Open Space for Arts and Community Drive-in Theater COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocol
Open Space for Arts and Community is committed to the health and safety of our staff, visitors, volunteers, and community and remains a top priority to the organization. The following COVID-19 specific health and safety protocol for the drive-in theater operation has been developed in addition to Open Space’s general COVID-19 specific health and safety plan and in accordance with all Public Health Seattle King County, Washington State Department of Health, and Washington State Labor & Industry guidelines:
A COVID-19 site manager will be designated by Open Space each evening to monitor the health of employees and enforce the COVID-19 specific job site safety plan.
Customer management
- Customers will be asked to follow public health guidelines and stay home if they are feeling ill.
- All ticket purchases will be made online only. Tickets will be scanned through rolled up car windows.
- All customers must remain in their vehicles at all times except to visit the restroom.
- Customers are required to wear a cloth face covering when leaving their vehicle for any reason.
- Car windows are to be rolled up at all times. If customers do want to roll down their car window, then they will need to wear a mask.
- Cars will be spaced at least 10 feet apart.
- Bathroom occupancy is limited to one person unless an adult is assisting a child. 6 foot physical distancing reminders will be in place in case there is a line. Sanitizing wipes are provided for customers to wipe down high touch areas both before and after use.
- No tailgating, open top convertibles, or sitting on the back of pickup trucks etc. is allowed at this time.
Sanitation
- Staff will wash or sanitize their hands when they arrive to work, at least every hour, and as needed.
- Appropriate disinfection and sanitization products will be provided to all staff as needed by job function and location to clean equipment, surfaces, etc).
- Scanners/tablets will be disinfected immediately post-use or more frequently as needed. Staff will work to minimize using shared equipment when able.
- Hand sanitizer will be available in convenient locations all around the venue.
- Physical contact between staff, customers, vendors, or suppliers is not permitted under any circumstances.
- Concessions will be pre-packaged items only and pre-ordered with ticket purchase only.
- Staff will prep concession orders prior to event in a well ventilated space. Staff will wear masks and gloves when prepping concessions, and disinfect all preparation surfaces before and after.
- Bathrooms will be deep cleaned once a week on Wednesdays. Sanitizing wipes will be provided for staff/customers to disinfect high touch areas as needed.
Archives Begin Here. The information below is out-of-date. Please scroll up for the most up-to-date information.
Open Space Suspends Activity In Accordance with Public Health Orders and Guidelines Regarding COVID-19.
The Open Space facility is closed for all activity until further notice. Please read on for more details and our full response to COVID-19
UPDATED 4/2/2020
We are heartbroken by watching the ripples of this crisis move through our community. Thank you for the outpouring of love and support we have received from you since closing the facility in mid-March. We miss you, and rest assured our doors will open again.
Until our return, we encourage you to spread your time and resources among those most impacted, such as people working on the front lines of this emergency as well as vulnerable groups, including people facing homelessness, the incarcerated, the disabled, and the elderly.
Open Space was founded to celebrate the unbreakable bond between art and community. We believe in the strength of this bond now more than ever, and are grateful to be a stitch in the fabric of this wildly creative artistic community.
We’ll be back on Friday with ideas to support local artists.
Art. Heart. Soul. Always,
Jiji, Larissa, Kristina, Niclas, Anita, Jack, Veronica, Kari, Janet and David
The Open Space Team
All April and May events are cancelled. Below is a list of cancelled events. Please check back for updates.
UPDATED 3/11/2020 7:36PM
Open Space for Arts and Community is dedicated to prioritizing the long-term health of our community. Due to public health orders and guidelines related to COVID-19, Open Space for Arts and Community is temporarily closing the facility to all events and classes beginning today, March 11.
Postponing events and suspending classes is inconvenient, costly, and stressful. However, we do so with care and love for our community. We recognize that any inconvenience today is far outweighed by doing our small part to help keep everyone safe and healthy.
This is a fast-moving situation. We are closely monitoring information from the CDC and SKCPH. Please check back for updates regarding April shows.
Public Gatherings
For upcoming events through the end of March, we are following orders and guidelines from Seattle King County Public Health (SKCPH) and the Governor’s office. Click here for guidelines.
Prior to these orders, we had already decided, in cooperation with our partners, to postpone the remaining events in our space for the month of March. This includes:
- “The Detention Lottery,” originally scheduled for 3/07,
- “Come Together,” originally scheduled for 3/13, and
- “Larry Flynn’s Retirement Bash!” scheduled for 3/28.
Refunds for “The Detention Lottery” are currently available on our website on the event page. Additional refund information will be available soon.
Youth-Focused Activities
Following Vashon School District guidelines, all school-aged related activities, drop-ins, and classes at Open Space are canceled. This includes:
- ORBIT
- Tolo
- UMO School of Physical Arts
Please visit VSD.org for updates on their evolving guidelines.
Other Classes and Activities
Due to the closure of the facility, the following classes and activities are canceled until further notice:
- Vashon Tool Library
- Here Yoga
- Esther Edelman adult aerial classes
We will post updates related to classes here as they are available to us, but please check in with individual instructors if you have any questions.
Looking Ahead
“Twelve years ago, we opened the doors of Open Space for Arts & Community explicitly because gathering together is one of the best ways to encourage a strong and resilient community. The irony is not lost on us that we must now temporarily close the facility for that exact same reason.
We believe in the insurmountable strength of our Vashon community. Once we have weathered this storm together, we look forward to seeing everyone at Open Space again to gather, dance, and celebrate the unbreakable bond between art and community.” – Janet & David, Co-Founders at Open Space for Arts and Community
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
The Open Space Team
“The following links provide up-to-date information on the COVID-19:
- Public health’s website is the best source of information about how to be personally prepared.
