Dear Getty Community,

It has now been a full month since we were last all present at work together. And for the first time in weeks, I heard a songbird singing outside my apartment window. I wish I knew what kind of bird it was. But I’m not so clever. I’m just happy I heard it. It’s been so quiet lately, with all of us practicing safe-at-home. I have no doubt many of you are experiencing much of the same.

The birdsong coincided with Governor Newsom’s press conference in which he described a framework for making decisions to modify the safe-at-home order:

• ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or been exposed;
• ability to prevent infection for people at risk for more serious COVID-19;
• ability for the hospital and health system to handle surges;
• ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
• ability for businesses, schools, and childcare facilities to support physical distancing;
• and ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as stay-at-home orders if necessary.

 

While there is no precise timeline, I take heart that our Governor is confident there is a shared vision for reopening our Western states’ economies and controlling COVID-19 into the future. No one was saying such things just two weeks ago. I take this as a good sign, a sign that the pandemic will end and that we can begin making plans for what the Getty will be like when that happens.

I want to thank you all for making the most of this time of social distance, and ask that you continue to keep your positive outlook, your can-do spirit. I remain impressed by your dedication to doing what is necessary to keep Getty moving forward and accomplishing our mission under such unforeseen circumstances.

We have reached unprecedented engagement on our digital platforms, and delighted the world with the social media challenge to recreate works from our collections at home. We have record numbers of people visiting our online exhibitions, using our research databases, our online library and our online publications. And we created a grant program to help other arts organizations in our community, so they can survive when we return to normalcy. We have accomplished much, despite the circumstances. And through this trial we are emerging as a stronger organization.

Our COVID-19 task force is at work now discussing how we might return, what a phased-reopening for staff to begin working on site might look like. And following staff, sometime later, a phased-reopening to the public. There are many details to be considered. We know it will require patience and it will take some time. But people will come back to the Getty to see our collections, consult our library archives, enjoy our gardens, and be with one another. Of that I am certain.

It happened after 9/11. And famously during the bombing of Britain in World War II. Then all concert halls in London were blacked out at night to avoid being targeted, and picture galleries were emptied of their art, taken to caves and cellars in Wales. People needed access to art and so the concert pianist Dame Myra Hess and other artists provided it. More than 800,000 people attended over two thousand concerts. For as long as there was art to be enjoyed, people came.

And they will come to the Getty, too, when we are able to welcome them. Like the songbird who came and sang outside my apartment window, they will come. People need art. And we need each other.

Thank you for all you are doing and please take good care.

Jim

James Cuno
President & CEO
J. Paul Getty Trust
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90049
T (310) 440 7600 | getty.edu