DOHA: Gone are the days when Qatar witnessed a multitude of stage shows by different expatriate groups on festive occasions like Eid. The number of cultural shows has dwindled drastically due the strict safety and security requirements imposed by the authorities.
With a severe shortage of affordable venues to host large public events, the new requirements have come as an additional blow to show organisers, although they are intended to ensure public safety.
The regulations have forced most expatriate groups either to keep away from holding stage shows or limit their activities to small gatherings at public parks or mini auditoriums.
Sources from an expatriate group that has announced a cultural show on the first day of Eid Al Adha said they have now been asked by the authorities to change the venue due to safety issues. The show was originally planned in a private school in a crowded locality in Doha. “We were expecting about 1,500 people to the event but we have now been told that the venue does not have the safety requirements to accommodate that number of people,” an organiser told this daily yesterday.
“We are now looking for an alternative but there is none available in the city. We will be forced to cancel the show if we don’t find a new place,” he added.
The Gulf Cinema and Doha Cinema, the two most popular venues in the city are no more available for stage shows after the authorities imposed strict safety regulations in the wake of the tragic Villaggio mall fire, it has been learnt.
Some expatriate schools that used to rent out their premises for stage shows and public events have now restricted permission in the light of the new developments. The few public auditoriums like the Regency Hall are not easily available for stage shows and their charges are not affordable to many. Show organisers say that they are required to go through a series of new procedures to get permission for a stage show.
The application should be routed through a licenced event management company and submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Art and Heritage. The organisers are required to provide details about the content and the nature of the show, as well as the expected number of audience. Once the permission is granted by the Ministry, the details will be forwarded to the departments concerned at the Ministry of Interior.
The security department and the civil defence department will jointly inspect the venue to ensure they fulfill all the safety and security requirements. A final permission will be granted based on this inspection. Security personnel will be deployed to monitor the event and their number will vary depending on the size of the audience.
The Peninsula
