A Nonprofit Leader Relies on Her Arts Group’s Skills in Facing a Blank Canvas

Amy Thomas is managing director of the Penumbra Theatre Company in St. Paul, Minn., which focuses on the experiences of African Americans.

What has the coronavirus pandemic meant for Penumbra’s operations?

All staff are working remotely. We are juggling artist schedules and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that are changing by the day.

Obviously, the art world, the whole world, is in flux, and may be for some time, but I believe any industry tasked with creating actually has an advantage in times like these. We are adept at facing the unknown — literally, the blank canvas, the empty stage — and improvising when and where we need to. But some of us are more nimble than others. For theaters of color that have been historically underresourced and undercapitalized, these can be incredibly trying times. There is no padding, so to speak, no endowment, no major benefactor. But we have communities that passionately support us. People are our assets.

How long do you expect the change in operations to last?

Fortunately, with the support of a multiyear grant from the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, we were recently able to invest in infrastructure that has allowed for remote-work laptops instead of desktops, a customer relationship management system that can be accessed remotely, a cloud-based server, etc. This is no small thing. For small theaters and theaters of color, it is critical that funders support not just our programming but our capacity and our potential. The consequences, otherwise, can be crippling.

What about fundraising? Has Penumbra started contacting its donors?

We are ensuring we remain in close contact with our board, funders, and stakeholders. We are gathering information and allowing time for thoughtful, deliberate reactions and responses. There is a risk of moving too fast or not fast enough. We are trying to strike the right balance, but we know everyone is feeling the instability, the uncertainty. Many people will need resources, some critically, so we are cautious about not asking for more than what we need right now. Private and corporate foundations, individual donors, nonprofit lenders — everyone we have been in contact with is responding with so much generosity of spirit. It is clear people want to get through the new normal together.

Has the crisis changed Penumbra’s yearly fundraising plans?

Not to be bombastic, but everything has and will change. But not our desire for community, for transcendence, and for meaning. Theater still has a role. Our local funders have been incredibly helpful and generous. Grant terms are being extended, early payments on disbursements offered, and increases in funding awarded.

What has the crisis meant for the artistic and the administrative staffs?

We’re looking at cash-flow scenarios through June. With what we know now, we’re trying to game out all the possible ways this can go; short term first, long term a very close second. I can say we have no furloughs, no decreases in pay or benefits, and no reductions in core staff planned for now. We are a small, dedicated team who make big things happen, and we need to take care of each other. We are also working on myriad ways we can support our artists, run crew, and front-of-house staff if we cancel a main stage production.