News Update – March 30, 2020

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Dear Friends,

The Northfield Arts Guild staff is doing well working remotely and we are staying connected in our work to continue to offer a range of free online arts activities while we make preparations to launch our upcoming programming when it is safe for us to gather together again.

I want to let you know that our plans to reopen our buildings on March 31st have changed. Guild staff will continue working remotely throughout the month of April and we have extended the postponement of public events through May 10.

The science and best practices that led to the implementation of social distancing tells us we need to continue to contribute to containment efforts in the best interest of our staff and community’s health.

Day by day we are all learning to deal with demanding circumstances that remove us from the normal patterns of daily life and culture. It is easy to feel anxious and isolated. 

It is during these times that the arts remind us of the power we have to be creative. If you or someone you know is in need of inspiration, please connect with us on the Guild Facebook and Guild Theater Facebook pages and Instagram as we continue to share fun and uplifting arts activities and engagement every weekday. Also check out our YouTube channel for videos of Guild programs.

And join us virtually on April 4 between 10am-2pm when the Guild will celebrate E-magination Celebration – a online community event featuring a series of video arts activities, performances and teacher tours of the All School Art Show on Facebook we are creating in collaboration with area artists and partners. 

Last, our financial health is dependent on ticket sales, class fees and other earned income that are currently disrupted by the need to be closed. If you have the ability to make a donation or become a Guild member, your support is vitally important at this time. 

Your support today will help ensure that the Guild will continue to serve our community when these challenging times come to an end. We are in this together!

Stay creative and be well,

Tim Peterson
Executive Director
tim@northfieldartsguild.org

Guild hosts E-magination Celebration

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The Northfield Arts Guild invites our community near and far to attend E-magination Celebration, a free day of online programming including gallery tours, art making, and performances from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2020. This family-friendly online event is a virtual re-imagining of the Guild’s annual Imagination Celebration that can be enjoyed from home.

The Guild is thrilled to continue this annual tradition in a new, virtual setting. Follow along on the Guild’s Facebook and YouTube pages with new content added regularly throughout the celebration, or catch up later as all of the videos will remain online.

Performance features include dances from Folklorico and Dance Theater Company, highlights from the Guild’s production of Lend Me a Tenor and behind the scenes footage of the Purple Door Youth Theater production of The Prince and the Pauper.

A highlight of E-magination Celebration will be a series of teacher-led video tours of their students’ artwork in 20/20 VISION, this year’s All School Art Show. This popular annual exhibition features 2-D and 3-D artworks by nearly 1,000 students from area K-12 schools including Arcadia Charter School, Area Learning Center, Bridgewater Elementary School, Greenvale Park Community School, Northfield Area Homeschool Classes, Northfield High School, Northfield Middle School, Prairie Creek Community School, Sibley Elementary School, and St. Dominic Catholic School.

Make your own art at home throughout the day! Guided arts activities will be released throughout the day to paint, draw and create your own art using everyday household items.

Even in this time of social distancing, the Guild embraces our mission to serve our community with a rich array of arts opportunities and experiences. We hope you will join us for ­E-magination Celebration, and also follow us on social media to enjoy arts learning and arts engagement activities.

Important Guild Updates #2

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The Northfield Arts Guild’s purpose is to bring our community together through a rich array of arts opportunities and experiences created by and for people of all ages and abilities.

As part of our continuing efforts to prioritize the health and safety of our community, our buildings will be temporarily closed beginning March 16 and all large events have been suspended through April 30.

Our staff will be working remotely, and can best be reached via email.

We look forward to welcoming you back soon and will share our plans to reopen in the coming weeks at northfieldartsguild.org. In the meantime, we will share ways to stay creatively engaged on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and our website.

We look forward to seeing you again soon at the Guild.

Important Guild Updates

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Dear Friends,
The Northfield Arts Guild is taking every precaution for the safety and care of our visitors, staff, artists and our community.
Our downtown building currently remains open, providing access to our galleries, gift shop and classes, but after careful consideration, and a desire to ensure the health and safety of everyone who engages with the Guild, we have made the difficult decision to cancel larger public events (performances, receptions, etc.) through April 5.
This includes the cancellation of performances of The Prince and The Pauper (March 13-15), The Cactus Blossoms concert (March 14), Volunteer Appreciation (March 17), Open Art (March 23) and Imagination Celebration (April 4).
For visitors who have tickets for events before April 5, 2020, you will be contacted directly regarding refunds and exchanges. Other updates will be shared here as they unfold.


We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and follow updates from the Centers for Disease Control and the Minnesota Department of Health (including today’s announcement regarding public events). We have added enhanced cleaning protocols, and are asking staff to stay home if they are not feeling well.
Our visitors can help by enacting preventive measures suggested by public health officials, including regular hand washing, social distancing and, if you are feeling sick, postponing your visit to the Guild to a future time. 
We value our community’s support of the Northfield Arts Guild and the work of our many collaborators, artists and volunteers. We will make every effort to reschedule events for future dates, as we and our partners are able. As a nonprofit arts organization, the Guild relies heavily on the support of donors, members and single ticket buyers. We appreciate your continued support, which will help sustain the Guild during this difficult time.
Thank you for being a friend of the Guild and understanding these decisions made during uncertain times.  We wish for everyone’s continued health and to see you at the Guild again soon.
Thank you for supporting the Northfield Arts Guild!
All best,
Tim PetersonExecutive Director
p.s. Please contact me at 507.645.8877×2 or tim@northfieldartsguild.org if you have any questions or need additional information.
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COVID-19 Response

The Northfield Arts Guild is strongly committed to the health and well-being of our constituents. As the spread of COVID-19 continues, we understand that there are questions and anxieties, so we wanted to reassure you that the Guild is doing what we can to limit the potential spread.

In addition to the work of our weekly cleaning crew, we will be cleaning and sanitizing our spaces, equipment and materials with increased frequency. We have provided, and will keep stocked to the best of our ability, additional disinfectant sprays, wipes, hand sanitizer and hand soap in our spaces.

As general health precautions, we’d like to remind you to follow these preventative actions as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. We will post these recommendations in our spaces as well
– Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
– Avoid touching your face
– Cough and sneeze into your elbow or into a tissue
– Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily
– Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care|

The Guild is continuing to monitor the situation and will update you on any changes to our programming or daily operations. With our mission to serve all ages, we know there might be increased concerns for certain populations and we refer you to the CDC’s more specific recommendations for those at higher risk.

The Guild rejects any racism surrounding COVID-19 and affirms that this public health crisis impacts us all. We stand firm in our belief that we are an organization for “All Kinds of Art, All Kinds of People.”

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Stay safe and healthy, everyone! |