COVID-19 Resources

As an industry and community we are facing an avalanche of challenges. The Council has compiled this list of resources to help navigate the impacts of COVID-19 and the shutdowns. This page will continue to evolve , please add resources you find in the comments and we’ll move those most helpful to the list.

Let the city know how your institution is impacted

• Fill out this Rapid Response: PHL Nonprofits and COVID-19 Survey.

If you want to help

• Donate money or volunteer through the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Health webpage.

• Donate supplies to hospitals again through the city’s Department of Health page or contact your local hospital directly to arrange a drop-off (don’t just show up).

• Volunteer to help a neighbor by filling out this form.

If you want to learn more about engaging your audiences online

• Listen in on Cuseum’s webinars about audience engagement during the COVID-19 shutdowns.

• Read about the National Gallery of Art’s #MuseumFromHome Strategy.

If you need to improve your videoconferencing skills

• In the past week a number of guides have popped up instructing you to have your best video conference. This guide by the Verge or this one by Wired offer some helpful tips on looking and sounding good and keeping your call secure.

• Now that Zoom lets you change your background, use your own photos or video as a conversation starter (I saw one person use a video of leaf cutter ants) or Shutterstock is offering free backgrounds to download.

• If all else fails, your team can play conference call bingo or working from home during a global pandemic bingo.

• Need to run a brainstorming session remotely? Sites like Mural allow participants to collaborate on a virtual whiteboard simultaneously.

If you need help managing the stress of all of this

• Healthy Minds Philly offers free, anonymous options to check your emotional well-being and also resources.

• Massachusetts General Hospital has a list of mental health resources.

• Take an online class and support local studios too. The Inquirer has a comprehensive list of studios offering classes online. Not included in the list is Fishtown’s Grace and Glory yoga studio. G&G also hosts a free virtual group meditation session 7am Monday - Friday. Check their Facebook page or sign up for their emails.

What to do if you are laid off

• Visit PA’s Office of Unemployment page on COVID-19-related layoffs for information on filing, you can file even if your hours were reduced.

• Not sure how the wave of layoffs will impact this, but the Community College of Philadelphia offers a tuition-free program for people who were recently laid off.

• Add your institution to this spreadsheet, capturing lay-offs in the cultural sector.

• Start or join a virtual happy hour and keep networking while sheltering. If you think you might switch to freelance or contract work, the Lunch Club 215 is moving their monthly meetings online.

• Apply for a modest, immediate financial assistance through the Greater Philadelphia Museum Worker Fund.

• Find free, nutritious food in Philly.

• Stay tuned. Museum Council is developing some programs and resources to respond to the recent wave of layoffs in our community.

Other resources by our partners

• AAM has a series of articles on issues related to the COVID-19 and the economic impact including this list of strategies for short-term financial survival.

• MAAM is building a list of examples for how organizations are engaging audiences online.