Australia Council campaign urges vaccination as key to reopening of cultural and creative venues and events

The Australia Council for the Arts has today launched a nationwide advertising campaign, urging Australians to get vaccinated before returning to galleries, museums, theatres and other live entertainment venues.

Following the live music industry's #VaxtheNation campaign, the television and social media campaign - It’s time to take our seats, Australia (#TakeYourSeats) - is being rolled out across the country as of today, with an undertaking by SBS to translate the advertisement into at least eight languages.

Featuring an empty venues and outdoor seating, the campaign encourages people to ‘take a seat’ at a vaccination clinic before doing so at a live performance event.

Explaining the need for people to get vaccinated to support the reopening of the industry, Australia Council Chief Executive, Adrian Collette stated “vaccination is our ticket to reopening and staying open.

 “We want to welcome audiences back safely, and to help our artists and creative workers to get back to work and return the vibrancy of live performances, exhibitions, festivals and cultural events to our communities, cities and regions. 

“The vaccination targets set out in the national plan are vital to reopening – and staying open with minimal interruptions and disruption in the future. Our role is to advocate for the cultural and creative industries, and this campaign, calls on all Australians to take their vaccination seat, so that we reopen, recover and rebuild from the disruption of the pandemic.

“We’re on the right track, but after a year and a half of restrictions on venue capacity, interruptions and lockdowns as well as domestic and international border closures, high rates of vaccination are essential to providing greater confidence and certainty for the future."

Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher added that the Federal Government’s “objective through the National Plan is that as states and territories open up, arts companies, promoters and festivals are ready to go.

“We want to see venue doors thrown open to audiences; we want to see the curtains going up; and we want to see performers coming on stage to a welcoming roar of applause.”

The campaign features seats at a range of cultural venues - from open mic nights, to galleries, live music and theatre. It highlights what is at stake – and what we can look forward to returning to.

The Australia Council is working to reach as many Australians as possible with translations of the video in Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hindi, Punjabi available from early next week. The video is also Auslan interpreted.

Click here for information on the Australia Council website.