Plans and Precautions

Dear friends,

One of the things that I know in my bones, is that art helps. It helps us process fear and feel joy - and has the power to hold all of life on a canvas or in a song.

We are all holding on to a lot of life right now - trying our best to balance the uncertainty of how life is changing, with the important need to carry on when we can. That’s the footing we are trying to find at Courageous heARTS as well.

I have been listening to our public health officials and reviewing the latest data with our board of directors to make the best decision we can for our community and their rings of connection. As of today, we will continue to follow the lead of Minneapolis Public Schools and remain open to the public. This is an evolving decision which could change at any time in the coming days. We are trying our best to respond to the urgency of the present moment, while taking steps to move into a new normal for the foreseeable future.

We are taking the following precautions at the studio to help flatten the curve:

1. All staff and guests will be asked to wash their hands upon entering the studio from the outside world. We’ll have lots of soap, 20 second songs to sing, and hand maps that remind everyone to suds the spots that often get missed.
2. We’ve moved our tables apart and will also limit capacity if needed to help with social distancing. We will place a sign on the door if we’ve reached capacity.
3. Tables and chairs will get a weekly soap and water scrub, and daily disinfecting. Other heavily touched surfaces will also be disinfected daily.
4. All hard surface supplies (such as markers, scissors, etc) will go to a sanitation table for disinfecting before being put away.
5. Our staff have been instructed to stay home if they experience any symptoms.

As we transition to this new normal, we ask for your help in the following ways:

1. Please follow the advice and guidance of our public health officials and stay home if you are feeling unwell in any way. This is not a time to power through, but instead a time to recharge.
2. Please check the schedule page on our website for updates before coming in. We have a very small staff of 3 part time apprentices and one part time me. Should any of us become ill, we may be forced to close due to a staffing shortage. We will be looking for volunteer substitutes in the coming months, once there is a better understanding of the virus and its impact on the community at-large.
3. Remember that we are all in this together and doing the very best we can to navigate this unexpected reality. Be kind. Practice courage. Show love. Keep making art!

Thank you for supporting this space and our mission. We will keep you posted with any new updates as we have them. If you have any questions, please email me at lindsay@courageous-hearts.org.