Seattle, WA. TeenTix has adapted its programming to accommodate for COVID-19. (Pictured above are some smiling teens at a TeenTix event before COVID-19.) One of TeenTix’s main offerings is the free TeenTix pass, which enables any teenager to purchase $5 day-of-show tickets to an event with any of TeenTix’s partner organizations in the greater Seattle area. The TeenTix Events Calendar shows all of the upcoming arts events that teens can attend with their TeenTix pass. Currently, the TeenTix Events Calendar contains all virtual events, many of which are free for the public to view. However, if an event requires a registration fee or ticket for viewing, these tickets will be available for $5 for those who have the TeenTix pass.
Through increasing access to local art events, TeenTix’s mission is to “build a bright future for [the Seattle region] by empowering young people to take an active role in shaping their arts community as audience members, critics, influencers, advocates, and patrons.” Despite the unforeseen circumstances COVID-19 brought about, including virtual events on the TeenTix Events Calendar has allowed the nonprofit to “go outside its usual partners,” even reaching as far as Philadelphia. Executive Director Monique Courcy shares that the organization has “thought more about geographical boundaries” and how TeenTix can “go even further with arts organizations” moving forward.
A TeenTix event before the COVID-19 pandemic
TeenTix’s New Guard program has also pivoted in new ways this summer. The New Guard: Teen Arts Leadership Society is a leadership program that allows teens to engage with teen arts audiences and assist with the development of TeenTix programs. The New Guard’s tasks include fundraising, planning teen-centric arts events, engaging in discussions about arts equity and social justice, and building a community of teens who love the arts.
The New Guard participants meeting prior to COVID-19
According to Courcy, “Zoom has been [the New Guard’s] best friend” this summer. Last spring, New Guard participants planned the Teen Arts & Opportunity Fair. More recently, participants produced a summer mentorship program that connected professional artists of color with groups of young artists of color. Members also have the opportunity to produce art for the upcoming Teeny Awards, an award show in which teenagers vote for awards to give to arts partners. This year’s Teeny Awards will be conducted online later this fall.
The TeenTix Press Corps has also transitioned its programming online. The Press Corps program allows teens to explore and practice art criticism and journalism. As a result of COVID-19, Press Corps participants are meeting through Zoom and finding virtual art pieces to review and critique. An essential part of the Press Corps is the TeenTix Newsroom, which consists of a group of teen writers who review events put on by TeenTix Arts Partners and publish their work on the TeenTix blog. The TeenTix Newsroom is led by the Teen Editorial Staff. The 2020-2021 Teen Editorial Staff is pictured below.
The 2020/2021 TeenTix Teen Editorial Staff. The top row from left to right features Mila Borowski, Triona Suiter, and Lily Williamson. The bottom row from left to right features Lucia McLaren, Eleanor Cenname, and Anya Shukla.
A TeenTix Newsroom meeting over Zoom. This year, 37 new writers and 6 new editors are joining the TeenTix Newsroom.
A TeenTix Press Corps workshop prior to the COVID-19 pandemic
This summer, TeenTix also conducted a free Arts as Activism series, in which black artists were invited to discuss their work or the work of other black artists. Courcy shares that this series was meant to “talk about how activism is related to art.” Each event in the Arts as Activism series focused on a different genre of art, including theater, dance, and performance art. Attendees learned about the history of social justice movements and how art is intertwined with both past and present ones.
From TeenTix:
To support TeenTix, people may donate today or provide monthly contributions by joining the TeenTix Honor Society.
TeenTix exists to break down the barriers that prevent teens from accessing art in our community, such as ticket or admission cost, not knowing where to look for events, navigating transportation around the city, and feeling insecure around arts-going if there’s no one in their lives already championing the arts.
TeenTix builds a bright future for our region by empowering young people to take an active role in shaping their arts community as audience members, critics, influencers, advocates, patrons, and leaders.
