Community Update – July 2022

Hello Highwire Community!

This month, in addition to our live community meetings, we’re trying a short and sweet blog update for folks who can’t make the live event or who don’t want to watch a longform video! This is just the key info – as always, comment or email us if you have questions!

COVID and Show Status

As of July 2nd, Baltimore City remains in medium status according to the CDC Community Risk levels, with a similar case load as in May 2022. At this time, in-person events remain ON, and are recommended for vaccinated individuals only. Two key resources for anyone attending an event:

• Our regularly updated in-person event status, including local and national COVID data.
• Our venue guide, which includes information about the the location, physical space, and policies of our in-person venues.

Suggestion Ox and Policy Updates

At Highwire Improv, we’re always reviewing and updating policies in line with our core values. This month we have three key updates:

1. We’ve implemented Suggestion Ox to add an easier process for anonymous feedback and reporting to our Reporting Procedure.
2. We’ve added a Hiring Policy for paid and volunteer staff to ensure basic questions are asked to protect the safety of the community.
3. We’ve added specific procedures for community events which include minors, in line with best practices.

These are reflected in the Highwire Improv Code of Conduct.

Programming and Space Updates

Our in-person events have continued to be full of amazing improv and supportive audiences. Check out the pictures from our shows at Mindpub Cafe, The Hideaway, and Checkerspot Brewing:

We’ve got two more shows in-person during July – the 16th at the Lou Costello Room and the 21st at Downsquares!

In addition to this our jams and jamshops have continued every Wednesday at Roland Park Community Center. These will pause for August and return for September through December.

FAM Fest!

We were honored to support the From Another Mother (F.A.M.) Improv Festival this June. The event was a rousing success, as the first improv festival dedicated to Black and POC improvisers in Baltimore. We facilitated over $2000 in donations to the event through our anti-racism accounting fund.

Baltimore Pride!

Highwire Improv walked in the Baltimore City Pride parade for the first time this year, in addition to holding Pride programming throuhgout June, including two LGBTQIA+ in-person jams and the ‘We’re Here, We’re Queer’ online show!

Finance and Growth

This is a bit ‘lumpy’ as we had a lot of donations come in for FAM Fest which then flowed out mid-June. Additionally, we have a high volume of instructor payments for applied improv deliveries which will be paid out in July. Expect this to be increasingly common, and we’ll look for additional ways to make clear how the finances are changing over time (perhaps also focusing on quarterly figures).

As we often say – the numbers are going up and to the right, with no major surprises.