat the spread of COVID-19, we have taken the above decision despite putting precautionary safety measures in place, including:

• Educating our staff on prevention and procedures
• Emphasising frequent and proper hand washing
• Cleaning high contact points more frequently
• Advising ‘Social Distancing’ for those aged 65 years+ *

* Please see the latest Government of Jersey advice for those aged 65 years+ at the link below and the relevant government Social Distancing Fact Sheet.

We will continue to keep in touch with you and be guided by official advice from the Government of Jersey and Public Health authorities. We will update this message at c.3pm on a daily basis or when necessary.

The status of our programme has changed for the remainder of this season and is as follows:

• The ‘Motherhood’ exhibition in the Berni Gallery has been postponed until 2021
• The current ‘liberation’ exhibition has been extended to Monday 30 March
• The ‘seventy-five years’ exhibition (7 April – 2 May) has been postponed until a later date (tbc)
• youtheatre’s ‘Beasts and Beauties’ (19 – 21 March) is now cancelled
• Beaulieu Covent School’s Exam Evenings (24 + 25 March) are now cancelled
• Amici Artium: Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (27 March) has been postponed until a later date (tbc)
• Angel Anne (28 March) has been postponed until 21 October
• Jersey Film Society’s: ‘Destroyer’ (23 March) has been cancelled
• TC Productions’ ‘Glorious’ (30 March – 4 April) has been postponed until 15 –19 September
• The Monday Matinee: ‘The Jungle Book’ (6 April) has been postponed
• Jersey Film Society’s: ‘Leave No Trace’ (6 April) has been cancelled
• The Residency of: ‘Night + Daze’ has been postponed (tbc)
• The JADC production of ‘Noises Off’ (21 – 25 April) has been postponed until September
• Jersey Film Society’s: ‘White Crow’ (27 April) has been cancelled
• NYX Trio: Meditations (28 April) has been postponed until a later date (tbc)
• ‘Buzz’ (29 April) has been postponed until a later date (tbc)
• youtheatre’s cultural exchange with Bad Wurzach (29 March – 4 April) has been cancelled

There are also a number of courses and workshops which have been cancelled.

And youtheatre, Junior Drama and ACT workshops have also been initially suspended for this six week period. We will be making contact with you shortly.

Ticket holders for the above performances, and courses and workshops, will be contacted by our Box Office in due course – so please be patient with us at this time…

Please click on the following link for further information: https://www.gov.je/Health/Coronavirus/Pages/CoronavirusInformation.aspx

Thank you so very much for your continued support of Jersey Arts Centre: to our incredible team of volunteer stewards, committee members, audiences, and to our loyal and dedicated staff.

Volunteer Stewards! We will be in contact with you all shortly to ensure that those of you who need it have the support you need to shop, buy books and to chat! Thank you for your commitment and stewardship at all our shows!

With best wishes

DANIEL AUSTIN