What kind of protective measures should we be taking if we plan to reopen?

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Until the cases of COVID-19 in the region are firmly at zero, it is always a risk to reopen. Your first priority when considering reopening your venue should be protecting your clients, staff, artists, patrons, and yourself. The basic principles of physical distancing, sanitation and hand washing, mask use and limiting group size all apply. You can also consider moving to an outdoor venue, handling reservations online or by phone, creating checkered seating arrangements, providing early seating to avoid group gatherings, controlling foot traffic with signage, employing plexiglass barriers, and/or upgrading your air filtration system. All of these topics and more have been discussed at length in our Reopening CT Arts Venues: Science Based Safety Webinar Series, all of which can be found on our YouTube and Facebook pages.

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What are arts venues going to look like?

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There are a lot of different approaches that individual arts venues can take. One might limit ticket numbers while another may hold events in larger spaces than typically necessary. You can place folding chairs strategically and seat groups in family units. Outdoor venues are also considerably safer. It might be worth considering a partnership with another venue that has a more appropriate setting for your event or performance at this time. Ultimately, each space will look different, and each approach should be tailored to that space.

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How should we be protecting our artists, musicians, and performers?

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Like the artists we love and employ, we’re going to have to think start thinking creatively. In addition to the most basic protective measures, additional precautions should be taken:  requiring negative COVID tests from performers, thinking about your events and performances in new ways can make it easier to keep your artists and performers safe and making informed choices about your performances. For instance, a Mahler Symphony and a Mozart Symphony require different size ensembles. There are fabulous one-person shows. Your audience will probably understand if Romeo and Juliet have to kiss symbolically from 6 feet apart. One can consider productions that require fewer artists, actors and dancers, and/or reduce their contact with each other. It is unfortunate that this former suggestion might mean we are employing fewer individuals, but it does reduce risk. You should also work in consultation with your artists and gauge their individual levels of comfort.

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Should dancers and other performers wear masks?

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As much as is possible, we recommend that performers – particularly those who do not have to speak, sing or play a wind instrument during the performance – wear masks. While we know it might compromise the integrity of the performance, safety is paramount and it won’t be forever.

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How effective are measures such as employing PPE, social distancing, taking temperatures, etc.?

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Each method has a different level of efficacy, but when used together these methods drastically reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission from person to person.

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How important is signage and placement of signs?

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Signage is a friendly way to remind people of something, and it can both maximize adherence to safety guidelines and build consumer confidence. There is no downside to pointing out a hand sanitizing station, reminding people to keep their masks on or instructing them move in one particular direction. The signs you place at the entrance to your venue will set the tone, and signs placed where visitors and audiences can see them throughout your venue remind them of your protocols. Don’t overwhelm your audience, but when signs are useful, strategic and clear, they can be a vital tool.

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How should we handle restrooms?

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Restrooms can be handled in a myriad of ways. You can either request that individuals within family units do not all go to the restroom together in order to minimize the number of people in the restroom at one time, or request that family units all go together exclusively in order to minimize exposure across groups. You can have a volunteer at the door monitoring the number of people in the bathroom at once or signage that states the maximum occupancy. Simple plexiglass divisions between sinks can also keep people safer, while not discouraging hand washing. If you have a small number of small restrooms you could, as the Florence Griswold Museum has, make restrooms gender neutral and install locks on the doors - which the staff has keys to - in order to limit the numbers of people going into those spaces.

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What actions can we take to build consumer/visitor confidence, as well as the confidence of our volunteers and staff?

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We can restore consumer confidence in the arts sector by providing the safest possible environment. If the messaging is consistent and people have positive and safe experiences, they will feel better. Have clear policies in place and communicate them well, take all the necessary safety precautions - including providing PPE when appropriate and ask for input from your patrons and staff. Talk to your patrons and employees, find out what their specific concerns are, and try to work with them to mitigate those concerns. You might also point people to reputable information and encourage them to see a physician to gain a personal risk assessment.

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When should we begin sharing our protocols with our potential visitors, and how should we do so?

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The sooner the better. Inform your visitors about the current protocols in place as they plan a visit, when promoting an event, as people buy tickets, or in any materials sent out beforehand or distributed at the entrance. It is important to show that you are an institution guided by evidence and experts. Make your protocols very clear and explain how you will enforce safe practices. You can also incorporate the changes you’ve made into the marketing and advertising for events.

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Are there other institutions we can look at for guidance, one that could give the arts community confidence to move forward?

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We recommend following the federal guidelines. While we’re all in the same boat, none of us are especially eligible to lead the way.  Other local institutions one could look toward include universities such as Yale, UCONN, and Wesleyan, as well as nursing homes and similar establishments.

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Is there significant difference between indoor and outdoor venues?

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Yes, outdoor venues are significantly safer. Greater ventilation allows for lower risk of contracting the virus. Increasing negative pressure by having fans or vents pulling air away from your performers and audience and into the open air will be helpful for outdoor events but especially helpful for indoor events.

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What should we require of an outdoor audience? Should people still wear masks? What about performers?

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We recommend following the CDC guidelines of maintaining at least a six-foot distance between family units and individual performers, even outside. It would also be enormously reassuring if performers and staff could quarantine or obtain COVID testing before the event, especially in the cases when performers cannot wear PPE or physically distance.  In the audience, masks might be required at all times unless people are eating, or when there is a chance that six-foot distance might be accidentally breached, such as when patrons are walking around or going to the bathroom. In general, people are always safer with masks on, and we recommend you utilize them as much as is possible.

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Is there anything specific to art galleries and workshop studios that we should be keeping in mind?

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Beyond the basic safety precautions, galleries should be thinking about controlling traffic. Put arrows on the floors to direct people, and remind patrons that they are there. You can install the artwork six feet apart if possible. If you have a docent walking a group around, keep that group smaller than you might normally, and you might have visitors take turns standing closer to the artwork in order to maintain both fairness and proper distancing. Investing in headsets for this purpose might also be a good idea, so the docent doesn’t have to project loudly in order for everyone in the group to hear. As for studio classes, individual art supply kits that are not shared could be a good way to reduce contamination. Things that must be shared, such as printmaking presses or potters’ wheels, can be fairly easily wiped down after each use. Plexiglass barriers on tabletops that do not allow for distancing might also be considered.

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What are some engineering controls in our venues to mitigate risk for our patrons, artists and staff?

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Work with your building engineer or your facilities person to determine what kind of ventilation you have in your venue and think about supply systems you could use to enhance the ventilation system you already have in place. This could include using an air purifier, putting UV lights in vents, opening windows, putting in box fans, ventilating air outwards, or purchasing additional mechanical ventilation systems.

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Is it important to maintain a one-way route through your venue or gallery?

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Maintaining a one-way routeand controlling foot traffic and air flow are great ways to keep your patrons safe, especially if your venue has narrow corridors that visitors must move through at any point.

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How do we continue our work with young children in the arts, and keep everyone safe?

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The death rate in children is exceedingly low, but children could still be carriers and infect their parents, grandparents, or other loved ones. We need to help our young students and museum-goers, as much as is possible, to follow the same basic safety precautions as adults. In arts classes individual art kits/instruments, outdoor activities, plexiglass barriers and reduced class size would reduce risk. Teachers and counselors should try to limit shared tools and objects, and be vigilant about sanitation. Have designated times where everyone uses hand sanitizer, and make sure to remind children to keep their masks on, physically distance, and keep their hands to themselves. Activities which make physical distancing even more difficult for children than it already will be, such as group projects, should be avoided. Museums could facilitate mask use by offering masks with fun patterns for a low price, and hands-on activities should be approached with caution.