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‘The vaccine is a start, but it’s not a magic wand’

John Gilhooly, CO of Wigmore Hall - Andrew Crowley
John Gilhooly, CO of Wigmore Hall - Andrew Crowley

Is the very welcome news that the Pfizer vaccine could be available next week, following UK approval, the light at the end of a long tunnel for the decimated arts industry? A swift vaccine roll-out might mean that venues could reopen earlier than planned, or with bigger crowds - which makes work much more financially viable.

John Gilhooly, director of leading concert venue Wigmore Hall in London, does think a vaccine would “give reassurance to audiences. If it was widely available by Easter, we could be heading towards full houses again.”

However, Gilhooly points out that it’s up to the government. “They’re responsible for getting it out fast. Given what’s happened with the testing system, I'm not getting excited just yet.”

Wigmore Hall reopens next week with a 40 per cent, socially distanced audience capacity. “If we can get up to 60 or 80 per cent faster than we thought, then we’d be closer to breaking even. Operas and orchestras just can’t operate financially at that lower level.”

He thinks some kind of vaccine passport might “be helpful initially. We’ve got audiences sitting socially distanced, wearing masks, no interval, no bars. I don’t see that changing until we’ve got those audience members vaccinated.” If the government does bring out a passport, that’s something Wigmore Hall would cooperate with, he adds.

As for the vaccine rollout, “the issue is around infrastructure for distribution. If the government wants the economy back, they should do whatever’s needed - like deploy the army. Or maybe use the existing system of where we go to vote, but staggered over a few days?”

Baritone Christian Gerhaher and pianist Gerold Huber perform to a reduced but 'real' audience at the Wigmore Hall  - PA
Baritone Christian Gerhaher and pianist Gerold Huber perform to a reduced but 'real' audience at the Wigmore Hall - PA

“Morally, it’s right that they prioritise the vulnerable and frontline workers for the vaccine. Then it’ll be the rest of the nation. But the arts is a significant part of it.”

Gilhooly is proud that about two-thirds of Wigmore Hall’s regular audiences have returned - and that they’ve gained new fans by streaming work online. But as for that absent third, he’s worried people have “broken the habit” of going to live shows.

“Some might have left London, as many have. Others are still nervous about crowds - and public transport is an issue there too. So coaxing audiences back, bit by bit, as the vaccine comes online, that’s going to take time. We’ve also changed how people work and commute. There’s a knock-on effect for our rebuilding.”

The vaccine is a great start, says Gilhooly, but “you can’t just wave a magic wand. We’re talking months and months, not weeks. People will feel safer venturing out when they’re inoculated, but there are 60 million to get through!”

It’s also an international issue, he points out. “Of course, we’re talking to artists all over the world. There’s no opportunity to bring someone over from the States right now - they’re in such a mess.”

However, it would be helpful if artists could be allowed to travel without quarantine. “What’s the difference between an elite musician and an elite athlete? At the moment, the former can take a test, get a negative result - and still they’re not given an exemption. But that means they couldn’t come and do a few performances here.”

Wigmore Hall has stayed afloat by broadcasting work online and asking for donations, in addition to small in-person audiences, “which meant we could pay artists full fees.” Still, it had to make 20 per cent redundancies of its fulltime staff. “That performance model isn’t sustainable long term.”

Gilhooly observes that the Cultural Recovery Fund is only meant to last until March. “But even with a vaccine, we won’t be fully recovered by then. So what’s the plan? And self-employed people have just fallen through the cracks of all support. Musicians are turning to food banks. We don’t want special treatment - just equal.”

Neither, argues Gilhooly, should they be dismissed “as ‘luvvies’. We provide employment across the board. The West End is the flagship for the nation. That funds restaurants, bars, taxi drivers, hotels, tourism. We bring in billions. But now there are all these roadblocks - including the ridiculous congestion charge. It’s a devastating blow to Westminster’s artistic activity. Sadiq Khan needs to fix that.”

Gilhooly also believes the arts are the solution, not a problem. “We do all this unsung community work - like working with women’s refuges, after there was a spike in domestic violence this year. We work with homelessness charities, the criminal justice system, stroke victims. That provides a whole raft of job opportunities. And we contribute to people’s wellbeing.

“If the government harnesses the arts properly, we can be a key aspect of the national recovery from this crisis. We will buoy up the nation. But we need a commitment from the highest level that they will look at the sector seriously, support us and ask for our support in return. We’ll be so much better off working together.”