The Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association (BRMAA) will remain closed to the public through May 5 and is considering canceling major events.
“The continued health and safety of our entire community has been the utmost importance to the BRMAA,” Nichole Potzauf, executive director said. “Given the increasing changes, projections and safety concerns over COVID-19, and with the recent state-wide school cancellation for the rest of the academic year by Governor Kemp, the Art Center will continue to remain closed to the public ...”
The Smithsonian Institute’s Crossroads: Change in Rural America Exhibit Grand Opening reception has been postponed. New dates will be decided by the Smithsonian Institution and Georgia Humanities, according to assistant director Caroline Mann.
As for the Annual Spring Arts in the Park, BRMAA is looking for other options for the event. Potzauf said, “It is with a heavy heart that we are considering canceling or postponing the 44th Annual Spring Arts in the Park festival.”
The festival “serves as the largest source of operational funding income for BRMAA,” Potzauf said. “Just like many of our artists and local businesses are experiencing, the possible cancellation of this event will be detrimental to our organization and our organization’s future.”
The final decision for the event is expected to be made by April 15.
Donations can be made to BRMAA by visiting www.blueridgearts.net/support.
Potzauf said, “There are many ways to show your support to our arts community: like and share our posts (via social media), renew or upgrade your membership to BRMAA, purchase artwork online from one of our highlighted artists or just send us a kind e-note on how you love the arts.”
Following are a list of events that have been rescheduled or canceled:
•Youth-based programming is canceled through May 5;
•All BRMAA sponsored artist guild meetings and community partner meetings are canceled through May;
•All classes and workshops scheduled through May will be postponed or canceled at a later date;
•The 23rd Annual Writers’ Conference is rescheduled for September 4 and 5;
•Volunteer Exhibit Training has been postponed for a later date;
•The Community Quilt & Fiber Arts Show has been canceled; and
•The 3D Off the Wall exhibition has been canceled.
“We thank our community for all the support you have shown us over the last 40 years,” Potzauf said.