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Our Mission: Kentucky Humanities is dedicated to Telling Kentucky’s Story through programs and services.

Our mission hasn’t changed, however, COVID-19 has us making adjustments to the way in which we develop a relationship with every single Kentuckian.

This month we have been developing our new list of speakers for the coming year. Since March 1, we have had many talks postponed indefinitely due to COVID. Organizations are beginning to ask about rescheduling these presentations. Kentucky Humanities understands that organizations have many programs that have been postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19. As organizations are beginning to think about rescheduling Kentucky Chautauqua and Speakers Bureau programs, we want to make certain that we put the health and safety of our Chautauquans/Speakers and their audiences as the number one priority.

We have developed some procedures for in-person presentations to provide to the sponsoring organizations, should you decide you want to do an in-person presentation. But we realize that many of you are not willing to do this yet. And we can't predict when the time will be right to return to a normal presentation.

Our Chautuaquans and Speakers are independent contractors and in control of their own schedules. When booking organizations are ready to reschedule the postponed presentation or schedule a new presentation, the first step is to contact you, the presenter, to discuss dates and venue with the presenter. You should ask as many questions as necessary to make you comfortable in making the presentation to the organization, whether in-person or virtually. You have the right to decline the presentation, if you are not comfortable with the organization's venue.

Procedures for in-person programs:

The presenter will confirm booking dates in good faith to perform with the following stipulations:

  1. Audience members be appropriately spaced apart and wear face masks
  2. Presenter will be set at least 6-10 feet away from the front row of the audience
  3. Q&A will be limited to no longer than 15 minutes
  4. There will be no meet-and-greet before or afterward the presentation (i.e. no handshaking, no photos with audience members, etc.).
  5. Presenter may decline any pre- or post-show socializing with sponsors or audience members until the pandemic is safely behind us.
  6. Under most circumstances, the presenter will arrive to each performance already dressed in character, so as not to have to utilize a public bathroom, which is what many venues normally provide. Presenter will be wearing a face mask until it is time to perform (if a shield is requested and/or allowed, that will replace the mask during the performance).
  7. Under most circumstances the presenter will not be wearing a mask. However, the sponsor can request the presenter to wear a mask or plastic shield. If a microphone is provided, it should be cordless and the type that the presenter wears behind the ear. This way the sound will not be stifled by the mask or plastic shield.

The presenter will postpone the presentation prior to the event, if:

  • COVID-19 cases spike and/or are in high numbers in the community where the presentation will take place.
  • The presenter, or someone in their family, contracts with COVID-19 and/or exhibit COVID-19 symptoms
  • The Governor of Kentucky of CDC directs that "Healthy at Home" supersedes "Healthy at Work" parameters.

If any of these exceptions occur, we will rebook for a date when it is safe to do so.

Procedures for virtual presentation:

  1. Program will be booked as usual
  2. Site coordinator will set up the virtual link and communicate the link with the presenter 24 hours prior to the presentation.
  3. Link will be active for ½ hour prior to the presentation start time so the presenter has enough time to test the link, camera, and sound.
  4. Link will include the possibility of the presenter sharing his/her screen in order that they can show pictures or PowerPoint slides.
  5. Program coordinator will provide the speaker with a phone number to be used in case of technical difficulties.
  6. Speaker will do their normal presentation (recommended not to exceed 30 minutes) and then take questions from the audience.
  7. Site coordinator will either read questions that were written in the chat or will allow for live questions on the virtual link.
  8. At the end of the presentation, speaker will complete the normal cash request form.
 
Kentucky Humanities suggests sponsors utilize low-cost or free advertising/publicity means during this time in case the performance is postponed due to COVID-19 and has to be rescheduled at the last minute due to current conditions.

Speakers Bureau Survey

It would be helpful to us if you would complete this short survey, by July 1, 2020  in order that we can advise organizations how they should proceed.

     

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