By Michelle Crean

A well-known local performing arts teacher - who says there's no clear guidance or roadmap for reopening in line with other businesses and industries - is to join a national day of action on Monday.

Lily MacMonagle, who runs The MACademy, a musical community for children, will be one of many, including her own dance, singing and drama teachers, from the sector to protest outside Cork Opera House at 11am.

The event 'Curtain Up' is organised by Performing Arts Educators of Ireland (PAEI) and a second event takes place in Dublin at the same time, as they say they are fed up the the Government's inaction in relation to the resumption of indoor dance, drama, and music classes under safe protocols.

She says that come next month the sector will have been closed for 18 months at a personal cost to businesses up and down the country.

Lily, who ran a number of outdoor summer camps, says the indoor closure has had a huge impact on children and young adults in their Arts training, resulting in a detrimental effect on their mental health, confidence, and social skills.

"In the last 17 months we've not been given a date or any guidance for operating indoors," Lily told the Killarney Advertiser.

She said that the Performing Arts sector has been largely ignored in published guidelines, financial supports and roadmaps for reopening. "We are calling on the government to listen to us, acknowledge our sector and engage with us to allow our students return to classes.

"I ran summer camps outdoors, and the amount of stress I had checking the weather everyday wondering if I have to cancel. I bought all of our own covers, I'd say I spent €600 on them. We're left in the dark."

Professionals in the industry such as Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Killian Donnelly, Kerry man Tom Vaughan Lawlor, Rebecca Storm, Charlene McKenna, Aoibhinn McGinnity, and Norma Sheahan have already lent their support to the campaign with video clips and sound bites, with other celebrities coming on board daily, she added, saying the importance of this campaign should not be underestimated.

She added that a lot of industries have been allowed resume under safe protocols and that they can too.

"We managed the summer camps, we can manage indoors in a safe manner."