Covid-19 Statement

Health and Wellbeing 

At South Bear School, we believe that our health is one of the most important aspects of living in community (and living in general!) Our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health are all extremely critical aspects of being an artist. The good health of our students, teachers, and residents is of the utmost concern. 

Covid-19 presents an especially difficult challenge to us. For organizations that are teaching traditional skills and art forms, it is a complicated decision to make. Because our school offers a physical experience that requires an in-person presence, we feel that it would be difficult to ask individuals to participate without first stating that there is no reliable way to guarantee complete elimination of Covid-19 risks. Therefore, the use of safe and effective viral prevention methods like vaccinations, masks, and sanitation is strongly encouraged. For people who are unvaccinated or are not within the immunity window following contracting Covid-19, we recommend that you wear a mask when you are in the immediate vicinity of others. We are an outdoor school but will be hosting classes in indoor open-air settings as well, in spaces such as our barn, indoor classrooms and gallery areas.

 Vaccinations are a safe and effective way to mitigate the risks of Covid-19 both for individuals and communities. We encourage attendees to take as many precautions against covid as possible within their medical ability, but do not wish to prevent participants who are unvaccinated from attending based on their medical status. We acknowledge that there are legitimate medical reasons for an individual to not receive the Covid-19 vaccination, but we strongly encourage that attendees undertake all possible measures to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. All participants are expected to do their part in preserving the health and safety of their community members; masking and regular testing are alternatives to vaccination. If you begin to show symptoms of illness, please notify us immediately. In the event that you test positive for covid while you are here, don’t attend workshops and self isolate until you are able to return home.