Pittsburgh's Cultural District is outlining new layers of defense against COVID-19 to protect guests, staff and artists as in-person events resume.
Guests attending indoor performances at Arcade Comedy Theater, August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Benedum Center, Byham Theater, Greer Cabaret Theater, Harris Theater, Heinz Hall, Liberty Magic, O’Reilly Theater, and 937 Liberty will be required to provide proof of vaccination.
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Masks will also be required inside venues should levels of community COVID-19 transmission in Allegheny County reach "substantial" or "high" as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some events are subject to exception from this rule and will require audience members to remain masked regardless of community spread. These shows will be noted as such at all points of ticket purchase, alerting buyers of the mask mandate. Ticket buyers will also be contacted by guest services to confirm attendance requirements prior to the event. Real-time vaccination and masking requirements, and any updates, will continue to be available on each organization’s website.
The vaccine and masking policies begin with the return of indoor performances on September 17 and are currently set to run at least through November 30, 2021. Health and safety policies will continue to be regularly evaluated and adjusted based on community health data, and public health and government guidance.
Guests will be required to be fully vaccinated with the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccine and must show proof of vaccination at their time of entry into the theater with their valid ticket and driver’s license or government issued identification. "Fully vaccinated" means that on the date of the performance, a guest has received their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or their single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, at least 14 days prior.
All individuals entering a Cultural District venue must be vaccinated with exceptions for children under the age of 12 and people with a medical condition or closely held religious belief that prevents vaccination. Guests who fall into one of these exception categories must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time, or a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 24 hours of the performance start time. COVID-19 tests must be administered by an official testing center. Self-administered tests will not be accepted.
Given the recent rise in cases and the severity of the Delta variant, the Cultural District's leaders came to the decision that the safest way to return to gathering for superior experiences in the arts is by requiring guests to be fully vaccinated and mask up when necessary.
"Amid rising COVID-19 cases and the increasing threat of the Delta variant, we are implementing this layer of defense to provide the highest level of public safety for audiences, staff, volunteers, and artists," Scott Shiller, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Vice President of Artistic Planning, said in a statement. "We feel that this measure, hopefully a temporary one, will allow arts venues to open and remain open while individuals take the best precautions for their own health and safety. We all need to work together to successfully combat this virus and end the pandemic. I know our Pittsburgh community is up for the challenge."
In addition to mandatory vaccinations and mask-wearing inside their venues, Cultural District organizations have each implemented a number of ‘layers of defense’ against COVID-19 throughout the pandemic. These include HVAC upgrades to enhance air filtration and quality, the installation of touchless fixtures in all venues, enhanced cleaning processes and procedures across all venues, and staff COVID Compliance Officer training. The use of EVOLV security screening will also be implemented to help expedite the entry process and limit physical contact.
All staff, volunteers, and artists in Cultural District venues are required to be fully vaccinated and to wear masks when they are not performing. Regular testing will also be utilized to ensure that those backstage remain healthy.
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