Is There a Doctor In the House

By Sarah Umlauf

Nonprofit Board Member Cultivation for Unprecedented Times

A robust Board of Directors is paramount for the success of nonprofit organizations. When cultivating new Board Members, organizations often prioritize individuals that facilitate the business of running the organization. Nonprofits seek out attorneys, financial experts, corporate executives, fundraisers, and philanthropists all while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion on their boards. According to the National Council of Nonprofits, “Board members are the fiduciaries who steer the organization towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, as well as by making sure the nonprofit has adequate resources to advance its mission.” In the aforementioned statement, “resources” may, by some, be synonymous with money. Organizations should challenge themselves to expand the definition of “resources” so as not to be limited, but rather creative, in board member cultivation. Through creative recruitment, nonprofits not only add depth to their boards, but also may find surprising resources in unprecedented times.

As event producers, the ongoing pandemic created a mountain of challenges to overcome. In 2020, public health directives from local government officials postponed or cancelled community events. During this time, we looked to our Board of Directors for guidance and advice when navigating the ever-changing public health policies and mandates regarding the pandemic. After receiving initial feedback from attorneys serving on our board, it was clear that in order to fully understand the implications of these public health policies and mandates, we needed to hear from a board member that spoke the same language found in these directives; we needed to find a medical professional to help us interpret the gravity of the situation. The Saint Louis Art Fair, produced by Cultural Festivals, a nonprofit 501c3, was founded in 1994 by a group of passionate art enthusiasts who wanted to breathe new life into the cultural landscape of St. Louis, Missouri. Its mission is to, “inspire and engage our community with the foremost celebration of exceptional visual art.” In its long history, the Saint Louis Art Fair has faced challenges, but like so many other event-based organizations, was presented with a new obstacle in 2020 with the onset of the global pandemic. Our organization was fortunate to rely on the expertise of Dr. Stacey Tull, long-time volunteer and Board Member. Dr. Tull was initially cultivated for the Board of Directors due to her passion for the arts and her support of the organization’s mission. During the pandemic, she became an invaluable resource advising the organization and spearheading a new Health and Safety Committee to ensure best practices during the organization’s 3-day event, the Saint Louis Art Fair.

A state of emergency was declared in St. Louis County on March 13, 2020, resulting in several executive orders and Department of Public Health orders, policies, and rules to implement those executive orders. As the producers of the Saint Louis Art Fair, an event that takes place the weekend after Labor Day in September, we were hopeful that a resolution to the pandemic would be forthcoming and we would be able to hold our event planned for September 11-13, 2020. Local leaders worked with event producers, like Cultural Festivals, to review event plans to ensure the safety of the public. All public events taking place in St. Louis County required the approval of the county public health committee. Dr. Tull advised staff on the development of the event operations plan for the 2020 Saint Louis Art Fair.

The stated goals for the proposed 2020 Saint Louis Art Fair included:

This year, in the midst of a global pandemic, the Saint Louis Art Fair has worked hard to move art forward with the health and safety of Art Fair patrons, artists, volunteers, performers, sponsors, vendors, and staff is always our top priority and planned for accordingly. The Cultural Festivals Board of Directors is working with staff on the plan to ensure its 2020 annual event still shines and inspires amidst the challenges tied to COVID- 19. In 2020, the Saint Louis Art Fair is dedicated to Keeping Art Essential.

The goal of the protocols outlined in the document is to minimize contact thereby reducing the risk of virus spread among both staff and guests. Should we need to implement additional health and safety measures, we will make those decisions in consultation with local, and state public health authorities and we will communicate those changes to patrons, performers, sponsors, volunteers, vendors, and staff immediately. With the help of Dr. Tull, the Saint Louis Art Fair developed and presented a plan that was received positively by the public health committee. Ultimately, due to mandated capacity restrictions, the 2020 Saint Louis Art Fair was held virtually but the organization now had a framework for moving forward with plans for the 2021 Saint Louis Art Fair.

Dr. Stacey Tull is a graduate of Duke University with her MD and MPH (Masters in Public Health) from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She completed her plastic and general surgery training at Washington University, where she also completed her Mohs surgery fellowship. Dr. Tull is also a former art major and incorporates her talent in all aspects of her practice. She has been a volunteer leader with the Saint Louis Art Fair for close to 17 years and served on the board from 2011 to 2020. As a volunteer, Dr. Tull worked closely with exhibiting artists and the Art Fair jurors. Her intimate knowledge of the event made Dr. Tull uniquely qualified to advise on best practices regarding public health.

Although Dr. Tull termed off the Board of Directors for Cultural Festivals in 2020, she continued to advise staff for plans to return to an in-person event. In order to accomplish this, Dr. Tull agreed to chair the new Health and Safety Committee for the organization. The transition from a Virtual event in 2020 to an in-person event in 2021, required careful planning and action. Dr. Tull continued to advise staff on current health mandates and recommended event certification through the Missouri Arts Council. Utilizing the 2020 Operations Plan developed for approval by the St. Louis County Department of Public Health in the prior year, Dr. Tull made updated recommendations and the organization received the Missouri ArtSafe Certification. In doing so, the organization pledged: The 28th annual Saint Louis Art Fair presented by Centene Charitable Foundation is taking place on the streets of downtown Clayton, Missouri on September 10th, 11th, and 12th, 2021. With the repeal of restrictions due to COVID-19 in St. Louis County, the Art Fair will continue to be free and open to the public.

