coronavirus Resources
The Coronavirus pandemic created unprecedented challenges for all sectors of society. EMACT collected a group of informational resources for our members and the entire theater community. Not all of these resources will apply to all situations. If you know of a resource that should be added to this list, please don't hesitate to tell us: communications@emact.org.
MA.gov General Business Guidance (Mandatory Standards, posters, etc.)
MA.gov Safety Standards and Checklist: Theaters and Performance Venues
MA.gov General Business Guidance (Mandatory Standards, posters, etc.)
MA.gov Safety Standards and Checklist: Theaters and Performance Venues
General Resources
American Association of Community Theatre (AACT): COVID-19 Resources
Discussion groups, webinars, communications management, finance information, and more.
Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19 & Freelance Artists
An aggregated list of free resources, opportunities, and financial relief options available to artists of all disciplines.
Massachusetts Cultural Council: COVID-19 Resources
Health and economic data, grant information, webinars, and more.
New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA): COVID-19
Resources for the arts and culture sectors in New England.
StageSource COVID-19 Resources
Discussion groups, webinars, communications management, finance information, and more.
Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19 & Freelance Artists
An aggregated list of free resources, opportunities, and financial relief options available to artists of all disciplines.
Massachusetts Cultural Council: COVID-19 Resources
Health and economic data, grant information, webinars, and more.
New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA): COVID-19
Resources for the arts and culture sectors in New England.
StageSource COVID-19 Resources
Re-opening Plans and Safety Guidance
A.R.T. Roadmap for Recovery and Resilience for Theater
3rd edition released February 1, 2021. Generated through a collaboration with the Healthy Buildings Program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Actors' Equity Four Core Principles to Support Safe and Healthy Theatre Productions
From Dr. David Michaels, former head of OSHA during the Obama Administration, released on May 26, 2020.
The Art of Re-Opening This Jan 2021 guide published by the National Endowment for the Arts surveyed arts organizations and consultants nationally about reopening practices of organizations that have resumed in-person programming in 2020, during the pandemic. This guide presents promising tactics and insights through nine case studies.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Federal guidance, recommendations and health information about the pandemic.
COVID-19 Compliance Officer Course
Presented by Health Education Services, this class is primarily aimed at film sets, but provides tools and resources to producers, coordinators, production assistants, etc. about on-set protocols related to COVID 19.
The Event Safety Alliance Reopening Guide
A collective work by event industry professionals to help peers who are planning to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. (The ESA's Six-Month Update was published in November - download it here.)
Recovery Readiness: A How-To Guide for Reopening Your Workplace
Comprehensive best-practices guide by Cushman & Wakefield,
3rd edition released February 1, 2021. Generated through a collaboration with the Healthy Buildings Program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Actors' Equity Four Core Principles to Support Safe and Healthy Theatre Productions
From Dr. David Michaels, former head of OSHA during the Obama Administration, released on May 26, 2020.
The Art of Re-Opening This Jan 2021 guide published by the National Endowment for the Arts surveyed arts organizations and consultants nationally about reopening practices of organizations that have resumed in-person programming in 2020, during the pandemic. This guide presents promising tactics and insights through nine case studies.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Federal guidance, recommendations and health information about the pandemic.
COVID-19 Compliance Officer Course
Presented by Health Education Services, this class is primarily aimed at film sets, but provides tools and resources to producers, coordinators, production assistants, etc. about on-set protocols related to COVID 19.
The Event Safety Alliance Reopening Guide
A collective work by event industry professionals to help peers who are planning to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. (The ESA's Six-Month Update was published in November - download it here.)
Recovery Readiness: A How-To Guide for Reopening Your Workplace
Comprehensive best-practices guide by Cushman & Wakefield,
Relief Funding & Grant opportunities
Boston Artist Relief Fund
Grants to individual artists who live in Boston whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by COVID-19.
Boston Singers' Relief Fund
Offering one-time grants to reimburse individual classical singers for some or all of the income they lost due to COVID-19.
Cambridge Artist Relief Fund
Accepting applications on a rolling basis to provide grants to organizations and individuals facing a financial burden.
Dramatist's Guild Foundation Emergency Grants
Provides emergency financial assistance to individual playwrights, composers, lyricists, and bookwriters in dire need of funds due to severe hardship or unexpected illness.
Essex County Community Foundation
COVID Response Grants for organizations serving residents of Essex County, Massachusetts. Priority will be given to organizations based in Essex County.
