Local Arts Events and News, COVID-19 Public Health Updates, and Grant Deadlines
Hello Everyone,
We have made it through another month, and while the weather may not be quite as warm as we might hope, things are looking bright in the local arts community. As the province has dropped most COVID-19 health and safety restrictions (at least for now), we are seeing more arts and culture spaces re-opening their doors, more events happening, and more life returning to the city and the downtown.
This Bulletin provides an update on some of those events, as well as passing along with an update from Peterborough Public Health discussing the most recent round of public health changes, and a friendly reminder about some upcoming grant deadlines.
To keep up-to-the-minute on all the latest arts news and EC3 happenings, keep checking the EC3 Facebook page, @ECThreePtbo on Twitter, @ec3ptbo on Instagram, and the EC3 website, where we are providing daily updates on programs and services available for ACH workers and organizations.
Local Arts Events and News
Peterborough Symphony Orchestra returns to Showplace this Saturday, April 2 with As the Sun Rises, a concert celebrating spring’s renewal and hope, including works by Wagner, Elizabeth Raum, and Aaron Copland. Find out more here. Also CONGRATULATIONS to the PSO, who were awarded the Vida Peene Orchestra Award by the Ontario Arts Council. The award is given out biennially to assist Ontario orchestras.
This Friday, April 1 is the monthly First Friday Art Crawl, with many of the downtown galleries and studios (as well as cafes and restaurants) extending their hours and opening their doors to the public. Check First Friday’s website, where a full schedule of events and openings will be posted.
Artspace is expanding their hours, adding walk-in hours (no appointment needed) Fridays 3pm to 6:30pm, Saturdays 12pm to 4pm. They are also available by appointment on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Come check out their exhibit José Andrés Mora: The Mornings in Reverse, running now to May 14, with a drop-in reception at the gallery on April 23.
Kawartha Potters Guild is hosting their first ever fundraising event, Celebrate Ceramics, on April 8. This gala event will include live music, appetizers, and a piece of pottery to take home. Find out more here.
The Gordon Best Theatre has been hosting a number of great events recently. Coming up soon: Kiki Coe headlines the Mother Knows Best drag show on April 2, and Benj Rowland’s Community Garden album release show on April 9.
Market Hall has several shows coming up soon, including an April Fools comedy show (April 1) and Jack de Keyser (April 2). Find out more on the Market Hall website.
COVID-19 Health Regulation Changes
As of last Monday, March 21, the Government of Ontario has lifted nearly all COVID-19 public health restrictions, including capacity limits and mask mandates in most places. We shared this information on our social media at the time, but for your reference, we also wanted to include the full details in a Bulletin as well.
We encourage everyone to continue monitoring Peterborough Public Health’s COVID-19 page and social media in the upcoming weeks and months, as there may be more updates and more regulation changes yet to come. This includes the update yesterday that Ontario (and in particular Peterborough) are now experiencing a sixth wave of the pandemic.
“Good morning everyone,
As of 12:01 a.m. today, the province has removed many of the required public health measures for most businesses and organizations. For full details, please review O. Reg 364/20. This also includes the removal of mandatory masks in many indoor areas. However, masks must still be worn in:
- indoor premises and vehicles of public transit service,
- hospitals,
- long-term care homes,
- retirement homes,
- congregate care settings, and
- clinics that provide health services.
Even though many businesses and organizations are no longer mandated to have masks worn in indoor areas, Peterborough Public Health strongly recommends that local residents continue to wear masks after March 21. To read more about this recommendation, click here. This recommendation coincides with an increase in COVID-19 transmission in our community as observed from the latest COVID-19 local wastewater data. Further to this, there are still thousands of local residents who remain at risk of serious disease if they get infected. Businesses and organization can reinforce our recommendation by encouraging patrons and staff to wear a mask in indoor areas. If you require signage to encourage mask use, please click here. For more information about the types of masks for various settings, please click here.
COVID-19 projections and modelling to assist with your planning
As we move into the warmer months, many businesses and organizations are determining policies and procedures that will be needed to protect staff and their patrons. Information that will be helpful to this planning, is the most recent COVID-19 projections and modelling data released by the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. The key findings were that:
- COVID-19 case numbers, hospital and ICU occupancy have stopped declining; there is considerable regional variation.
- Given the relaxation of public health measures and consequent increase in transmission, hospital and ICU occupancy will likely increase over the next few weeks, but less than in January 2022 and for a limited period of time, if changes in behaviour are only moderate.
- The extent of this increase, and of a person’s risk of contracting COVID-19, will depend on the number of close contacts (especially indoors without masking), vaccination status, and the spread of the more transmissible BA.2 subvariant.
- Older adults, immunocompromised, unvaccinated and marginalized individuals and groups are still susceptible to severe illness from COVID-19.
- A complete vaccine series (currently two doses in children, three doses in adults, four in long-term care residents and other eligible high-risk groups) is the best defense against getting and spreading COVID-19.
In light of the above, Peterborough Public Health emphasizes that a layering of multiple strategies will continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as we move through the next few months:
- Make sure you’re fully vaccinated with three doses of COVID-19 vaccine, or four doses if you’re immunocompromised,
- Wear a mask,
- Ensure the spaces you’re in, especially without a mask, are well ventilated. Click here for a fact sheet.
- Stay home when sick,
- Complete a rapid-antigen test if symptoms appear, and recording them in the PPH surveillance survey here.
- Wash hands regularly,
- Maintain physical distance.
Next steps for PPH:
We are presently reviewing the results of our business/organization survey to determine what is needed to support a variety of sectors over the coming months. You can always find up to date information about vaccines, clinics, and prevention measures on our website, or by calling 705-743-1000. While our COVID-19 updates to you may be less frequent, PPH is still committed to providing you with information as the context and situation changes.
With continued thanks,
Keith”
Upcoming Grant Deadlines
Here are important grant deadlines coming up soon:
- Apr 01: Canada Arts Presentation Fund: Programming(Canadian Heritage)
- Apr 01: Canada Travelling Exhibitions Indemnification Program (Canadian Heritage)
- Apr 07: Media Artists Creation Projects (OAC)
- Apr 28: Media Arts Projects (OAC)
- Apr 30: Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage – Community Anniversaries (Canadian Heritage)
- Apr 30: Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage – Local Festivals (Canadian Heritage)
- Apr 30: Canada Book Fund – Support for Organizations (Canadian Heritage)
KEEP INFORMED, STAY IN TOUCH
As always, keep checking the EC3 Facebook page, @ECThreePtbo on Twitter, @ec3ptbo on Instagram, and the COVID-19 Updates page on EC3’s website, where we are providing daily updates on programs and services available for ACH workers and organizations.
Be safe, stay healthy, and please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Su Ditta and the EC3 Board and staff
Contact
Su Ditta
Executive Director
Electric City Culture Council (EC3)
electriccitycc@gmail.com
www.ecthree.org
705 749 9101