COVID-19 Response | AACT

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Now, more than ever, we're here to help

AACT is committed to helping theatres find needed answers amid the current global health crisis.

AACT Online Discussion Groups

AACT's COVID-19 Community Theatre Resource Facebook Group is an open group that connects the theatre community for resource-sharing
A closed-group discussion is available through our email-based AACTList. (You must be signed in as an organizational member to subscribe).

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AACT Resource Roster

Our member Resource Roster is available to the entire theatre community for several months.
When you contact the Resource Roster, AACT will work to connect you with a professional or expert in community theatre to help you with any theatrical issue/question..

Hytropy Reverse Disaster Offers Gold Disaster Plan to AACT Members

Webinars, Roundtables & More

Fall Webinar Series - for actors, directors, theatre educators and administrators
Industry Connections - Free, live 30-minute presentations from our theatre resource partners
AACT-Member Roundtables - for inspiration, ideas and expertise on a wide range of topics (You must be signed in to view)

Videos of AACT's COVID-Related Webinars
Stage Management & COVID-19; Outdoor Performances & Theatre Productions; Board Engagement and Retention During Covid-19; Theatre's Future: Conversations with Broadway Producer Ken Davenport; Hytropy's COVID-19 Recovery for Community Theatres; What Will a Post-Pandemic Theatre Season Look Like?; Online Marketing in the Time of COVID-19; Event Safety Alliance's Reopening Guide; To Live Stream or Not to Live Stream? That Is The Question; Theatrical Publishers Respond to COVID-19.

News, Resources & Inspiration

Production-Related

San Francisco Chronicle: How to perform a musical during the pandemic? Masks and microphones.
New Report: COVID-19 and the Performing Arts – Six Months After Closure
NY Times: ‘Little Shop,’ Big Relief: How One Theater Safely Put on an Indoor Show (PDF)
NY Times: How to Birth a New American Theater. Six months dark. Could this disaster have a surprise ending? Five critics on what must change, onstage and off. Includes "Theater Must Open Up the Canon of Classics," "Theater Must Embrace Streaming to Grow Audiences," "Theater Etiquette Must Be Relaxed," "Theater Must Be Affordable to Essential Workers." [PDF 8.81 MB]
Los Angeles Times: "25 top theater minds dream the future: What will the post-pandemic stage look like?"
Wikipedia: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performing arts
Actors’ Equity Association: 4 core principals to support safe and healthy theater production
CANCELLATIONS & POSTPONEMENTS
- Music Theatre International
- Concord Theatricals [Samuel French, Rodgers & Hammerstein,
  Tams-Witmark, The Musical Company]
- Broadway Licensing
- Dramatic Publishing
- Dramatists Play Service
- Pioneer Drama
- Stage Rights
STREAMING RIGHTS
- MTI announces streaming rights for 5 Disney Kids/Jr. titles
- Concord Theatricals [Samuel French, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Tams-Witmark, The Musical Company]
- Broadway Licensing
- Dramatic Publishing
- Dramatists Play Service
- Eldridge Plays & Musicals written to be performed online
- Music Theatre International Remote Performance Rights
- Pioneer Drama Virual Theatre
- Playscripts
STREAMING IDEAS & TOOLS
- Video presentation from Stage Source: Creating Virtual Theatre
- AACT Webinar Video: Livestreaming Today and Beyond: The beginning-to end-process of livestreaming a production
- Online Activities for Theatre Kids. Ideas from AACT for keeping theatre in the minds & hearts of kids (& their parents)
- How to Make a YouTube Video
- Vulture Media: What It’s Like to Act in a New Play Over Zoom
- DC Theatre Scene: How to produce and attend Zoom shows
- How to upload video to YouTube, Vimeo, etc.

Arts & Nonprofits

THEATRE/ARTS RESOURCES
- New Report: Top 40 Most Arts-Vibrant Communities in the U.S. (2020)
- NASAA: Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes (Centers for Disease Control)
- NASAA: States and COVID-19: Arts Reopening, Equity Strategies and More
- ArtsReady, an online emergency preparedness service by and for arts/cultural nonprofits
- National Endowment for the Arts COVID-19 Resources for Artists and Organizations
- Americans for the Arts COVID-19 Resource Page (including Coronavirus-related Economic Impact)
- sgEngage Resources to Guide Arts & Cultural Organizations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- SETC (Southeastern Theatre Conference) COVID-19 Theatre Resources
- Association of Performing Arts Presenters: Action Alert
- Stage Directors and Choreographers Society: Coronavirus Resource List
- Backstage: COVID-19 Resources for Actors, Creators + Performing Artists
- Playbill: Coronavirus Updates
NONPROFIT RESOURCES
- Nonprofit Law Blog: Nonprofit Governance - Coronavirus and COVID-19
- Google: Resources to help your nonprofit navigate uncertainty
- FEMA: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Private Nonprofit Organizations
- National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA: Virtual Advocacy
- UPDATED DAILY: Chronicle of Philanthropy: Special Report - Help for Nonprofits During the Coronavirus and Uncertain Economic Times
- Bloomerang: Essential Advice and Resources for Nonprofits – COVID-19
- Bridgespan: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Resources for Nonprofits
- Google: Resources to help your nonprofit navigate uncertainty
- National Council of Nonprofits: Nonprofits and Coronavirus, COVID-19
- Nonprofit Risk Management Center: COVID-19: Five Things to Know and Do
- Network for Good: COVID-19 Resources for Nonprofits
TOOLS
- WhatsApp: How WhatsApp can help you stay connected during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
- "How to host FacebookLive online events and stay connected"
- Facebook Groups: Public, closed or secret
- Messenger: Make 1:1 and group voice and video calls with coworkers, administrators and partners
- Workplace for Good (free to all nonprofits)

