Our executive director, Melissa Macker, was interviewed this summer for the Choice Premiums blog about her experience working during the pandemic. Here is an excerpt from the article.
A field reliant on community support, COVID-19 has significantly impacted arts organizations and the artists they serve. For executive director Melissa Macker and program manager Jonathan Harwell-Dye, adjusting to a socially distant reality has been challenging. However, both have maintained their passion during COVID-19 for the work they do and who it affects.
One of the most significant shifts for Harwell-Dye and Macker has been reimagining programming for their organizations. This is especially true for Macker, whose programming for The 567 Center for Renewal is primarily classes and art shows.
“Everything I knew that worked that was tested and proven over time didn’t matter now,” Macker said. “And our main sources of revenue were gone. I spent most of the first few weeks reading articles and watching webinars on topics ranging from how to make your arts programming virtual to how to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program. There was so much information out there on ‘how to adapt to COVID-19,’ and even that information was continually changing.”