The show will go on!
Those of us on the SEAF Planning Team are hard at work creating contingency plans to keep our staff, volunteers, artists, and patrons safe and healthy during the 2020 Seattle Erotic Art Festival held over the weekend of April 24-26, 2020. We are working in close contact with the Seattle Center and City of Seattle and will keep the community updated in the case of new developments.
A Letter from the Director:
To my fellow community members,
Like many of you, we are following the news about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). We are mindful of the growing concerns and that this is a developing situation. Supporting individual safety and public health is our top priority.
At this time, all scheduled Pan Eros events, including the Seattle Erotic Art Festival and Consent Academy workshops, are continuing as listed on the websites. Our decision to hold or cancel events will be made on a case by case basis and informed by the recommendations of Washington State and King County Public Health departments and the wishes of our educators and facilitators. If an event is canceled, we will send notifications by direct email for registered participants, or by notices via web and media for the general public.
Here are the precautions we will be taking at Gallery Erato:
- Increased frequency of our standard cleaning practices
- Door handles and other commonly touched surfaces will be disinfected before and after each event, at a minimum
- Increased soap output of soap dispensers
- Stations with disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer placed throughout Gallery
If you are sick, we encourage and thank you for staying home from our events and other public spaces.
If you are concerned about getting sick, we ask you to take some simple precautions like regular hand washing, avoiding unnecessary exposure by using non-contact greetings, and practicing good self-care like getting enough sleep, managing stress, and staying hydrated. Additional information can be found through the King County Public Health department.
The Pan Eros Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All ticket sales are final. The financial health of our small organization is dependent on ticket sales and we cannot afford to offer refunds. In the event that you are sick and cannot attend, or are concerned about attending, an event that you have purchased a ticket for, we are pleased to either:
Create a promo code equal to the price of your ticket you can use to purchase tickets to a future Pan Eros event
or
Convert the ticket amount to a charitable donation and provide a tax receipt. All donations to the Pan Eros Foundation are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
For questions or concerns regarding Pan Eros events or ticketing, please contact me at [email protected] or (206) 229-2185.
Wishing you good health,
Sophia Iannicelli
Executive Director
More Information:
The Pan Eros Foundation is a proud member of the GSBA and we received permission to share important thoughts and information that GSBA recently sent to all its members:
As our community knows all too well, anytime there is a disease outbreak, there is a tendency to scapegoat. Please remember that anyone can transmit or become infected with a virus. No one group of folks is responsible or should ever be targeted as the cause of a disease outbreak. For additional information on how to prevent and respond to stigmas and the spread of misinformation regarding this virus, click here.
Currently, the risk to the general public is low due to the unlikelihood of exposure to the virus. Risk of exposure is elevated for healthcare workers, people who have had close contact with persons with COVID-19, and travelers returning from affected international locations (China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, Japan, and Hong Kong).
Below are the recommendations from the Washington State Department of Health on how to respond in your daily life:
Wash your hands often and avoid touching your face.
- Stay home when you’re sick.
- If you are sick and wondering what to do, call your healthcare provider before you go to a clinic or emergency room.
- Show compassion and support for individuals and communities most closely impacted and anyone who might be sick.
- Find more resources here.
If you have questions, you can call the Washington State Department of Health at 1-800-525-0127 and press #. You can also stay up to date by following the department on Twitter or Facebook.
We must remain vigilant not to allow misinformation about COVID-19 to become a reason to discriminate, harass or target anyone group. The best way to address bias is to not engage in it and speak out when you witness anyone being unfairly harassed or discriminated against. Now, as always, is the time for compassion, staying informed and using common sense over irrational, fear based behavior.