Please watch this post for important Covid-19 related changes and policies as directed by our Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry.
IMPORTANT UPDATES
September 2022
- In person life drawing – masks are still mandatory at Xchanges.
February 8, 2021
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced new Covid-19 measures for the province. As of today, Xchanges advises that:
- The Gallery will be open with our Covid Safety Plan. Guidance for visiting can be found on the What’s On page.
- In-Person Life Drawing is suspended until new Provincial Health Orders allow it.
November 20, 2020
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced new Covid-19 measures for the province. As of today, Xchanges advises that:
- Artists participating in the Bridge Crawl will NOT be onsite for this event. Visitors are encouraged to please visit the Arc-Hive website for all the digital content on Novemenber 21st.
- The Gallery and all in-person Life Drawing sessions are suspended until December 7th.
For more information about these Provincial directives please see the following link: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support/restrictions
September 4, 2020
Update:
Xchanges announced in the last newsletter that we would be re-opening the Gallery operations with a compressed schedule to accomodate all the artists whose shows were post-poned due to Covid-19. We have also reinitiated in-person life drawing on a limited basis.
Please see the What’s On page for information about visiting the Gallery and our new Covid-19 safety protocols.
You may also visit the Life Drawing page to learn about Covid-19 protocols in place to support artists for in-person life drawing.
The Board will continue to monitor guidelines and advice from the Provincial Health Authorities and adjust as necessary.
March 28, 2020
Dear members, friends and artists,
We, the Board of Xchanges, are working on our response to the Covid-19 pandemic to support the national response to the pandemic and all of you. The most important thing to us is everyone’s personal safety and health. We will do everything we can to ensure this and encourage you all to support each other during this challenging time.
Please be aware that in order to support current efforts to contain and reduce the spread of the virus we are instituting the following measures:
1. All life drawing sessions are suspended until we have the “all-clear” notification from government health advisors according to government recommendations;
2. All upcoming exhibitions are suspended until we have the “all-clear” notification from government health advisors according to government recommendations. Xchanges will do its best to reschedule these exhibitions at future dates which need to be determined. We will suspend these operations one month at a time, but all exhibiting artists are on notice that their exhibition time will change;
3. All on-site artists with studio spaces should practice physical distancing and ensure that all common, shared facilities are cleaned and sanitized e.g. door handles, kitchen equipment, supplies, phone, etc. The Studio Coordinator will communicate with all studio artists about all new processes and information;
4. Regular communication will be provided through our Facebook page, by email, and the newsletter distribution list as new information comes about or if we need to answer your questions;
5. Other forms and channels of communication will be shared as available.
While we recognize that while this situation is very difficult, all of us can take other measures to ensure that we are supporting our physical and mental well-being and demonstrate that art can still thrive in difficult times:
- Check-in with friends and colleagues regularly – by phone, email, or on the Xchanges Facebook.
Share your work online with our community as much as you can. Creativity can be a support during times of anxiety and fear.
Keep on top of the news but don’t let it overwhelm you. Take time to go out and walk with a friend or listen to pod casts that give you a break from the news.
For information about Covid-19 and the current response of governments you can follow these sites:
- The BC Centre for Disease Control
- CBC News – Covid-19 across Canada
We thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this time and we wish you all good health and safety in the upcoming days and weeks. Please feel free to reach out to us with your questions and ideas for getting through this challenging time.
All the best,
Xchanges Board of Directors
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