Museums are closing in China due to a new wave of coronavirus

Art museums in Shanghai and Shenzhen are closing again, as an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in China forces cultural centers to suspend work due to the pandemic, Artnews reports.

Last week, famous museums located in Shanghai's West Bund cultural district announced a temporary closure. The Long Museum, West Bund Museum, Sw Museum, Pudong Art Museum, Powerlong Museum, Art Powerhouse and OCAT Shanghai suspended work due to a new wave of coronavirus. They decided to close on March 10, just before the government ordered the closure of regional schools.

The Shanghai outpost of the UCCA Beijing Center for Contemporary Art, known as UCCA Edge, planned to organize an exhibition of Thomas Demand's works on April 2. The exhibition is supposed to be the first comprehensive study of the artist in China, but now it is unclear whether the museum will be able to hold the exhibition on schedule.

China has introduced a zero Covid-19 policy that requires isolation for all citizens. Due to strict regulations, the government forced the temporary closure of many public places, which affected revenue streams.