Covid, the arts and a snapshot of a small town

image: WinterWild Apollo Bay's striking outdoor event - The Dogwatch

We're thinking of friends in the small coastal town of Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. The town has a Seafood Festival in February, a Writers Festival in July and a multi arts festival (WinterWild) in August/September. 

From March last year there were no festivals. This year, they attempted to run all three festivals and all looked like they would go ahead. Then, the Seafoood Festival was cancelled because of lockdown the day before it started, the Word Fest was cancelled becasue of lockdown 5, and, with lockdown 6, they couldn't go ahead with WinterWild. 

These festivals are organised by voluntary committees who take on months of planning to bring business to their largely tourist town and for the pleasure it brings the local community.

The WinterWild Festival was sold out. They are now saying it was the most successful festival that never happened. But, becasue it didn't happen, not only is there a lack of celebration in a community hard hit economically by covid, disappointment for all the work contributed by their committee but also, once again, artists have missed out on work.

Clearly, this scenario is playing out (pun intended) across the Eastern States. It is particularly devastating for artists. If you can support them by rescheduling your events, please do all you can to make that happen.