Seattle, WA. Hopelink is continuing to provide food services in a safe way for its clients, staff, and volunteers. The nonprofit is providing people with prepackaged boxes of food rather than having clients select food within its facilities. The prepackaged boxes of food contain shelf-stable items, like pasta and beans, as well as meat, dairy, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Each household can pick up enough food for 21 meals per person. All people have to do is go to the table at Hopelink’s building entrance, get their box of food, and leave. Director of Communications Todd Langton says that this process is “all done in an appropriately social distanced” fashion. Since Hopelink began offering prepackaged boxed of food, the organization has distributed the equivalent of over one million meals to community members. Click here to find hours at each of Hopelink’s food banks. More information about Hopelink’s health and safety practices are on the COVID-19 response page of its website.
The contents of a prepackaged box of food from Hopelink
Another significant change made to Hopelink’s food services is where the food is sourced. Before COVID-19, Langton says that “80% of food collected for distribution came from food donations and food rescue programs.” When COVID-19 arrived, Hopelink had to stop accepting its regular food donations and began purchasing its food on the wholesale market. Currently, Hopelink is only accepting donations of produce and face masks, in addition to monetary contributions.
Food being prepared for distribution at Hopelink
Hopelink has also trained many staff members to assist with its eviction prevention program, which exists to help provide at-risk families with funds to prevent eviction. Langton shares that from March 15 to June 30, Hopelink has spent $690,000 on its eviction prevention program and aided 550 households. This is a significant increase from 2019, in which Hopelink spent $110,000 and aided 115 households during the same three-month time period.
On the organization’s website, there are many success stories from people whose lives have been improved by Hopelink’s services. One of these stories is that of Michelle Chappon, a mother who found herself struggling to make ends meet as she juggled caring for her autistic son and working to provide for her family. Michelle says that when she came to Hopelink “things totally changed” for her. Hopelink’s Redmond food bank provided Michelle with both “food and moral support.” She shares that she “wouldn’t be able to live independently” without Hopelink’s services.
Due to COVID-19, Hopelink shut down public access to its Centers and asked its volunteers to stay home earlier this year. In addition to adapting its food services, Hopelink is also conducting its adult education, employment, financial assistance, and energy services online or through phone appointments. Transportation DART services provided by Hopelink are still operational and will continue while abiding my Metro safety guidelines. Non-emergency medical transportation services for Medicaid recipients in King and Snohomish county are also still operational. The flyer below explains which Hopelink programs are available and how people may access them.
Information about Hopelink’s programming during COVID-19
Since 1971, Hopelink has served homeless and low-income families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities in King and Snohomish counties; providing stability and helping people gain the skills and knowledge they need to exit poverty for good.
Hopelink’s mission is to promote self-sufficiency for all members of our community; we help people make lasting change.
Seattle, WA. Mary’s Place is offering the same services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as it did before the virus. These services include emergency family shelter, meals, clothing, medical services, housing specialists, and many more programs and resources. Nevertheless, COVID-19 has shifted how many of these offerings are administered. Specifically, protocols have been put in place to protect guests, staff, and volunteers from the virus. Chief Communications Officer Linda Mitchell says that Mary’s Place is still “making changes every day.” Health and safety protocols include requiring all staff, guests, and visitors to wear masks in common areas and regularly wash hands. Mary’s Place is also conducting daily health assessments of guests and staff, increasing cleaning schedules and protocols, and identifying isolation areas should someone exhibit COVID-19 symptoms. For more information about Mary’s Place’s commitment to health and safety, people may visit the organization’s COVID-19 page on its website.
Watch the video below to learn about Mary’s Place’s goal of giving children, and their families, a place to stay while they work on getting housing.
Another significant change Mary’s Place has made is how its food programming is carried out. According to Mitchell, “a lot more people have been in [Mary’s Place shelters] and eating meals” which has led to a need to “increase food supply.” Before the pandemic, Mary’s Place relied on food recovery services to provide meals for guests, but these services have been hit hard due to COVID-19. To remedy this, Mitchell shares that Mary’s Place has “gotten creative with corporate partners” and “partnered with local restaurants” to obtain food for the influx of guests. Since local restaurants shut down earlier this year in light of the virus, many have turned to local organizations like Mary’s Place to provide meals for those in need. Some corporations are also buying food from local restaurants to deliver to Mary’s Place.
