The performing arts sector is encountering an unprecedented challenge for hosting in-person events safely during this global pandemic, climate crises, and recession. Fortunately, these calamities offer the opportunity for artists and presenters to employ their creativity and ingenuity to develop new types of shared experiences. These free PAR webinar sessions will begin with a framework to help guide decision makers to either modify or virtualize their gatherings using case studies from Denver’s 5 Points Jazz Festival (May 2020) and Alabama’s Women in Jazz Festival (September 2020). Webinars will explore the experiences and hard-won wisdom related to re-opening venues, making audiences feel safe, and exploring new operational protocols for venues and artists.
Instructor: Molly North
Molly North co-founded Majestic Collaborations to directly participate in community resilience work. She believes the resilience of a community is enhanced through effective preparation, mitigation, response and recovery, all of which can be enhanced by a strong art community. Molly is the co-founder and President of two additional businesses that serve the performing arts and other various sectors: Majestic Amplifications and Majestic Water Works. Molly is also a progressive transportation leader. She has developed a unique set of technical, policy, and planning skills as well as expertise in communication and collaboration. She believes active transportation is essential to solving issues such as the climate crisis, environmental racism, and declining mental and physical health outcomes. She works as a Multi-Modal Transportation Engineer at Mead & Hunt. Email Molly
Instructor: Matthew Che Kowal
Matthew is a festival coordinator, artistic director, spokesperson, musician, and community leader. A passionate skill-sharer, Matthew has used collective leadership to arrive at state-of-the-art festivals that are sustainable, safe, and equitable. His consulting work with Performing Arts Readiness spans agencies, festivals and venues in emergency and disaster preparedness, including The Arts and Cultural Network for Emergency Preparedness. Contracted by Denver Arts & Venues, the Canadian Government, brands like New Belgium, and festivals like Tour de Fat and Five Points Jazz Festival, he has organized hundreds of gatherings since 2005, collectively raising over $5 million to raise awareness and resources to capitalize locally-directed initiatives and inspire advocacy. He envisioned the experiential learning platform Art of Mass Gatherings Symposium as a way to catalyze emergency preparedness training across multiple stakeholders. Email Matthew
