Home of the Arts set to open doors this weekend

Off the back of this week’s state government announcement to lift social distancing restrictions early, HOTA has confirmed it will re-open its cinema to the public this weekend.

The move is a return to normal; to date nights, to socialising, to shared cinematic experiences and one that is sure to excite locals of all ages.

While venue restrictions and capacity numbers limit the number of people attending to 20 per screening, the team at HOTA are committed to bringing some normality back to the life of Gold Coasters but strict social distancing measures will apply.

 

HOTA CEO, Criena Gehrke, believes the move will fill the social void brought about by the COVID-19 shutdowns, as the act of movie-going is a quintessential social experience.

“There will be 12 screenings a day from Saturday 6th and we are pulling together a thematic program that touches on some of our favourite films, through to award-winning masterpieces, as well as family movies”, she said.

Ms Gehrke said the move was a positive step to a return to theatre experiences and, when restrictions permit, a host of regular programming to come.

“We are not there yet but there is a strong local appetite for the Arts and the cinema is the first ‘cab off the rank’.”

As the government allows it, we will rebuild our program to welcome back artists and audiences gradually to ensure we remain a vibrant and dynamic Home of the Arts.

HOTA was one of the first large venues on the Gold Coast to close their doors in light of the pandemic and is now leading the way in creating socially responsible opportunities to enjoy regular experiences.

“We look forward to releasing details of the cinema program later this week and encourage everyone to check the HOTA website for ongoing updates.”

Although the cinema is the only part of the precinct set to open its doors, this announcement is the first step for the arts industry to emerge in a post COVID-19 landscape.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.