As far as volunteers go, Mitchell reports that Mary’s Place has paused its in-person volunteer program as a result of COVID-19. Thus, Mary’s Place has adapted how volunteers assist with programs at the organization, particularly those related to children and education. Groups of students at Mary’s Place receive virtual tutoring through Zoom, and some engage in “talk time” in which they work with volunteers to improve their English skills. Since school is starting up again, Mary’s Place is also working to keep children connected to educational resources, get their necessary equipment set up, and provide general support for students as they begin online schoolwork. Click here to see the ways you may safely volunteer and support Mary’s Place.
Children at Mary’s Place preparing to go to school. Through Mary’s Place’s services, children receive all kinds of school-related support from staff and volunteers.
Since 1999, Mary’s Place has aided hundreds of women and families in moving out of homelessness and into more secure living situations. Mary’s Place currently has six family centers across King County, as well as a Women’s Day Center in downtown Seattle. Across its shelters, Mary’s Place provides 680 beds for those in need of shelter. On average, Mary’s Place helps families move into stable housing in just 90 days.
In addition to food, shelter, clothing, and medical services, Mary’s Place possesses additional resources. The Baby’s Best Start program allows moms with newborns to recover and bond with children in a private and nurturing environment. Popsicle Place provides care for medically fragile children and their families. Housing specialists work with families to create and achieve housing and financial goals. And while parents work with housing specialists, the Kids Club provides children with age-appropriate activities, homework assistance, and more. People may learn more about these programs and others on Mary’s Place’s website.
Children reading at Mary’s Place. Through the Kids Club, children receive age-appropriate activities and homework assistance.
Looking ahead, a big event coming up at Mary’s Place is its SHINE Virtual Gala on October 23. The gala will feature a live singing competition, live and silent auction, and the opportunity to order meal packages from local restaurants. Registration for the SHINE Virtual Gala is available now, click here to learn more.
From Mary’s Place:
To support Mary’s Place, people can make financial donations, donate items off of its Amazon Charity List, or make face masks to donate. Mary’s Place also accepts donations of medical supplies and clothing, particularly underwear at the moment. While volunteer opportunities are currently limited, people may volunteer by creating inspirational cards or setting up Zoom meetings with guests. People can learn more about volunteer opportunities here.
Mary’s Place provides safe, inclusive shelter and services that support women, children, and families on their journey out of homelessness.
Seattle, WA. Seattle Folklore Society is connecting people globally through its virtual Seattle Song Circle, a free program in which participants gather through Zoom to sing songs with others. SFS President John Ullman shares that it’s “exciting to see what’s happened” with Seattle Song Circle’s online transition. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Seattle Song Circle consisted of a dozen people who would meet every Sunday in someone’s living room to sing songs. One person would begin singing, and others would join in. However, since Seattle Song Circle’s online transition, attendance at these singing sessions has nearly tripled. The song circle’s co-host Bruce Baker describes one of the sessions as “amazing,” and reports participants coming from Australia, England, and Vancouver B.C., as well as eight states across the U.S.
A photo of a recent Seattle Song Circle session through Zoom.
Founded in 1966, Seattle Folklore Society is a nonprofit folk organization known for producing folk music concerts, dances, song circles, camps, and a newsletter called the SFS Flyer. Due to COVID-19, SFS had to cancel and postpone many of its offerings, including concerts that were planned earlier this year. However, the Seattle Folklore Society Concert Committee is planning to livestream a fall concert series for the public. These concerts will either have paid tickets or donation-based viewings. To hear more updates about upcoming SFS concerts, people may sign up for the concert announcement mailing list or become a member and hear news via the SFS Flyer.
Ullman shares that after the pandemic passes SFS hopes to still broadcast concerts online, even if they happen in person. While webcasts won’t replace in-person concerts, Ullman recognizes the many benefits to livestreamed performances, including people getting to “see artists they like more often, taking the pain out of being on the road for musicians, and helping musicians’ incomes.”
The Todalo Shakers, pictured here, were set to perform through Seattle Folklore Society on March 28. Due to COVID-19, the concert was canceled.
Another popular event that was canceled was the weekly SFS sponsored Emerald City Contra Dance. Contra dance is a style of folk dance comprised of long lines of couples dancing together. The mixed origins of contra dance trace back to various English, Scottish, and French styles from the 17th century. Ullman shares that many people who enjoyed these dances are administering their own virtual dances independently through Zoom. He says that while these virtual dances “won’t replace dancing with other humans” they are managing to “keep the community together.”