- Here’s a link to a fact sheet with details about the COVID-19 that you should read and are welcome to share.
The CDC has up-to-date information on prevention, treatment, FAQs, and more.
Archives Begin Here. Please scroll up for the most up-to-date information.
Begin Archives:
Updated 3/11/2020 9:30AM (Please scroll up for our most recent update)
Public Gatherings
Open Space for Arts and Community is dedicated to prioritizing the long-term health of our community. For upcoming events through the end of March, we are following Seattle King County Public Health (SKCPH) guidelines. Currently, they state that it is “critically important” to “avoid bringing large groups of people together, and consider postponing events and gatherings.” 3/10/2020
In cooperation with our partners, together we have decided to postpone three events in our space:
- “The Detention Lottery,” originally scheduled for 3/07,
- “Come Together,” originally scheduled for 3/13, and
- “Larry Flynn’s Retirement Bash!” scheduled for 3/28.
Youth-Focused Activities
According to SKCPH: “Public Health is not currently recommending that schools proactively close unless they have a confirmed case of COVID-19 in a staff member or student. Public Health also respects each individual school’s decisions about closures, postponement of activities, or other social distancing measures – as each school knows the needs of their community best.” 03/05/20
Following this guideline, all school-aged related activities, drop-ins, and classes at Open Space are continuing as scheduled based on the Vashon School District. This includes:
- ORBIT
- Tolo
- UMO School of Physical Arts
Please visit VSD.org for updates.
Other Ongoing Classes and Activities
All other classes and activities are continuing at the discretion of the instructors. Please contact your instructor to learn more.
- Here Yoga
- Esther Edelman adult aerial classes
- Vashon Tool Library
Please check back on this page, as well as on our Facebook page for updates regarding this developing situation. We will post updates related to classes here as they are available to us, but please check in with individual instructors if you have any questions.
Moving Forward
This is a fast-moving situation. We are closely monitoring information from the CDC and SKCPH and are following guidelines and recommendations as they are made available.
Further measures that Open Space is taking include increased disinfection of facilities and encouraging hand washing for students, teachers, visitors, and staff. Additionally, we are encouraging Open Space staff to work remotely when possible through at least March 31st. We are also instituting a COVID-19 specific refund policy.
Postponing events is inconvenient, costly, and stressful. However, we do so with care and love for our community. We recognize that any inconvenience today is far outweighed by doing our small part to help keep everyone safe and healthy.
Please keep in mind that it is essential for the health of the community that you stay home if you are experiencing symptoms of the virus, such as fever, coughing, or shortness of breath.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
The Open Space Team
“The following links provide up-to-date information on the COVID-19:
- Public health’s website is the best source of information about how to be personally prepared.
- Here’s a link to a fact sheet with details about the COVID-19 that you should read and are welcome to share.
The CDC has up-to-date information on prevention, treatment, FAQs, and more.
A Message from Janet & David
UPDATED: 3/6/2020 at 12:12PM (Please scroll up for our most recent update)
Dear Open Space for Arts and Community Families and Patrons,
Our greatest priority is to support the well being of our Vashon community.
Twelve years ago, we opened the doors of Open Space for Arts & Community explicitly because gathering together is one of the best ways to encourage a strong and resilient community. Heeding the advice of experts in public health, we are choosing to postpone large gatherings at this time.
Postponing “The Detention Lottery”, “Come Together”, “Larry Flynn’s Retirement Bash!” and any possible future events is inconvenient, costly, and stressful. However, we do so with care and love for our community. We recognize that any inconvenience today is far outweighed by doing our small part to help keep everyone safe and healthy.
Once Seattle King County Public Health withdraws their advisory against large gatherings, we look forward to seeing everyone at Open Space once again to gather and celebrate the unbreakable bond between art and community.
Sincerely,
Janet McAlpin and David Godsey
Updates and Information Regarding Open Space’s Response to COVID-19
UPDATED: 3/6/2020 at 12:09PM (Please scroll up for our most recent update)
Open Space for Arts and Community, in cooperation with our partners, has decided to postpone three upcoming events in our space, including “The Detention Lottery,” originally scheduled for 3/07, as well as “Come Together,” originally scheduled for 3/13, and “Larry Flynn’s Retirement Bash!” scheduled for 3/28. If you are a ticket-holder to these events, please visit the event page for more details.
Open Space for Arts and Community is dedicated to prioritizing the long-term health of our community. We are basing this difficult decision on the Public Health Seattle King County guideline that recommends that “if you can feasibly avoid bringing large groups of people together, consider postponing events and gatherings.”
Click for the 3/4 press conference. Guidelines begin just after the 6:00 mark in the video.
ORBIT youth center will be following the Vashon Island School District guidelines for determining when to cancel events and when a student or staff member should stay home. Classes within Open Space are continuing to run as scheduled. Please check back on this page, as well as on our Facebook page for updates regarding this developing situation.
This is a fast-moving situation. We are closely monitoring information from the CDC and Public Health Seattle King County and are following guidelines and recommendations as they are made available. We will be increasing the disinfection of facilities and encouraging hand washing for students, teachers, visitors, and staff.
Please stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
It is essential for the health of the community that you stay home if you are experiencing symptoms of the virus, such as fever, coughing, or shortness of breath.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
The Open Space Team
The following links provide up-to-date information on the COVID-19:
- Public health’s website is the best source of information about how to be personally prepared.
- Here’s a link to a fact sheet with details about the COVID-19 that you should read and are welcome to share.
The CDC has up-to-date information on prevention, treatment, FAQs, and more
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