THank you Manny Cawaling, Inspire WA for these words of advice, Dear Cultural Organizations & Fans, The unfolding reality of Washington’s COVID-19 outbreak is hard to grasp. What does this mean for the work of our valuable cultural organizations and their patrons and supporters who rely on them? Until there’s more and clear information to share, here’s some initial guidance. FOR ORGANIZATIONS: STAY INFORMED. We understand that this is a new and different type of threat to your work and you may feel overwhelmed or unprepared. There’s a lot of information out there to help you protect your team and community, make decisions, and prepare for what’s next. We imagine it’s especially confusing because all the information is generalized and doesn’t speak towards your specific cultural work. Inspire Washington and several partners are developing a plan to help you translate all the information and implement at your science, heritage, and arts business. Get updates every day from your local County Health Dept, local government, the Governor's office and the Seattle Times. This is a rapidly changing situation. Visit: https://www.kingcounty.gov/…/disease…/novel-coronavirus.aspx <https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/communicable-diseases/disease-control/novel-coronavirus.aspx?fbclid=IwAR3mOg4ZZ9bnbhO6Z71Uz430PlATpiV_KzF6J65-0NxjT4vIIlzb0EuwfN8> SAFETY FIRST. Of course, you know this. But this is something new and extremely different. Be thoughtful about the needs of your community, especially if you serve people who are the most susceptible to serious health complications. We understand that you may need to make hard decisions. You’re not the only one. Find support among your peers and colleagues. PROVIDE CLEAR MESSAGING. Your work and organization matters to your community. Use all of your communication channels (email, social media, website, etc.) to provide regular updates about program changes, safety protocols, and how you’re communicating. Fight the urge to pretend that this is all easy. It’s not. Your community wants to know if you’re in trouble, need help, or are struggling to keep up with the new challenges. No one expected you to be an expert during an epidemic. TRACK YOUR LOSSES. Right now, all focus and attention must be paid on containing the spread of the outbreak and protecting human life. However, all of this disruption is going to cause significant financial losses. In the future, Inspire Washington and our partners may advocate for the sector’s financial recovery so we’ll need to know the impacts. Track all your admission losses, additional supply and labor costs, and anything else that is a result of COVID-19. And we mean every cultural organization across the state. In the near future, there will be a story that we need to tell. FOR FANS, PATRONS, AND SUPPORTERS: PLEASE BE UNDERSTANDING & GENEROUS. If an event is cancelled or you’re not comfortable attending, please consider donating your ticket cost. They really wanted to perform or host you. The timing of this outbreak will have even greater financial impact because many organizations hold fundraisers during the late winter and spring. Consider making a donation. BE SUPPORTIVE: Share your organization’s posts or create your own on social media about them. This is an especially disappointing time and they’ll appreciate knowing their community cares. STAY HOME IF YOU’RE SICK: Sure, there’s a lot of great cultural programming that you don’t want to 7 miss. But if you’re ill, protect the staff of your cultural organization and their other patrons. And follow all the safety tips regarding how to safeguard yourself and limit the spread of disease. Inspire Washington is here to help. Please reach out if you need guidance or additional information. Most sincerely, Manny Cawaling, Executive Director manny@inspirewashington.org