People can check out the dance page on SFS’s website to see updates and news on future dances once COVID-19 passes. A video of a pre-pandemic Emerald City Contra Dance at the Phinney Neighborhood Community Center is featured below and includes the musical group Great Bear Trio.
An Emerald City Contra Dance prior to COVID-19.
Ullman praises people who are “persevering and being imaginative” throughout the pandemic, especially regarding how arts organizations are shifting programming. Ullman points out that the technology needed to broadcast events, like concerts, has been available for about 20 years, but “nobody did it because there was an energy barrier” that the virus has forced people to get over. Ullman shares that a “silver lining” of overcoming this energy barrier will be “making the arts scene more accessible.”
Children dancing at a pre-pandemic SFS dance event.
From Seattle Folklore Society:
Seattle Folklore Society is always accepting new members. Members receive discounts at events and the SFS flyer, which lists dozens of upcoming local concerts and dances. SFS membership costs $20 a year, $25 for a household, and $15 for students and seniors. More information on the benefits of becoming a member is available here.
The purpose of the Seattle Folklore Society is to preserve and foster awareness and appreciation of folk and traditional arts in the Seattle area. Our non-profit folk organization, founded in 1966, has one of the largest and most stable memberships in the country. We produce folk music concerts, dances, song circles, camps, and a newsletter, the SFS Flyer. Many of our members are active concertgoers, dancers and players of the acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dulcimer, ukulele, and other folk instruments. The SFS is a member of Folk Alliance.
Seattle, Wa. The Woodland Park Zoo has made some changes since reopening. Due to COVID-19 the zoo requires anyone above the age of 5 to wear a facemask at all times throughout the park. As well as having markers to make sure people maintain correct social distance. Other changes can be found in ticket purchasing and the duration at the zoo. The zoo is “strongly recommending you purchase ticket online in advance to your visit.” This to help with crowds and allows someone to go directly into the zoo. There are now “specific entrance times…guests and members should avoid arriving earlier than 5 minutes prior to their entry time, if you arrive early stay inside your vehicle”. The Woodland Park Zoo’s website states that “Woodland Park Zoo has been working closely with state and county health authorities to develop a new guest experience that meets Washington State guidance for reopening.” This partnership has led to changes in and out of the park to help ensure safety. For more information or FAQs about the new guidelines at Woodland Park Zoo you can visit the websites HELP page found here.
Woodland Park Zoo’s New Health Guidelines in Effect.
Woodland Park Zoo used to have daily programs to make visitor experiences even more interesting. Due to COVID-19 these programs will stop for the foreseeable future. The zoo wants to “invite you to enjoy one of our many virtual keeper talks and special video presentations.” These online events can be located here on the Woodland Park Zoo’s website. Some programs listed are Super Snack Time and Gorilla Family and Baby. There are also more interactive videos on the Woodland Park Zoo’s YouTube channel. The zoo has been uploading at least one video every day to help bring the experience of the zoo to you.
Woodland Park Zoo Mission Statement:
Because human impact on this planet is so profound and pervasive, all wildlife and wild places are now in our care. What will we do with that responsibility: stand by or stand up? Now imagine what our influence can do if we choose to stand together for wildlife.
Seattle, WA. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, YouthCare has continued to work toward its mission to end youth homelessness by providing shelter, safety, and stability to young people. “In times such as these, YouthCare cannot close our doors,” writes YouthCare CEO, Melinda Giovengo, in a news release. YouthCare’s emergency shelter, community living, and independent living programs have remained open throughout the crisis. To accomplish this, YouthCare temporarily suspended its education, employment, and prevention programs, and instead directed the brunt of its people-power toward keeping essential food, shelter, and housing programs open. “We know that every young person deserves more than just survival. Yet, for now, we must do all that we can to protect young people and the broader community,” says Giovengo.
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, YouthCare’s Orion Center served over one hundred young people per day. YouthCare is now serving a fixed number of young people, approximately 200 youth and young adults across their Seattle area shelter and housing programs. To follow Governor Inslee’s stay-at-home order, these young people are no longer allowed to have visitors, or leave and come back without pre-approval. To flatten the curve, “YouthCare must navigate the complicated balance of keeping our doors open and shut at the same time,” says Giovengo.
