RENTING DUGAN HALL

The Windham Textile & History Museum (a.k.a., The Mill Museum) makes Dugan Hall (the restored meeting/program room and restrooms on the second floor of the Dugan building) available for community groups, other groups, businesses, and individuals to use, under the following conditions. Anyone interested in renting Dugan Hall should contact the Museum’s Executive Director at (860) 456-2178 or director@millmuseum.org. This policy is subject to change.

1. Because we use Dugan Hall for our own programs, events, exhibits, and activities, the Museum is not always able to guarantee that the space will be available, so availability is on a case-by-case basis. The Museum makes the space available only when doing so does not interfere with our own programs, events, exhibits, or other activities, and when Museum staff and/or volunteers are able to be present.

2. Because we need to have staff and/or volunteers present, and have expenses such as utilities and upkeep, the Museum charges a basic fee of $300.00 per use. Because it is not easy for our staff and/or volunteers to be present at odd hours, the Museum may add additional charges if the use lasts more than six hours and/or requires the presence of more than one Museum staff member or volunteer. Any such extra charges will be negotiated in advance of the actual use.

3. The Museum considers itself part of the greater Willimantic community and frequently partners with other local non-profit organizations on community-related projects. Therefore, if the user is a non-profit community group with which the Museum regularly partners and with which the Museum has a good working relationship, and if the responsible persons in the group are also “key people” at the Museum who are willing and able to supervise the set-up and break-down of the space themselves without the need for other Museum staff or volunteers to be present, the Museum will charge a basic fee of $50.00 per use.

4. Because the Museum has to assign staff or volunteers to set up the space, groups or individuals using the space are expected to make a down payment of $50.00 at least one week in advance of each use. The down payment is refundable only if the Museum is responsible for the use not occurring.

5. For users other than local non-profits, there will be a refundable breakage deposit of $100.00.

6. Because it is required by the Town of Windham (our landlord) and by our insurance company, the Museum requires all users other than local non-profits to provide us with a certificate of liability insurance coverage, naming BOTH the Museum AND the Town of Windham as co-insured, at least a week in advance. If the user plans on serving alcoholic beverages, it must certify that it has liability insurance that covers all alcohol-related issues.

7. The Museum is not a licensed food provider, so users are responsible for providing their own food and drink. The Museum is glad to recommend a local caterer. No alcohol is to be sold on the premises without a proper license. No food or drink is to be provided to the public in violation of state and local laws and ordinances. The user, not the Museum, is responsible for making sure that all such laws and ordinances are obeyed.

8. The user is not to bring in, install, and use any major electrical equipment (such as air conditioners, amps, stage lighting, etc.) without the Museum’s prior permission.

9. The Museum removes snow from the walk leading to the entrance of the building, sufficient for ordinary ingress and egress. The user may remove additional snow, but at its own expense.

10. Using Dugan Hall does not entitle the user to free access to the rest of the Museum.

11. Occasionally, a group or individual wants to use the space on an ongoing basis, such as weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. The Museum will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis. Any group or individual using the space on an ongoing basis not only agrees to all of the other provisions in this policy, but also to the following:

12. Because the Museum has only very limited storage space, the user may not store its property at the Museum between uses.

13. In the event of any scheduling conflict between the Museum and the user, the Museum’s activities will take precedence. The Museum agrees to notify the user about any such conflict at least two weeks in advance. The user is not, of course, expected to pay for times when the space is not available because of a Museum activity.

14. Either party may cancel any such ongoing use agreement with two week’s notice.

15. The Museum may agree to negotiate alterations, amendments, or changes to the conditions in this policy on a case-by-case basis. However, any and all such negotiations must be approved in advance by the Museum’s Board of Directors, which meets monthly.

16. This policy does not apply to situations in which the Museum partners with another organization or other organizations, or with an individual or individuals, on any joint project or activity that utilizes Dugan Hall.