To get the performing arts in Cincinnati up and running again and to ensure the health and safety of their guests, staff and artists, a group of performing arts organizations and venues in Cincinnati announces that they will require audience members to wear masks and provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test certification for productions beginning this fall.

Specific COVID-19 protocols (including policies for children under 12 years old), logistics and effective dates will vary by organization, but in general, patrons will need to be masked and fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test to attend an indoor performance. Most of the participating organizations are planning to sell venues at full capacity.

"ArtsWave supports the decision by many performing arts partners to require their audiences to be vaccinated or tested. Not only does this decision help stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the health and safety of other arts-goers, it also protects the jobs of the artists onstage and the crews behind the curtain. This is another, important way that we can come together as a community to secure the restart of the arts," says Alecia Kintner, president and CEO of ArtsWave.

Further details about these and other COVID-19 health and safety measures for each performing arts venue and organization can be found on their individual websites. Each organization is communicating the new health and safety protocols directly to patrons and ticket holders via email.

The organizations and venues included to date are listed below, along with links to their COVID-19 health and safety pages: Cincinnati Arts Association (including the following Aronoff Center resident companies: Broadway in Cincinnati, Cincinnati Music Theater, Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative, Exhale Dance Tribe, Mutual Dance Theatre and Revolution Dance Theatre), Cincinnati Ballet , Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and Know Theatre of Cincinnati.