Gourmondo joined forces with 16 Seattle businesses to provide over 1,000 meals to youth experiencing homelessness
Providing young people with food and safety as they shelter in place has required additional resources. YouthCare is keeping its facilities staffed 24 hours a day so that clients can shelter in place 24/7. The young people served by YouthCare are also now sharing three communal meals per day, which means increased food costs. Responding to YouthCare’s increased need for food, many restaurants, businesses, and non-profits have donated food and meals to YouthCare.
A student working hard at virtual school
In addition to food donations, YouthCare is also now collecting donations to its Back-to-School drive as schools begin to reopen online. With most schools holding classes exclusively online this Fall, the students served by YouthCare must have access to the supplies they need to stay connected to and engaged with their classes. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, YouthCare is not currently accepting in-person donations. Instead, those hoping to donate can do so through YouthCare’s Amazon wishlist, or ship supplies directly to YouthCare’s main office.
From YouthCare:
YouthCare envisions a community where no young person experiences homelessness, all young people have the opportunity to thrive, and the systems that oppress them are dismantled.
Seattle, WA. Town Hall Seattle officially shut its doors on March 11th in light of the COVID-19 virus. Since then Town Hall Seattle has transitioned online, Lusink shares that the organization has been able to “adapst pretty quickly” and livestreams are being received well by the public. Town Hall Seattle is offering the community livestreams nearly every day with guests in various fields, including the arts, sciences, and civics. The people that will be featured in these livestreams include disability activist Alice Wong, author Mychal Denzel Smith, comedian Michael Ian Black, and many more. Tickets for these online events cost $5 for the general public and are free to those 22 years old and younger. For households with three or more people viewing the event, tickets cost $15. Director of Marketing and Communications Jordan Lusink shares that purchasing household tickets allows the public to “support [Town Hall Seattle] a little more if multiple people are watching.” More information on upcoming livestreams is available here.
Recordings of livestreams are also available on Town Hall Seattle’s YouTube page. Below is one of Town Hall Seattle’s recent recordings of Richard Scholar’s conversation with Kathleen Cain regarding the history and significance of French words in the English language.
Another featured participant for the livestreams is disability activist Alice Wong,
Disability activist Alice Wong will partake in a livestream with Elsa Sjunneson about disability activism in the 21st century on 9/9 at 7:30 PM.
Author Mychal Denzel Smith will have a livestream about “life after the American dream” on 9/22 at 7:30 PM.
Comedian Michael Ian Black will discuss toxic masculinity and “how to be a better man” in his livestream on 9/30 at 6:00 PM.
Town Hall Seattle is a nonprofit that acts as a gathering place for the Seattle community to engage in conversations about a variety of topics. Since 1998, Town Hall Seattle has “matured into a nationally unique artistic and civic hub in the heart of Seattle.” Town Hall Seattle regularly works with rental partners to “level the cultural playing field and amplify the voices of diverse communities.” The organization’s staff also collaborates to create over 200 programs every year that span the arts, sciences, and civics. Aside from its numerous events, Town Hall Seattle also maintains a landmark historic building that was originally the Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist, in Seattle. The building was constructed in two stages from 1916 through 1922 and the congregation was its only occupant until it was later sold to Town Hall Seattle in 1998.
Images of Town Hall Seattle’s building throughout time, designed by architect George Foote Dunham.
A more recent photo of the interior of Town Hall Seattle’s building.
Town Hall Seattle was already taping many of its programs, so Lusink shares it was “really easy to pivot to a digital stage.” The organization’s only exception to non-in-person programming was its weekly livestreamed concerts with Earshot Jazz through June and July.
A promotional photo for one of Earshot Jazz’s livestreams with Town Hall Seattle.
Lusink points out that there “hasn’t been a lot of support for arts and cultural organizations” throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, despite arts organizations often being the “first things people turn to when times are tough.” Nevertheless, Lusink shares that it is “interesting to see what the community looks like in a digital space” and encourages people to check out Town Hall Seattle’s upcoming events, as “a lot of important conversations are coming up.”
