The government has announced a €2 million programme to help entertainment event organisers and artists kickstart activities.

Tourism minister Clayton Bartolo and Culture minister Jose Herrera said there will be two schemes, one linked to ticket sales and the other on a more logistical side.

The announcement was made on the day seated mass events can resume for fully vaccinated people.

Over the weekend, the authorities modified the rules for large-scale events, meaning that events can now be held with multiple "bubbles" capped at those maximum capacities, provided that each bubble is physically separated and has its own entrance, exit, facilities and staff.

Announcing the schemes, tourism minister Clayton Bartolo said that the funds will help a sector which was hit hard by the pandemic.

He said that more schemes will be announced for events and activities taking place between July 19 and August 31 dates when the maximum capacity of attendees is set to increase, all in accordance with the current public health regulations.

"It is important that the reopening of events is gradual and stable, once we are open we do not want to close again, that is why we take gradual steps back to normality," Bartolo said.

Herrera said the new schemes we will be providing €15 per ticket sold, a fund of €1,500 for those who will use this bubble system, and also free venues provided by the government to help such artists will be providing venues or spaces for free for artists to carry out their events. 

"This will benefit artists who could not work for over a year, halting all productions," he said.

Taking questions from journalists regarding artists saying that the new regulations are an insult to their intelligence, Herrera said only a "small minority" of artists shared such statements.