MassCreative's Guide to the CARES Act
MassCreative breaks down some of the provisions within the CARES Act that artists, cultural workers, independent contractors, and both for-profit and non-profit businesses can access.
Mass Cultural Council - Relief for Individuals
MA individual artists and independent teaching artists/humanists/scientists whose creative practices and incomes are adversely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
NEW! New $10M Grant Program Provides State Cultural Organizations COVID Relief - Deadline Dec 11, 2020
MA.gov COVID-19 Resources and Guidance for Businesses
Theatre Community Benevolent Fund
Provides financial relief to individual theater practitioners and non-profit theater organizations of Greater Boston facing occurrences of a catastrophic nature including extreme illness, devastating acts of nature, housing emergencies, etc.
Grants to individual artists who live in Boston whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by COVID-19.
Boston Singers' Relief Fund
Offering one-time grants to reimburse individual classical singers for some or all of the income they lost due to COVID-19.
Cambridge Artist Relief Fund
Accepting applications on a rolling basis to provide grants to organizations and individuals facing a financial burden.
Dramatist's Guild Foundation Emergency Grants
Provides emergency financial assistance to individual playwrights, composers, lyricists, and bookwriters in dire need of funds due to severe hardship or unexpected illness.
Essex County Community Foundation
COVID Response Grants for organizations serving residents of Essex County, Massachusetts. Priority will be given to organizations based in Essex County.
MassCreative's Guide to the CARES Act
MassCreative breaks down some of the provisions within the CARES Act that artists, cultural workers, independent contractors, and both for-profit and non-profit businesses can access.
Mass Cultural Council - Relief for Individuals
MA individual artists and independent teaching artists/humanists/scientists whose creative practices and incomes are adversely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
NEW! New $10M Grant Program Provides State Cultural Organizations COVID Relief - Deadline Dec 11, 2020
MA.gov COVID-19 Resources and Guidance for Businesses
Theatre Community Benevolent Fund
Provides financial relief to individual theater practitioners and non-profit theater organizations of Greater Boston facing occurrences of a catastrophic nature including extreme illness, devastating acts of nature, housing emergencies, etc.
Rights & Streaming
Concord Theatricals: Virtual Performances and Digital Rights
Details regarding rights and streaming during the pandemic.
Dramatists Play Service - COVID Update
Details for rights and streaming plays during the pandemic.
Playscripts
Playscripts has hundreds of titles with streaming rights available, including the option to add a "Streaming + Archival Video License."
Music Theater International
An online licensing, ticketing, and content creation platform made for schools and community theatres to celebrate and showcase live theatre, enabling organizations to obtain the rights to stream live musicals, sell tickets to events, capture and stream live performances, and have streaming royalties automatically paid in one easy-to-use solution.
ASCAP Licensing
FAQs for all topics of music licensing.
Details regarding rights and streaming during the pandemic.
Dramatists Play Service - COVID Update
Details for rights and streaming plays during the pandemic.
Playscripts
Playscripts has hundreds of titles with streaming rights available, including the option to add a "Streaming + Archival Video License."
Music Theater International
An online licensing, ticketing, and content creation platform made for schools and community theatres to celebrate and showcase live theatre, enabling organizations to obtain the rights to stream live musicals, sell tickets to events, capture and stream live performances, and have streaming royalties automatically paid in one easy-to-use solution.
ASCAP Licensing
FAQs for all topics of music licensing.
Articles of Interest
Lost Art, Measuring COVID-19’s Devastating Impact on America’s Creative Economy - Brookings Institution, 8/11/20
Will Community Theater Seasons Go On? And How? - Sarasota, 6/17/20
What The Mass. 4-Phase Reopening Plan Looks Like For Arts & Culture Organizations -WBUR, 5/19/20
Rebuilding a Better Theatre Industry Post-Pandemic: A Punch List - Howlround, 5/14/20
Boston Theaters Foresee Dramatic Changes Once the Coronavirus Crisis Subsides - Boston Globe, 4/3/2020
Will Community Theater Seasons Go On? And How? - Sarasota, 6/17/20
What The Mass. 4-Phase Reopening Plan Looks Like For Arts & Culture Organizations -WBUR, 5/19/20
Rebuilding a Better Theatre Industry Post-Pandemic: A Punch List - Howlround, 5/14/20
Boston Theaters Foresee Dramatic Changes Once the Coronavirus Crisis Subsides - Boston Globe, 4/3/2020