A pre-pandemic image of people gathering at Town Hall Seattle.
From Town Hall Seattle:
To support Town Hall Seattle, people are asked to check out its calendar of events. Town Hall Seattle is also a member-supported organization, so people may show support by becoming members today. Membership prices start at $30 for students and seniors and $45 for general members. Town Hall Seattle also accepts financial donations.
A vibrant gathering place in the heart of Seattle, Town Hall fosters an engaged community through civic, arts, and educational programs that reflect—and inspire—our region’s best impulses: creativity, empathy, and the belief that we all deserve a voice.
Renton, WA. Evergreen City Ballet will offer the public different versions of dance classes for fall. Artistic Director Bennyroyce Royon says “to address the varying needs of the community, [Evergreen City Ballet] has created new programs and expanded them.” Students have the option of taking classes in-person, virtually, or through a hybrid model, in which class groups alternate between in-person and virtual classes every week. Currently, in-person classes are limited to five students per class group, but this may change following local and state requirements. Virtual classes will be conducted entirely through Zoom. Evergreen City Ballet is also instating various protocols in its studio to ensure the health of its students and staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic. These protocols include providing physical distancing markers, wearing face masks, administering daily temperature checks, and frequent hand washing. Information about class tuition at Evergreen City Ballet is available here. Watch the video below to see an overview of Evergreen City Ballet’s offerings:
Evergreen City Ballet is a nonprofit pre-professional ballet school located in Renton, WA. Royon, a Julliard alumni and former dancer on Broadway, says that since 1994, Evergreen City Ballet has been a “small but mighty” school that provides dance education for people all around the Pacific Northwest. The ballet school offers programs for dancers of all ages and abilities, from 20-month-year-old children to adults. In addition to its classes with live accompaniment, Evergreen City Ballet also showcases an annual production of TheNutcracker that tours to several cities in the greater Seattle area. Evergreen City Ballet’s The Nutcracker aims to provide the community with an “affordable and accessible” production to enjoy.
A pre-pandemic performance of The Nutcracker at Evergreen City Ballet.
Royon shares that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Evergreen City Ballet “had to close and shut down” its classes earlier this year, as well as cancel rehearsals and productions. Following ECB’s closure, staff had to quickly “learn new ways of teaching through Zoom.” Royon shares that this transition was a “challenge,” as Evergreen City Ballet’s “education of students is hands-on.”
Students train at the ballet barre in a class prior to COVID-19. Photo by Michelle Smith-Lewis Photography
Fortunately, Royon shares that the dance community is equipped to “problem solve, create systems, and move forward,” which was an asset for Evergreen City Ballet’s online transition. And despite the loss of revenue stream from ECB’s productions, the ballet school was grateful to receive support from past and current families that take classes, as well as receive grants. Royon says Evergreen City Ballet is “really lucky and thankful for funders.”
Young students dance in a pre-pandemic dance class.
Royon reports that ECB’s program modifications are managing to “bring people together in strange and unexpected ways,” and even spark innovation. Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, ECB will closely follow local and state news and mirror its offerings with what is happening in local school districts. Royon hopes to maintain the school’s “open-door policy,” as Evergreen City Ballet is a “second home to a lot of families and students.” Moving forward, Royon wishes for people to “reflect and connect deeper within themselves and with people in their environment” and utilize the arts as a way to heal.
From Evergreen City Ballet:
Evergreen City Ballet accepts any kind of support or encouragement people can offer. Anyone is welcome to make financial donations, and Royon shares that no donation amount is too big or small. People are also encouraged to keep an eye out for future virtual productions on ECB’s website.
ECB’s mission is to provide high-quality dance education and performance opportunities to students of all ages and to enrich the diverse communities in the Puget Sound region through performances, outreach, and community engagement initiatives. Our long-term vision is to be a nationally recognized, premier, pre-professional ballet school with a studio company that cultivates excellence, diversity, inclusiveness, and innovation.
Seattle, WA. DO-IT Summer Study, the foundational event of the DO-IT Scholars program, was held online this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During pre-covid times, DO-IT Scholars were able to learn on campus at the University of Washington. Despite the challenges of adapting a traditionally hands-on program to the virtual landscape, Sheryl Burgstahler, DO-IT’s founder and director, declares that the event “went really, really well.”
