{"id":48428,"date":"2020-03-24T15:00:50","date_gmt":"2020-03-24T22:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/townhallseattle.org\/?p=48428"},"modified":"2020-03-24T15:00:50","modified_gmt":"2020-03-24T22:00:50","slug":"an-update-from-wier-town-hall-and-the-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/townhallseattle.org\/an-update-from-wier-town-hall-and-the-coronavirus\/","title":{"rendered":"Updates: Town Hall and the Coronavirus"},"content":{"rendered":"

March 24, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Friends,<\/p>\n

On March 23, Governor Inslee issued a shelter-in-place order for all individuals, with the exception of essential workforce. That description of essential workforce includes allowances for \u201cartists and musicians providing services through streaming,\u201d provided guidelines around safe assembly are also followed. No more than 10 artists and technicians can be present at these events, and social distancing and enhanced hygienic measures must be employed.<\/p>\n

That means Town Hall is able to continue to offer its program of livestreams<\/strong>\u2014many in collaboration with partners like Earshot Jazz, CityClub, and Citizen University\u2014for the foreseeable future. If you squint, maybe it\u2019ll feel like we brought Town Hall over to your house, without the squeezing past people to find your seat.<\/p>\n

How long is \u201cforeseeable\u201d? Well THAT\u2019s anyone\u2019s guess\u2014but know that we are committed to playing our part in the heavy worldwide lift to blunt the impact of Covid-19, AND doing what we can to support and sustain Town Hall\u2019s close-in community of artists and presenters, organizations and audiences.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a community that has been tended and nourished by trust and good will for nearly 21 years\u2014and coming off the achievement of our capital work together, that bond feels especially strong right now. We work to keep open lines of communication\u2014always and forever\u2014so please let me know if you have any ideas, questions or concerns.<\/p>\n

Wier Harman
\nExecutive Director<\/p>\n

\n

March 11, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello friends,<\/p>\n

In light of Governor Inslee\u2019s declaration<\/a> this morning restricting public gatherings, Town Hall has suspended in-person attendance at programming throughout our building<\/strong>\u2014including our smaller performance spaces unaffected by his announcement\u2014until March 31. The period of closure may ultimately prove to be longer, but for now please check our website<\/a> for information on the status of individual programs in April and beyond. We will share more general updates as soon as we have them, and feel free to reach out to info@townhallseattle.org<\/a> with specific questions.<\/p>\n

While our building will not be open to the public, we are presently exploring prospects for digital delivery\/livestreams of some currently-announced and soon-to-be-announced programs.<\/strong> More information will follow later this week.<\/p>\n

If you have purchased tickets to one or more events during this time and would like a refund, please contact us at patronservices@townhallseattle.org<\/a>. We also hope you will consider supporting Town Hall during this financially challenging time by not requesting a refund and treating the price of the ticket as a contribution.<\/p>\n

We at Town Hall are awed by the sense of collective responsibility and sacrifice emerging across our community\u2014the realization that our only chance to bend the curve of infection is through coordinated action.<\/p>\n

This time asks for maximum patience and understanding, even as it asks us to make choices we\u2019d thought impossible even days ago. It will not be easy, but let\u2019s try to find a sense of our own power now, by imagining what we can accomplish together.<\/p>\n

Wier Harman
\n<\/strong>Executive Director<\/p>\n

__________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

March 6, 2020<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Hello friends,<\/p>\n

Town Hall exists to inspire a healthy, sustainable community that supports and cares for one another. Now, as people across our region and around the world grow more concerned about the spread of COVID-19, ideas of \u201chealth\u201d and \u201ccommunity\u201d have taken on a more direct meaning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our leadership team meets daily to share news and coordinate response regarding the coronavirus, so we are able to adjust our approach based on the most current information available. And so, like other organizations lighting up your inbox today, we want to take a moment to address our approach to the coordinated regional response, and what it means for upcoming programs. Here are some things to know:<\/span><\/p>\n

–We are taking our advice and direction from Public Health\u2014Seattle & King County, along with other sources. The latest general statement from the agency can be found here: https:\/\/www.kingcounty.gov\/depts\/health\/news\/2020\/March\/5-slowing-the-impact.aspx<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

–At this time, we have determined that we will <\/span>remain open and continue presenting events for the foreseeable future<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

—<\/span>However<\/span><\/i>, a look at our calendar will show that <\/span>a number of programs are being cancelled or postponed<\/b> at the request of presenters or institutional partners. In these cases, we are working quickly to notify ticket buyers directly about cancellations and to share new dates for postponements. Information about requesting refunds and automatic rescheduling of tickets for postponed events is included in these specific event-by-event communications.<\/span><\/p>\n

–In light of this,<\/span> we recommend that you check your email, our website, and\/or our social media channels for the latest information about an event you are planning to attend.<\/b><\/p>\n

–For events which are taking place, know that <\/span>we are implementing additional disinfection measures<\/b> across all areas of our building, with special focus on high-traffic areas and objects that are regularly touched (including door knobs, counters\/tables, elevator keypads, etc). We are also working to create greater distance between seats, when it is feasible.<\/span><\/p>\n

–Meanwhile, audience members can take a variety of precautions. First, evaluate whether you should be considered a \u201cperson at higher risk,\u201d advised to <\/span>stay home and away from large groups and gatherings where there will be close contact with others\u2014like Town Hall. People at higher risk include:<\/span><\/p>\n