Performing Arts Readiness Webinars: March 2023

Happy New Year! The Performing Arts Readiness (PAR) project offers free emergency preparedness webinars listed below that are tailored to the needs of performing arts organizations. The better prepared an organization is, the more quickly and effectively it can respond to emergencies and crises, re-open for performances and programs, and return to normal operations.

Also, the dPlan|ArtsReady, online emergency preparedness and response tool for the arts and cultural heritage sectors, guides users through risk assessments and preparedness actions and produces elements for your disaster plan. A limited number of free 1-year subscriptions are available to arts organizations using this form. The dPlan|ArtsReady online tool can be found at this form. The dPlan|ArtsReady online tool can be found at: https://www.dplan.org/.

The complete list of PAR webinars with recordings may be found here.

Webinars:

Fire Safety and Preparedness for Performing Arts Organizations:
March 1, 2023 at 2:00pm ET
Description: Fire Safety is an essential element in the day to day preparedness of any organization, especially in the unique environment of the performing arts. In addition to sound emergency management principles, the application of National Fire Protection Association Standards (NFPA) will ensure that a comprehensive protection plan is developed in cooperation with appropriate emergency response partners. This free webinar will provide fire safety considerations and introduce best practices from the fire protection industry, which offers a road map to achieve fire safety benchmarks. Participants will learn how the Life Safety Code and the Code for Protection of Cultural Resource Properties can help you protect your patrons, staff, and facility.
Instructor: Chris Soliz

Safety and Security for the Performing Arts:
March 14, 2023 at 2pm ET
Description: With the ever-changing nature of events, are you prepared for the unexpected? With audiences and Local Government agencies expecting more from you as an organizer, do you have plans in place to not only try and prevent, but also respond should any incident happen? Safety and Security are more important now than ever and more questions will be asked of you and what plans you have in place. This class will help event organizers and venues establish the key elements for prevention and responding to incidents of any shape or size. It will provide a background of what happens when things don’t go as planned and show that it doesn’t matter what size or type of event you have, the basic principles are the same. We will look at what you would do in certain scenarios, and how even small adjustments to your venue can keep your event safer.
Instructor: Emma Stuart

Fire and Emergency Protection Plan Development:
March 15, 2023 at 2pm ET
Description: Participants in this webinar will be presented with the components of a Protection Plan and the process to follow for the development of a plan following guidelines provided by the National Fire Protection Association’s Code for Protection of Cultural Resource Properties. Grounded in a vulnerability assessment, the planning process covers fire safety, security, construction considerations, prevention, special events, and recovery strategies. At the completion of this webinar, participants will have the tools needed to begin developing is a significant step towards a resilient organization.
Instructor: Chris Soliz

Health and Safety for Performing Arts Organizations:
March 30, 2023 at 2pm ET
Description: Safety in the theater extends to crews, casts, and audience members as well as the venue. This includes performance and rehearsal spaces, shops, and other workspaces. It requires awareness, common sense, and perseverance to eliminate hazards and guard against carelessness. The goal of this free webinar is to ensure that a safe, healthy environment is maintained at all times. This includes the control and minimization of all known and potential hazards associated within creative, artistic, and performance development. These risks can be minimized and controlled through proper training, equipment, and use of appropriate precautions, restrictions, and established safe-work practices.
Instructor: Ellen Korpar

The complete list of PAR webinars may be found here.