Like many of you, Denver is managing this situation moment-by-moment. Neither the governor nor the mayor has mandated a limit to public gatherings, but we know it’s coming in the 24-48 hours. Attached is a document that we provided the administration last night.

Best,

Ginger

Ginger White Brunetti, AICP | Executive Director
Arts & Venues | City & County of Denver
720.865.4314 Phone | 303.910.7426 Cell
ginger.white@denvergov.org | 311 Help Center

From: usuaf@americansforthearts.simplelists.com [mailto:usuaf@americansforthearts.simplelists.com] On Behalf Of Omari Rush
Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2020 1:09 PM
To: usuaf@americansforthearts.simplelists.com
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [Americans for the Arts] Clarify. Mitigate. Recover.

Thanks for sharing, Randy—and everyone else has or is planning to do so!

-o

On Thu, Mar 12, 2020 at 3:04 PM Engstrom, Randy <Randy.Engstrom@seattle.gov> wrote:

Hello USUAF,

Here’s what we developed for the Mayor. I’m happy to arrange a call at some point to talk about the real time public health impacts that we are seeing…I’ve been working out of the Emergency Operations Center for most of the week.  Rest assured, this in not a hoax. But we will persist.

In response to mounting public health information and international evidence, leadership must take clear and decisive action to control the spread of COVID19 in Seattle, King County, and Washington State.

CLARIFY: What do people need to know now? 

· Share information clearly and quickly as it is available: 

· Events and gatherings over 250 people are no longer permitted (through March, and possibly longer) 

· Smaller events may only be held provided that appropriate social distancing can be maintained (generally 50% of posted room/venue capacity UPDATE AS NEEDED)

· Regular calls and webinars will be hosted by multiple departments to key constituents  

· A community survey has been developed and will be distributed to businesses and organizations to track cultural and economic impact

· Survey results will be tracked by a City dashboard to assess the impact of the issue 

· We are supporting workers and vulnerable families wherever possible (utility deferred payments, eviction relief) 

· We will continue to direct public to KC PH site for COVID19 info

· [Make it actionable. Once guidance is clear and simple, we should identify precisely what behaviors are recommended: what, when, where to that we can make it as easy as possible. We could influence 

· behavior beyond our announcements by acting to ensure that people have the capability, opportunity, and motivation, to enact the recommended behaviors.]

MITIGATE: What can we do short term? 

Provide any support possible in the short term to reduce harm and immediate impacts:

· Small Business Assistance Fund and Recovery Task Force (OED) 

· Re-Allocation of funding resources  focused on short term relief – RENT AND PAYROLL (ARTS,DON)

· -Leveraged partnerships (Seattle Foundation, Gates, Vulcan, IAC) 

· Signal Boosting (Crowdfunding, continued giving, evangelism of community orgs)

 RECOVERY: What is our long term plan? 

Prepare an aggressive, collaborative strategy to drive local commerce:

Civic Narrative 

· Seattle will need a comprehensive story of shared values to bring partners and resources to the table in order to strengthen our local economy and culture

· Develop a comprehensive Civic Philanthropy Strategy 

· The Civic Narrative and be used to attract significant local and national resources 

· Leveraged Partnerships - Visit Seattle, DSA, The Chamber and Inspire Washington all have a vested interest to drive commerce downtown and into neighborhoods 

· Summer Studio 

· In the likely reduction in tourism presence this summer, ARTS/DON/OFM/OED/CEN and others should refine the Summer of Art Concept as an explicit economic recovery strategy

Some History (if it's helpful):

In 1971, Seattle experienced the worst recession in its history; Boeing laid off over 65% of their workforce. A sign went up next to Boeing Field that read 'Will the Last Person Out of Seattle Please Turn Off the Lights?'. It was in this context that 35-year-old Mayor Wes Uhlman established the Seattle Arts Commission (and later that year, what would become the Bumbershoot Festival). People asked Mayor Uhlman why charter a local arts agency in the shadow of Seattle's worst recession... he said because we had to give people hope.

This City has come back from moments like this before, and nearly 50 years ago, we looked to our creative and cultural community to do so. We can again open our doors and restore the heart and the economy of our City.

Randy Engstrom (he/him)

Director | Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

o: 206.684.7173| c: 206.496.6720

seattle.gov/arts  | Making Art Work

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