Mesa issues response plan for closed arts facilities, museums

PHOENIX — The city of Mesa announced this week a tiered response plan for closed art facilities and museums.

The Mesa Arts Center, Arizona Museum of Natural History and the i.d.e.a. Museum — the three attractions that make up the Mesa Department of Arts and Culture — set up a tiered response strategy for the closed locations. They initially closed in mid-March in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The response plan is broken up in to three tiers. It begins with the initial response, which looks at available funds and freezes vacant positions and salary adjustments.

Then the plan transitions into short-term response, which is expected to take 45-60 days. Departments with closed facilities will hold monthly reviews to assess health and economic conditions to evaluate reopening.

The mid-term review is the last of the three tiers, ranging from 60 to 90 days. During that time, a citywide review of all funds and operational expenses will take place.

The reopen date is dependent on the state of the health crisis and its economic impacts, according to a Mesa Arts Center press release issued Thursday. Updates will be made available as plans change.

All scheduled events through September have been postponed or cancelled, the release said.

Tickets for postponed events will be honored, and if a ticket holder is unable to attend, it will be refunded. Tickets for canceled events will be refunded.

“We already miss sharing in-person arts and cultural experiences and discoveries with you and will work to share what we can online during the closure period,” she said.

The Mesa Convention Center, Amphitheater, museums, recreation centers and libraries also remain closed, the city of Mesa said in a press release. Art center classes and programs through recreational centers and libraries have been postponed indefinitely.

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