Good news for the Quebec circus arts community! Contacts and close interactions are now authorized with the wearing of a surgical mask, without time limit.
On September 24, we held a meeting with the General Directorate of Public Health (DGSP), the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST), and the Ministry of Culture and Communications, as well as the committee with which the association has been working for several months. Discussions focused on the sanitary procedures surrounding the training and practice of circus arts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some clarifications obtained during these discussions:
When to wear a mask?
During training, creation periods, rehearsals, or performances, contacts and close interactions between artists are now authorized with the wearing of a surgical mask, without time limit for all disciplines, with the exception of wire walking, as wearing a mask is considered dangerous for this discipline. Please note that face coverings (fabric) are not recognized as safe by Public Health and the CNESST.
Furthermore, since the revision of the CNESST guide for performing arts, within a stable team, such as a duo, trio, quartet, or a company of 10 artists or fewer, contacts and close interactions are authorized without a surgical mask for a maximum cumulative duration of 15 minutes per day.
However, it is important to note that an artist who is part of a stable team with which they do not wear protection cannot be part of another stable team. This artist can only be part of another stable team after
All individuals surrounding a stable team of artists, whether technicians, stage directors, choreographers, etc., must wear a surgical mask and eye protection if physical distancing cannot be maintained. It is recommended to wear this protection at all times, even when more than two meters away.
Spectators must wear a mask when moving around.
Good Hygiene Practices
When the practice of a discipline involves people touching the ground, it is required that the ground, as well as the equipment, be cleaned and disinfected between each use by a different group.
When a training or performance venue is rented to a third party to provide training, or to an artist or groups of artists for training, the responsibility for complying with public health and occupational health and safety rules is shared.
Follow the CNESST guide!
To learn about all hygiene, distancing, and prevention measures, consult the CNESST guide for performing arts. This guide prevails at all times, particularly when there is no adequate protection such as a surgical mask, eye protection, and/or physical distancing.
Preventing the spread of the virus is a collective responsibility. Let’s integrate the wearing of surgical masks into our professional practices and performances so we can continue to practice our art! Let’s be united in applying good practices!