Management & Finances

Communications Management

FINANCIAL RESOURCES
- Grant Station: Grant Opportunities Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- GrantWatch: Coronavirus COVID-19 grants, loans, funding opportunities and financial assistance
- Nonprofit Finance Fund: COVID-19 Tools and Resources for Nonprofits
- Candid: Funds for Coronavirus Relief by geographic area served
- FEMA: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Private Nonprofit Organizations
- Treasury Department: CARES Paycheck Protection Program
- ArtsReady: How to Access CARES Relief Funding
- ArtsReady: Guide to Government Relief for Arts Organizations and Individual Artists
- Nonprofit Quarterly: How Nonprofits Can Utilize the New Federal Laws Dealing with COVID-19
- U.S. Small Business Administration: COVID-19 Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources (nonprofits are eligible)
- Risk & Insurance Magazine: COVID-19 and Business Interruption: How Insurance Can and Cannot Mitigate Losses
MANAGEMENT/GUIDANCE
- Participation waiver for volunteers that releases and waives all rights and claims against a theatre for all losses, damages and injuries . Also a force majeure addendum for contracts for guest directors. Both are in MS Word (.docx) format.
- Hytropy Reverse Disaster Offers Gold Disaster Plan
- Mayo Clinic: Psychological First Aid--Resiliency in Times of Stress (PDF)
- Arts Consulting Group: Nine Steps Arts and Culture Leaders Can Take to Overcome a Crisis
- Article: What Will Make People Feel Safe Attending a Cultural Entity Again?
- Article: Financial Leadership in the Face of Impossible Choices
- Article: From Sustainability to Survivability: How Nonprofits Can Manage Uncertainty Amid Crisis
- "Washington Post: (March 19): The Virus Has Arts Groups Hanging by a Thread: Michael M. Kaiser Has Ideas About Saving Them (PDF)
FUNDRAISING
- TechSoup: Fundraising Software Trends in 2020
- Candid: Philanthropic response to coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Donorbox: Top Funding Sources for Nonprofits and Charities
- Article: Four Ways for Community-Focused Philanthropy to Confront the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crisis"
- Article: 10 Things Fundraisers Can Do From Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Article: How to (Quickly) Mobilize Volunteers to Maximize Nonprofit Fundraising During COVID-19
- Article: 5 Stages of Grief: You, Fundraising, and Covid-19
- Bloomerang: COVID-19 Fundraising Advice
- Grantmakers in the Arts: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and Arts Funding
- Woodland [CA] Opera House has filled theatre seats for virtual performances with cutouts, featuring photos submitted with a donation.
- Facebook Live with Donate Button
- Facebook Stories Donation Sticker
- Instagram: Donation Sticker
REMOTE WORKING
- AP: Internet jammed up? Try these steps
- New York Times: Do's and Don'ts of Online Video Meetings
- Google Meet is free.
- Microsoft Teams offers a free version
- Zoom online meetings & presentations basic-level app is free, with free support.

COMMUNICATION TIPS & TOOLS
- Arts Consulting Group: Keeping in Touch with Key Constituents - A Communication Check List during Times of Crisis
- Lawrence Ragan Communications: 10 tips for helpful, comforting staff COVID-19 communications
- PR News: Internal Communication Tips to Help Navigate COVID-19
- PR Daily: 8 tips for handling communications during and after Covid-19
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce: 9 Experts on How to Communicate With Customers During Coronavirus
- BoardSource: How Nonprofits and Board Members Can Respond to COVID-19
- 5W Public Relations Company: Crisis Communications for Coronavirus & COVID-19
- The Communications Network: Coronavirus Communications Triage Kit
SAMPLE ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (St. Paul, MN)
- Letter to community from Venice Theatre
- Goodman Theatre Company (Chicago), short statement
- Granada [CA] Theatre's extensive page/statement
- Announcements from five AACT-member theatres (PDF)
- Google Search Results: Announcements and stories on impact of COVID-19 on individual theatres
GENERAL GUIDANCE
- ArtsReady Guide to support arts organizations
- Crisis Communications Plan (PDF) created by the Colorado Nonprofit Association
- Bernstein Crisis Management: The 10 Steps of Crisis Communications

Medical Information & Media Coverage

FEDERAL, STATE & LOCAL
- The Center for Disease Control (CDC) central hub of updated information
- CDC guidance for businesses and employers
- Links to state and local health agencies for location-specific guidance. Note: It may be faster to do a web search for "[name of state or city] COVID-19"
NATIONAL
- Doctors Without Borders
- Harvard Health: Tips to defuse a meltdown
- Mayo Clinic: Psychological First Aid--Resiliency in Times of Stress (PDF)
- The New York Times is providing free access to the most important news and useful guidance on the coronavirus outbreak
- National Geographic Special Edition Coronavirus Coverage
- National Public Radio Health News
- Science Magazine: "Coronavirus: Research, Commentary, and News"
- CDC: How to Properly Wash Your Hands

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