Columbus artists repurpose skills to help Columbus community, seek corporate and individual donations for additional supplies

Columbus, OH – The local production company behind What? Music and Arts Festival is producing plastic face shields for frontline professionals treating patients who have been affected by COVID-19. They are raising additional funds to meet growing demand.

The reusable shields will be donated to medical teams at smaller entities outside the hospital network. This includes paramedics with Franklin County Emergency Services and staff at skilled nursing homes facilities who do not have primary access to protective gear. The team is looking for more frontline, essential workers in need as production increases.

What? Productions co-founder, Ryan McKee, and maker-friend Ben Satterfield are leading the effort.

“We questioned how our team could use its maker skillset to help the community in this time of need,” explains Ryan McKee, What? Productions co-founder. “Currently out of work, artists within our team wanted to use their new-found time to help others. Our partners in the Franklinton community expressed a need, and we’re happy to fill it.

The What? Productions team is looking for corporate and individual donations to purchase needed supplies for face shields (plastic, foam, elastic), tools, shipping, and labor. They are in the process of producing 500 face shields and are looking to manufacture and fill a need for 800 more face shields. Supporters can cover material costs of $6 for a single face shield or match larger donation levels via the group’s GoFundMe page.

GoFundMe donation site and video showing mask production:

h ttps://www.gofundme.com/f/face-shields-for-frontline-professionals

ABOUT WHAT? MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

What? Music and Arts Festival is made possible by What? Productions, a team of Columbus natives who share a deep passion for the arts, music and our community. Co-founders include Ryan McKee, Ryan Ransom, Kyle Dineen and Kristen McKee, who are supported by 30+ volunteers working behind the scenes.

The festival started as a passion project for a core group of Columbus artists and their supportive networks. The creative minds questioned WHAT could they create in Columbus… WHAT could they create that would inspire collaboration…WHAT could they create that would

disrupt the ways others think about events… and WHAT could they create that would make a positive impact on the community. From there, What? Music and Arts Festival was born.

For more information: whatmaaf.com
Instagram: @whatfest_
Facebook: WhatMusicAndArtsFestival
Twitter: @whatfest_
Tickets via Eventbrite: available here