How arts organizations can reopen their venues in 2021 was the topic of a webinar presented by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) with special guest Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Fauci delivered opening remarks at the event with a cautious prediction that theaters could be safe to reopen by the fall.
“This is no guarantee,” he warned. “And, at least initially, we may still need to wear masks. But if we continue to vaccinate as many people as we can as quickly as possible, however, I believe we will achieve a broad umbrella of protection—somewhere between 70 to 85 percent of people vaccinated—by late summer or early fall.”
Dr. Fauci was appointed director of NIAID in 1984. He oversees an extensive research portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat established infectious diseases. He has been a visible and highly esteemed leader in the fight against COVID-19 and currently serves on the White House COVID-19 Response Team.
Acting Chairman of the Arts Endowment Ann Eilers said, “The National Endowment for the Arts is honored to have Dr. Fauci participate in the agency’s The Art of Reopening webinar. His expertise, commitment, and compassion have been critical to the nation’s ability to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. His guidance will remain of the utmost importance in our continued progress in the country and towards full reengagement with the arts and audiences.”
The event was based in part on the NEA’s report The Art of Reopening: A Guide to Current Practices Among Arts Organizations During COVID-19 that was published in January 2021. The report examines reopening practices of organizations that resumed in-person programming in 2020 and presents promising tactics and nine case studies. Three of the organizations featured as case studies were represented on a panel moderated by Sunil Iyengar, director of the Arts Endowment’s Office of Research & Analysis.
The panelists were:
• Scott Altman, president & CEO, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Chloe Cook, executive director, Sidewalk Film Center & Cinema, Birmingham, Alabama
• Rebecca Read Medrano, co-founder and executive director, GALA Hispanic Theatre, Washington, DC
The webinar highlighted some of the practices of these organizations but also delve into new challenges and lessons that have emerged since data were collected for the report in the fall of 2020. The driving question remains “What is the outlook for arts organizations who seek to re-engage with live audiences and visitors in 2021?” The webinar will be posted to the Arts Endowment website.
In addition to The Art of Reopening, the Arts Endowment contributed to an analysis from FEMA’s Recovery Support Function Leadership Group with COVID-19’s Impacts on Arts and Culture. Information in the analysis includes an overview of the latest data on the economic impact of arts and culture developed from a partnership of the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Arts Endowment, that reports recent arts worker unemployment data, and a state-of-the-field assessment based on data from November 2020.
Finally, the current issue of the Arts Endowment’s magazine, Arts in the Time of COVID, offers stories and insights. Each of the organizations featured in the magazine illustrates the importance of adaptation, resilience and staying true to the values that drive each to overcome and survive.
For more COVID-19 resources, visit the Arts Endowment’s collection on the website and follow the agency on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
