Arts center hoping for early July reopening
Online classes continuing at Brooklyn Park location amid coronavirus pandemic
Chesapeake Arts Center in Brooklyn Park is hoping to open its doors back up in the beginning of July and start summer classes for students, a hope that maybe realized with Gov. Larry Hogan further opening the state’s economy Friday.
The arts center has been closed for 10 weeks and like many other institutions has taken its services online with dance classes and art demonstrations.
The new executive director of the art center, Donna Anderson, was only on the job for a month when the coronavirus pandemic hit. The center is currently doing a T-shirt shop fundraiser to help support the art education program.
“The staff and artists at CAC have echoed the theme of connectivity,” Anderson said. “We have had a really good presence and connection. We are getting a lot of feedback from students.”
Staff and artists at CAC are brainstorming ideas daily on zoom calls to come up with new online activities weekly.
“We are trying to take the classes we do regularly and what can we do to translate that into an online experience,” Anderson said. “People are interested in staying active and staying connected and wanting to have online instructions.”
Many students have been asking when the center will reopen and classes will start. Anderson said she the center is targeting the week of July 6 for its reopening, though that will require the county loosening restrictions.
“While we are not yet cleared to open our doors, rest assured that we have been diligently working on a plan that allows us to safely offer arts programming once we get the ‘okay.’ Our C.A.R.E.S. (Connecting the Arts Responsibly Everyday Safely) Plan shares new ways of operating that prioritize the health and safety of employees, patrons, our community, and all those we serve,” the center’s staff said in a joint statement.
Classes were supposed to start early June but had to be pushed back to July.
Anderson believes they can follow all protocols with the large classes they have to offer and being able to social distance.
“The energy and enthusiasm from our students and staff is what I miss the most about in-person classes,” Anderson said. “When classes are in session and activities in the facility there is just a sense of energy, we have young kids and adult students. It is just a nice mix of people that are together with an energetic vibe.”
While the center isn’t open and the community misses walking into Chesapeake Arts Center, Anderson said she is glad students get to continue art at home as a way to escape.
“I think it is important for kids to continue doing art because it provides a really good outlet for them and the different stresses that people are going through. Art is a stress reliever,” Anderson said.
C.A.R.E.S. Safety Protocol
This is a breakdown of how the arts center will expand and modify cleaning as it plans its reopening in July. This information comes straight from the organization’s guidelines document. It is subject to change based on medical and official recommendations.
Expanded cleaning
■ Expand cleaning of CAC classrooms, theatres, restrooms, and hallways.
■ Acquire additional high-quality cleaning products to disinfect all areas of the building on a continual basis.
■ Increase the number of staff members in the building to support building operations and cleanliness.
■ Provide hand sanitizer in every classroom.
■ Require students to wash hands using soap before each class.
■ Expand time between classes to accommodate thorough cleaning of every classroom and dance studio between classes.
■ All restrooms and commonly touched areas will be wiped down on an ongoing basis.
New entrance/exit protocol
■ Only students or those with an appointment will be admitted to CAC (No walk-ins are permitted).
■ The front door to CAC will be locked and patrons will be buzzed into the building.
■ Upon entrance to CAC, a staff member will check-in all patrons and ensure that each guest is wearing a mask.
■ All visitors to CAC must wear a mask and may not have a temperature of 100.4 or more.
■ Patrons must sanitize their hands upon entrance.
Maintain social distancing
■ Limit the number of students in each class; adopt social distancing in all classes and maintain 6 feet between all class participants — through spacing between ceramic wheels, desks/tables, specific locations for each dancer in the dance studio, etc.
■ Parents must drop off children at CAC front entrance for classes. Parents may not wait in CAC hallways, but are encouraged to wait in their cars. A safe pick- up process for children will be instituted for each class, managed by CAC staff and adhering to social distancing.
■ Eliminate shared items at CAC: no access to the water cooler or vending machine by anyone; staff will not use the coffee machine, microwave, or refrigerator.
■ Students must bring their own water bottles to class.