As a result, public programs and special events at the Getty Center and Getty Villa will be postponed through August 31, 2020. Our public programs and events require advance planning and notice that is not possible to predict at this time.
We will follow the direction of public health officials regarding the eventual reopening of our sites to both employees and the public. In the meantime, we welcome everyone to visit our rich array of online collections, exhibitions, and library and research materials.
In response to the crisis, Getty closed both the Getty Center and Getty Villa to the public on March 14 until further notice. Many Getty employees in curatorial activities, conservation, exhibitions, grant-making, communications, and other areas are working remotely. Some employees remain on our sites to protect our treasured collections and care for our gardens and grounds. All are being compensated through the immediate crisis with full benefits, enhanced sick leave, and no layoffs. The J. Paul Getty Trust has also created a $10-million COVID-19 LA Arts Fund to provide grants to support other Los Angeles arts organizations during this crisis.
We have begun preparations to safely reopen and welcome visitors to our sites once it is clear we can do so. The exhibition and public programming calendars of the Getty Museum and the Getty Research Institute are currently being evaluated. When future details are known about reopening our sites and reinstating public programming, we will make an announcement.
We thank everyone for the very kind thoughts and for your engagement with our virtual offerings during this unprecedented time. We remain united in support of the rich cultural community that has come to define Los Angeles, and we look forward to its vibrant return.