As we are living through the COVID-19 pandemic we want to ensure our museums have access to information and resources to help make the most prudent decisions for their organizations and communities.

Utah Museum Operating Status During COVID-19 [please update as often as needed]

Online Conversations and Updates

• Virtual Conversation Tables discuss museum topics weekly on Fridays at 2 pm (notes from each conversation can be found here)
• Utah Cultural Sector Community Update call on Mondays at 3:30 pm (recordings can be found here)
• We want to continue to communicate with you - whether you are working at a museum, working from home, furloughed, or job seeking. If it would easier to receive emails at a different email address right now please contact Ruth to update your record.
  

Funding resources

• IMLS CARES Act Grants for Museums and Libraries
• Utah Arts & Museums Emergency Funding
• Utah Humanities CARES Grant Applications
• Utah Department of Workforce Services (unemployment assistant, job listings)
• Resources for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) - if you have additional resources reach out to Ruth directly
• Utah COVID-19 Commercial Rental Assistance Program
• NEA COVID-19 Response Learning & Leadership Grant
• WESTAF CARES Relief Fund for Organizations

Resources to reopen

Looking for PPE? UCA is putting together bulk orders and any cultural organization is welcome to participate. Items and pricing can be found here. UCA staff will follow up with final pricing and invoicing once order is submitted. Items will take a couple of weeks to arrive so please start planning as soon as possible. 

When developing plans in keeping with federal and state guidelines, we encourage you to reacquaint yourself with your museum's pre-existing policies and procedures in order to identify areas of potential liability that may need to be addressed.

• Utah Leads Together 2.0 and Phased Guidelines
• Phased Guideline Implementation Worksheet for Utah's Cultural Sector
• Notes from Virtual Conversation Tables regarding reopening

If you are willing to share your plans or resources to help others please send them to Ruth. Here are plans that have been shared:

• Thanksgiving Point: photos of signage and set up
• Thanksgiving Point: reopening protocols
• Thanksgiving Point: exhibit reopening template
• Thanksgiving Point: reopening timeline
• Thanksgiving Point: summer camps
• St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site: reopening protocols
• St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site: video | Reopening Guidelines May 2020
• Historic Wendover Airfield Museum: reopening statement
• Utah's Hogle Zoo: reopening guidelines for guests
• Tracy Aviary: reopening guidelines for guests

State resources

• Utah Response to COVID19
• Utah Division of Arts & Museums COVID19 resources
• Utah Cultural Alliance COVID resources (including Cultural Sector Economic Impact Study)
• Utah Department of Workforce Services (unemployment assistant, job listings)
• Resources for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) - if you have additional resources reach out to Ruth directly
• Update your events on NowPlayingUtah.org - there are options for current, canceled, or virtual events
• Eccles School of Business Navigating & Saving Your Business Through COVID

Other resources

• AAM COVID19 resources
• AAM Considerations for Reopening
• Know Your Own Bone: COVID Perceptions - Colleen Dilenschneider
• How to Get Ready to Open the Doors - Elizabeth Merritt
• AASLH COVID-19 resources
• AASLH - How Clean are Your Interactives?
• CDC Guidelines for Communities, Schools, Workplaces, and Events
• CDC Guidelines for Parks and Recreational Facilities

If you have additional questions or need guidance during this time please contact us.