COVID-19 Resources

Cultural organizations across the state are doing their best to keep up with the COVID-19 outbreak and its ramifications. As a state agency, we are following the guidance provided by the Baker Administration and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Cultural organizations should work closely with their municipal health departments and/or the Mass Department of Public Health for specific guidance on whether you should hold or cancel cultural events. We have pulled together the following information and resources to help the cultural organizations in their planning and consideration.

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Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Updated daily with the latest information about COVID-19 in Massachusetts. This page provides specific information such as:

Steps individuals can take to prevent the spread of COVID-19
Additional recommendations including:
- Avoid large gatherings if you are at higher risk.
- Postpone or cancel non-essential large events and gatherings.
- Postpone or cancel school travel, both international and domestic AND strongly consider cancelling activities that involve hosting either domestic or international students or teachers.
A printable fact sheet – that can be posted in workplaces and public spaces.
Guidance and recommendations for:
- Employers and Businesses
- Colleges and Universities
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Centers for Disease Control

Updated daily with the latest national information about COVID-19. This page provides specific information such as:

Information for communities, schools, and businesses, including:
- Resources for large community events & mass gatherings
- Resources for Businesses and Employers

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Data collection on the impact of COVID-19

We collected information about the impact COVID-19 is having on the cultural sector. Our goal is to ensure that the sector receives any available mitigation funding or stimulus finding. We will reissue the surveys as needed.

One Year Later: Cultural Sector in Economic Crisis Due to Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic (3/8/21)

Survey Shows Continued Staggering Impacts of COVID-19 on State’s Cultural Sector (11/9/20)

Survey Reveals Significant Impact of COVID-19 on Cultural Sector (7/16/20)

Updated economic impact figures (as of 4/15/20)

Read the early economic impact findings (as of 3/24/20)

Guidance for Mass Cultural Council Grant Recipients

If you received a grant from the Mass Cultural Council for a specific project that had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have policies in place to ensure you do not lose your funding. We will work with grantees to help minimize impact on their organization. You can easily and quickly submit a request to modify your approved project or change the date of your approved project.

Extension and/or Modification Request

Grant recipients need the Mass Cultural Council’s written permission to make changes to their projects. However, we recognize that due to the pace at which the COVID-19 situation is evolving grantees may be requesting permission after having already cancelled an event, in this case pre-approval is not required. The Mass Cultural Council will approve reasonable extensions and modifications of funded projects. The modification should not significantly alter the original purpose of the approved application. Project extensions and modifications must be requested in writing by email to the contact person listed below. Requests will be reviewed as they are received and our aim will be to provide a response withing two weeks of receipt.

Impacted Mass Cultural Council Programs:

While the Mass Cultural Council plays no role in reviewing modification and extension requests for Local Cultural Council grants, we have issued guidance to LCCs encouraging them to work with grantees to ensure that the funded programs are able to take place in a new way or at a later date given the extraordinary circumstances prompted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Please include the following information in your request for modification or extension:

Grant Program
Name of approved project/residency/festival/field trip
Original date of approved activity
The date you would like to move the approved activity to
Any modifications you are making to the proposed project/residency/festival/field trip

Mass Cultural Council Office, Meetings, and Events

The Mass Cultural Council is operating remotely and during normal business hours. Per the guidance from the Baker Administration when the State of Emergency was declared, we have also directed our staff to cancel all travel and conference attendance. Agency staff will work to continue with planned meetings by phone or web instead.

Additionally, we will not hold any public gatherings until further notice and any existing meetings will either be rescheduled or held online as a virtual meeting. Check our Agency Dates page for current information about events and webinars.

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Recovery and Reopening Resources

NEA Offers Relief Funds to Help Arts and Culture Sector Recover from Pandemic
These NEA programs are open to nonprofit arts and culture organizations and local arts agencies, regardless of whether they have received NEA funding in the past.

American Rescue Plan Grants to Organizations deadline: August 12, 2021
Local Arts Agency Subgranting deadline: July 22, 2021.

Mass Cultural Council’s Capacity Building Toolkit covers focus areas critical to planning a post-COVID operating environment for cultural nonprofits and creative workers.

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is hosting webinars for nonprofits to learn how to access FEMA assistance, including museums, libraries and zoos. Register:

June 3, 2021: https://bit.ly/3v1HvhP
June 10, 2021: https://bit.ly/3wlEARk

American Rescue Plan and Arts and Creative Industries FAQs

SBA’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant portal is scheduled to open on April 8, 2021. Here what’s needed to apply:

Secure a DUNS number and register with SAM.gov
Gather the materials on the latest application checklist
Register for the SBA’s March 30 informational webinar
Sign up to be notified when the portal opens

(SBA’s previously recorded info session, and FAQs)

The National Endowment for the Arts’ research report The Art of Reopening

Governor Baker’s plan to reopen Massachusetts

The Commonwealth’s sector-specific COVID-19 Workplace Safety Standards

Mass Department of Education and Secondary Education’s reopening guidelines

MASSCreative’s reopening resources page

Roadmap for Recovery and Resilience for Theater by American Repertory Theater and the Healthy Buildings Program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s

California Arts Council’s reopening resources page

Advisory Board for the Arts’ Understanding Audiences: Early Results from Culture and Community in Time of Crisis Survey

American Camp Association’s Camp Operations Guide Summer 2020

Audience Outlook Monitor

Boston Singers’ Resource Guide for returning to houses of worship

Collaborative Workspace Program Grants from MassDevelopment

Articles from the WBUR ARTery:

Articles from the Boston Globe:

These gallery exhibitions are open – yes, open – for visitors this week

For Artists

General

American Alliance of Museums

Americans for the Arts

Artist Relief Fund

Arts & Business Council

ArtsReady

BoardSource – Ask an Expert

CARES Act: How to Apply for Nonprofit Relief Funds

CERF+

COSTEP MA

Mass Humanities CARES Act Grants

Mass.gov Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

MASSCreative

National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response

National Endowment for the Arts

New England Foundation for the Arts

Nonprofit Council of Nonprofits

Nonprofit Finance Fund

Ask NFF

NTEN

Performing Arts Readiness

Philanthropy Massachusetts

TechSoup

TSNE MissionWorks’ Urgent Information for Nonprofits Applying for the CARES Act

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts are waiving their service fee for artists with crises related to COVID-19.

Webinar Recordings

Webinars on how nonprofits apply to SBA loan process

Arts: Loans and Other Funding Information
The Georgia Council for the Arts and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits provide nonprofit cultural organizations with how-to guidance for Economic Injury Disaster Loans and applications for the Payroll Protection Program.

Paycheck Protection Program Loan Overview Webinar
Nonprofit consulting firm Fiscal Management Associates (FMA) reviews step-by-step tips for nonprofit organizations considering applying for Paycheck Protection Program loans. FMA authored this helpful blog on Managing Nonprofit Finances During the Coronavirus Crisis, published by The Wallace Foundation.

How the CARES Act Supports the Arts Sector
This Americans for the Arts webinar helps arts groups understand the loan and grant opportunities made possible through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. (A member login is required.)

Prepare Your Organization for the Coronavirus Disease Outbreak, hosted by Event Safety Alliance
Coronavirus Preparedness for Theatres, hosted by Theater Communications Group

COVID-19 Resources

Email Signup

Photography credits