The goal of the DO-IT Scholars program is to prepare high school students with disabilities for success in college, careers, and leadership. In a typical year, participants, who are referred to as “Scholars” throughout the program, attend Summer Study at the University of Washington’s Seattle campus. During the ten-day program, participants live on campus, attend labs, and lectures with UW faculty, work on projects together, and explore Seattle-area resources and careers. This Summer session has taken place every year since 1993 and served more than 400 Scholars.
According to Burgstahler, when the DO-IT team realized that Summer Study could not be held in person this year, they considered not running it at all. “It was a challenge because the Summer Program is really about networking,” said Burgstahler.
To move the program online, the DO-IT team looked at the program’s typical in-person activities and tried to find substitutions that aligned with their goals, and made sense in the virtual format. “We ended up with a lot of things on the cutting room floor,” said Burgstahler. Some things, like a time-honored activity where participants help each other build kites, could not be run remotely.
According to Kayla Brown, a counselor and coordinator at DO-IT, the team prioritized activities that they thought best aligned with the program’s goals and values. This year, they invested a lot of time in a web design workshop. During the workshop, participants worked together in small teams to develop a DO-IT Summer Study 2020 website.
DO-IT students conducting an oceanography experiment during a previous summer study program.
According to Brown, although some activities could not be run remotely, the DO-IT team was able to make a virtual version of “pretty much everything” they typically do. Summer Study normally allows participants to network and build relationships with each other. This year, although students could not meet face to face, they were still able to bond through various optional social activities, including game nights, group lunches, a talent show, and a Zoom meeting where everyone, Burgstahler included, shared their pets. “We tried to do our best to make it fun,” said Brown.
During pre-covid times, DO-IT Scholars were able to network on campus at the University of Washington.
On the academic, career-focused side of the program, participants were still able to meet with, and have one-on-one conversations with faculty via Zoom. In fact, according to Burgstahler, one of the advantages of having the program online was that participants were able to meet with faculty from outside of Seattle. Instead of taking a field trip to the Microsoft campus as they would in a typical year, a panel of Microsoft employees with various disabilities joined the DO-IT Scholars in Zoom for a conversation about how work, school, and entertainment can be inclusive through innovative technology.
DO-IT used Zoom video conferencing software as their primary mode of communication this year; this presented its own challenges. “Logistics were, I wouldn’t say more complicated, just different,” said Burgstahler. Since participants in the program have a variety of disabilities, any software, websites, videos, or other technology resources used in the program need to be fully accessible. Fortunately, DO-IT staff includes some of the world’s leading experts in technology accessibility, so this was an easy transition.
A group of students enjoying Summer Study
Another challenge DO-IT faced when transitioning Summer Study online was keeping students engaged. According to Brown, the first thing the DO-IT team had to consider after deciding to run Summer Study virtually was how many hours a day they could keep students behind a screen. The program is usually very intensive, with the Scholars engaged in activities throughout the day, but that type of engagement can be more difficult to cultivate in the virtual format. “Now they’re at home,” said Brown, “they’re with family, and they have other things they’re doing.” Ultimately, the DO-IT team agreed to reduce the program to a few hours of academic programming per day, with social activities at night. To meet their goals while working with students for less time each day, the team ran the program over three weeks rather than the usual ten days.
Summer study 2013 phase 1 scholar Nicole Madsen and instructor Jeff Stewart participate in EXO Labs.
“Ultimately, even though it wasn’t perfect, what we learned was that things can be done online,” said Brown. At the end of the program, students reported back on their experiences. According to Burgstahler, a lot of them talked about making friends, which shows that Scholars can make the connections DO-IT aims to foster online. Although Burgstahler hopes that the program can be held in-person next year, some of the Scholars have disabilities that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19, so DO-IT must be cautious when deciding whether Summer Study will be held in-person or remotely in 2021.
For more information on the DO-It Scholars Program:
From DO-IT:
The DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Center is dedicated to empowering people with disabilities through technology and education. It promotes awareness and accessibility—in both the classroom and the workplace—to maximize the potential of individuals with disabilities and make our communities more vibrant, diverse, and inclusive.
