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Photo of the Kansas City Symphony performing in Helzberg Hall to a full house

Kauffman Center and KC Symphony Announce Vaccination and Masking Requirements at Concerts

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Partnership with Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Harriman-Jewell Series Announce New COVID-19 Protocols

Kauffman Center Vaccination & Masking Requirements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021
Contact: Jeff Barker, VP Sales & Marketing, Kansas City Symphony, (816) 218-2626 or JBarker@kcsymphony.org
Contact: Bess Wallerstein Huff, Director of Marketing, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, (816) 994-7229 or bwh@kauffmancenter.org
Contact: Ellen McDonald, Publicist for Kansas City Ballet, Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, (816) 213-4355 or ellen@mershonandmcdonald.com

Effective Sept. 6, Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination and Masks Required for All Patrons, Event Staff, and Volunteers Who Enter The Building To Attend Public Performances Kauffman Center, Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Harriman-Jewell Series. We will Reevaluate Policy As Public Health Circumstances Evolve

KANSAS CITY, MO (August 23, 2021) — To address the current COVID-19 public health concerns, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, in partnership with the Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Harriman-Jewell Series, will implement new COVID-19 protocols. Effective Sept. 6, all patrons who enter the building to attend public performances must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Masks will also be required, regardless of vaccination status, while inside the building, except while eating or drinking in designated locations. We continue to evaluate the ever-changing circumstances in hope that children under 12 years of age can safely attend public performances in time for the holiday season. At the current time, we are unable to accommodate children under 12, or any unvaccinated patrons for public performances. The Kauffman Center in collaboration with its partners will reevaluate this policy on an on-going basis and may adjust according to public health circumstances. The Kauffman Center will continue to monitor information as it is shared by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the City of Kansas City, MO and partners. For more information, visit CDC and the World Health Organization. The Kauffman Center has a health and safety plan in place. For further details, please visit the Kauffman Center Health and Safety page for current information.

Kauffman Center President and CEO Paul Schofer stated, “Amid growing public concern aroundCOVID-19 and to provide as many safety precautions as possible for our community, the Kauffman Center, Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Harriman-Jewell Series are implementing this layer of protection to provide the highest level of public safety for audiences, event staff, and volunteers. We feel that this measure, hopefully a temporary one, will allow us to welcome audiences safely back into the Kauffman Center. It’s clear that all of us in the community need to work together to successfully combat this virus and end the pandemic. We hope that our guests will be comforted by our joint efforts to keep our patrons safe.”

Under this new policy, anyone entering Kauffman Center to attend a public performance will need to show proof of vaccination at time of entry with a valid ticket. Fully vaccinated means the day of a performance is at least 14 days after a patron’s second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccination or at least 14 days after their single-dose COVID-19 vaccination. There will be no exceptions. We continue to evaluate the ever-changing circumstances in hope that children under 12 years of age can safely attend public performances in time for the holiday season. At the current time, we are unable to accommodate children under 12, or any unvaccinated patrons for public performances. The Symphony is exploring spring concert dates in order to possibly move the October 3 Family Series concert. An announcement will be forthcoming.

Patrons with tickets for performances will be directly contacted by the presenting or producing arts organization, alerting them of this new COVID-19 protocol and assisting them with any questions. Any specific questions, please contact the organization where tickets were initially purchased.

For a complete schedule of the performances impacted by the new COVID-19 protocols at the Kauffman Center visit www.kauffmancenter.org. Please email boxoffice@kcsymphony.org or call the Kansas City Symphony box office at (816) 471-0400 with questions.

 

ABOUT THE KAUFFMAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts – a major not-for-profit center for music, opera, theater, and dance designed by Moshe Safdie – opened in 2011. Serving as a cultural
cornerstone for Kansas City and the region, the Kauffman Center delivers extraordinary and diverse performing arts experiences. Honored as one of the World’s 15 Most Beautiful Concert Halls, the Kauffman Center attracts some of the world’s most renowned performers and entertainers. Through educational outreach programs and community enrichment, the Kauffman Center supports Kansas City as a cultural destination. More information on the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is available at kauffmancenter.org. Kauffman Center Presents is made possible by the John N. and Marilyn P. McConnell Foundation. Thanks to the following series sponsors for their generous support of Kauffman Center Presents: Saint Luke’s Health System, PNC Bank, and Aristocrat Motors and Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City. Visit the Kauffman Center’s online press room for media resources, multimedia library, press release archive and more: kauffmancenter.org/about/press-room/.

ABOUT THE KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY AND CHORUS
Founded in 1982, the Kansas City Symphony has established itself as a major force in the cultural life of the community. Praised for performances of uncompromising standard, the
orchestra is the largest in the region and enjoys a national reputation under the artistic leadership of Music Director Michael Stern. The Kansas City Symphony Chorus is a volunteer,
160-member ensemble led by multi-Grammy® Award-winning conductor, Charles Bruffy, that continues its long tradition of excellence as the choral voice of the Kansas City Symphony. The Kansas City Symphony performs more than 130 concerts each year, often welcomes guests of international acclaim as part of its Classical and Pops Series, and serves as the orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. More information on the Kansas City Symphony is available at kcsymphony.org.