But we will ask for our community’s help and patience while we implement new Health and Safety measures to ensure a successful Saint Louis Art Fair presented by Centene Charitable Foundation. All are welcome, but we encourage volunteers and guests who are not vaccinated or high-risk to consider their own safety when choosing to volunteer and/or attend.

Some changes you will see:

Artist Booth “Pods”

• Exhibiting Artists will be grouped into “pods” of four booths

• “Pods” will be separated by a minimum of ten feet

We will forgo the Artists Hospitality area and instead deliver prepackaged meals to our artists.

Creative Castle

• Our children’s area will feature “grab and go” activities for kids and their families

Cashless Payment

• Beverage and Merchandise Booths will be cashless

• Avoid lines by ordering beverages early using QR codes available at the festival

Health & Safety Team

• Led by Dr. Stacey Tull, our Health & Safety Team will advise staff on current CDC guidelines

• Health & Safety Team members will be on site to ensure best practices

Masks

• Staff, vendors, volunteers, and attendees that are unvaccinated are asked to wear masks while at the festival

Virtual Content

• For those unable to attend a large gathering, visit www.saintlouisartfair. com for available virtual fair amenities

Much of what you have come to love and expect from the Saint Louis Art Fair presented by Centene Charitable Foundation will return including:

• 2019 Award-winning Artists

• 2020 Juried artists selected from a competitive field

• Main Stage entertainment featuring local musical talent

• Performing Arts Stage highlighting the diversity of our region through dance, song, and spoken word

• Pleasures of the Palate with culinary delights from across the region

To ensure that we may Create Safely, Present Safely, and Attend Safely we pledge to:

• Facial coverings (see update on protocols changes as of May 28)

• Social distancing

• Health checks (see update on protocols changes as of May 28)

• Contact tracing (see update on protocols changes as of May 28)

• Contactless experience

• Reduced capacity

• Enhanced sanitation

• Training in COVID-19 safe practices

• Missouri Arts Council ArtSafe Certification Pledge for the Saint Louis Art Fair, 2021

In addition to her assistance in developing an operations plan based on local Public Health Orders, Dr. Tull reviewed all event signage related to public health and recommended safety protocols where necessary. In order to ensure compliance at the event itself, Dr. Tull utilized her invaluable connections with the local medical community and recruited a team of health professionals as volunteers for the 2021 Saint Louis Art Fair. This team of medical professionals surveyed the festival site throughout its hours of operation and advised staff on any concerns or questionable behavior. Their oversight provided an invaluable service for staff.

In the recruitment of medical professionals to serve as volunteers during the festival, Dr. Tull recommended that the Saint Louis Art Fair set straightforward expectations and desired outcomes. According to Joyce M. Johnson and James A. Calderwood from their 2016 article in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, “Many health care professionals are unaware of the level of commitment and involvement board service requires, particularly fiduciary boards, which have accompanying risks and legal functions.” It is important to “provide a checklist of questions to ask… and discuss how to decide whether one is the right fit for a specific position.” The Saint Louis Art Fair set clear goals for the team of volunteer medical professionals in their role as compliance monitors for the 2021 Health and Safety initiatives at the 3-day festival.

Although 2021 represented a scaledback version of the Saint Louis Art Fair with fewer exhibiting artists, musical performances, and restaurant vendors in order to reduce the density of persons on the site, we feel fortunate to have had the chance to produce the 28th annual Saint Louis Art Fair, the seemingly magical return of this event to the streets of Downtown Clayton, Missouri. The 2021 event featured worldclass art, delicious food, fantastic drinks, and live entertainment dazzling audiences from two performance stages. The help and guidance of our key stakeholders helped to ensure that the 2021 Saint Louis Art Fair took proper health and safety measures and provided a safe outdoor space for a unique art buying experience. While we are fortunate to have the advice and guidance of leading professionals, it was Dr. Tull that helped provide the critical interpretation of the current health orders and her intimate knowledge of the event which allowed her to assess potential risks and provide preemptive resolutions.

The future of events and mass gatherings remains complicated as the current pandemic continues. Nonprofit Boards will continue to rely on its board members to navigate the complicated landscape. This includes leaning on financial experts to advise on investment strategies and utilizing attorneys for sound legal advice. A nonprofit would be wise to also solicit the input of medical professionals who, because of their medical training, previous medical leadership positions and respect among colleagues, provide valuable input on conducting safe, successful events.

Sarah J. Umlauf is the Executive Director of Cultural Festivals, producers of the Saint Louis Art Fair. Sarah came to the Cultural Festivals organization from the City of Clayton, where she served as Museum and Community Outreach Specialist for over 11 years. Sarah completed her undergraduate degree at Washington University and received an M.A. in Art History from The George Washington University. For the past 13 years, she has served as a docent for the St. Louis Art Museum. Sarah Umlauf is uniquely qualified to lead Cultural Festivals and the Saint Louis Art Fair, with expertise in art history, strong relationships with area businesses and city government, and years of experience as a Saint Louis Art Fair volunteer.

www.kaliff.com