Seattle, WA. Gage Academy of Art is offering a variety of online art classes for the public in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through Gage 360 online classes, people can connect with instructors and peers to learn art skills, receive feedback, and conduct discussions about art from the comfort of their homes. Gage is also offering online summer programs for kids and teens through differing subscription plans. Check out this video introducing Gage 360 to the public:
Gage Academy of Art Registrar Morgan Patten shares that Gage’s goal as an organization is to “provide an array of classes and offerings to not just adults, but youth and teens.” When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Seattle, Patten shares that Gage aimed to still have its regular classes and “maintain connections” through an online model.
Director of Global Marketing, Communications Technology, and Community Engagement Joanne Levy shares that Gage “went from never offering online classes to creating two-quarters of online and free learning” for the public. Patten says that so far “free offerings have been great” and Gage has been able to “maintain the same quality of instruction” as well as “achieve global reach.”
Patten says, “engaging in hobbies and activities that let [people] be creative at a difficult time is important.” She also shares that “the arts is something that needs to be protected and invested in, especially at times like this” to “help those who are struggling.” Through online art offerings, Levy says that Gage wants “people to keep art alive” so that the organization “can be there for another 30 years.”
Among the Gage 360 offerings, Gage Academy of Art is conducting Art Bites, which are $25, hour-long art classes taught by various instructors. People may also partake in the Art to Go series, which is free to the community and offered twice each week. The Art to Go series features free art tutorials, demos, and lectures from Gage instructors through Zoom.
A promotional photo for Gage’s Art Bites online program
A promotional photo for Gage’s Art to Go with instructor Kathleen Moore
There is also an option of Art to Go for teens, which is an online version of Gage’s Teen Art Studio (TAS) program. Teen Art Studio is a free program that increases art access for individuals ages 13-18 who may face barriers to creative outlets. This includes teens who experience homelessness, LGBTQIA youth, or those who speak English as a second language. The program is all about providing teens with a safe space for self-expression. Through TAS, teens receive free online art classes every Friday night from professional instructors in a variety of subjects and mediums, such as drawing, sculpting, painting, visual storytelling, cartooning, and more.
A promotional photo for Teen Art Studio online, featuring art by TAS instructor Scott McCall
Gage has also shifted its youth summer program to an online subscription model. There are monthly and summer-long subscription plans for children ages 6-11, in which participants receive art and movement lessons from professional teaching artists for two hours each day. There are also online summer classes for teens, in which individuals ages 13-18 dive into their art passions in two-week-long drawing, painting, and digital animation intensives. Or teens may explore a variety of new art skills in one-week classes on printmaking, sculpture, and illustration. More information on scheduling and pricing for the different weeks of teen programming is available on Gage’s website. Check out the video below promoting Gage’s summer classes for teens:
An example of printmaking and ceramic art creation taught in Gage’s teen summer program by Nicholas Nyland and Klara Glosova. This work, created by Nyland, combines painting techniques with printmaking and sculpture.
There are also countless online art classes and weekend and week-long workshops for adults to explore. These include Gage’s Plein Air classes, in which participants meet with Gage instructors at a social distance at one of Seattle’s parks or outdoor spaces to learn and create art.
Art by Crystal Soojeoung Shin from a past workshop at Gage Academy of Art on creating “Handmade Cards with Botanicals,” taught by Shin.
For 30 years, Gage Academy of Art has provided contemporary art instruction and personal mentorship for artists of all skill levels. The organization is especially known for its Gage Academy of Art Atelier programs, in which artists pursuing mastery in painting, drawing, or sculpture may receive guidance from accomplished teaching artists.
From Gage Academy of Art:
To support Gage Academy of Art, people are encouraged to take a class this summer, as well as check out upcoming workshops and lectures. People are also welcome to donate.
An innovative and accessible contemporary art school, Gage Academy of Art is unapologetically independent and fiercely committed to excellence in the fields of painting, drawing, sculpting, and printmaking. Celebrating 30 years of service to the community, we believe in personal mentorship and skills-based studio instruction, delivered by brilliant teaching artists with charcoal dust under their nails. Whether you are a curious newcomer or a professional artist, a working creative or a retired passion-seeker, Gage is open to anyone with the desire to learn.
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