France to Reopen Museums, Galleries, and Theaters on May 19

France will reopen cultural venues including museums, theaters, cinemas, and concert halls on May 19, 2021, with limited capacity, following appeals from museum directors to President Emmanuel Macron. Non-essential shops, including art galleries, will also be allowed to reopen, and outdoor dining will resume. The curfew will be extended from 7 PM to 9 PM on May 19, then to 11 PM from June 9, and lifted by the end of June. The reopening comes after a letter published in Le Figaro by several museum organizations expressed concern over the lack of information and dialogue regarding the reopening of cultural institutions. Macron had previously announced in November 2020 that cultural venues would reopen in mid-December, then postponed to January 7, and later imposed new restrictions. Art galleries, classified as non-essential commercial businesses, have been closed and their owners have criticized the "unfair competition" from auction houses, which were allowed to continue sales during lockdown. Marion Papillon, gallerist and head of the Comité Professionnel des Galeries d'Art, told Artnet News that galleries do not attract crowds and can follow health restrictions, yet their situation is not taken into account.