Local Artists Adapt To Pandemic, But They Still Need Your Support
ANNAPOLIS, MD — As coronavirus regulations tighten in Anne Arundel County, most industries have had to change how they do business. Artists were hit especially hard. Here's how the Annapolis Arts District says it's battling the pandemic:
"For the second time, this year entertainment venues in the county have been closed due to COVID concerns. In the Annapolis Arts District, several of these entertainment venues had recently just reopened after being closed for most of the spring and summer months.
Rams Head On Stage was one of the first to reopen, hosting concerts with a very limited audience size in a venue that has an air purifier system that kills COVID. MTPA Stage One, an outdoor venue, hosted in November a world premiere dance performance, and the Annapolis Shakespeare Company was starting a full winter lineup of shows. Several other performance organizations had switched to hosting performances in front of no audiences to safely broadcast their local performances online.
It has been a tough year for local arts groups that employ hundreds of people in the Annapolis Arts District. The fast-changing local COVID-19 requirements that determine if they can be open or not adds to the stress and costs of preparing for performances.
Adding to the unemployment of artists is the county executive order that makes restaurants 25% capacity and a pending executive order that could close restaurant interiors. Many of the restaurants in the arts district exhibit local artwork for sale on their dining room walls and hire local musicians to perform. Without performance space, many musicians are doing online performances from home and selling merchandise online.
Many of your favorite local musicians have CDs and vinyl records you can order or download. Purchasing their music online is a great way to support them this winter.
Here is a list of a few local musicians that have played at events like Dinner Under the Stars and First Sunday Arts events in the Annapolis Arts District and also sell their music online; Alexander Peters, Angela Charles, Ahren Buchheister, Caleb Stine and the Revelations, Dan Haas, David Sparrow, Dean Rosenthal, Gingerwolf, Loose Ties, Michael K, Pressing Strings, Shawn Owen Band, and Skribe.
With thousands of county restaurant employees potentially being laid three days after Christmas, the community is coming together to buy holiday gifts for their families and gift cards so they can purchase necessities while they wait for the court decisions to determine if they stay employed or get laid-off. A website has been set up where the public can adopt a restaurant employee family member to purchase a holiday gift or donate towards purchasing gift cards to give to unemployed restaurant workers in Anne Arundel County.
This Thursday evening many in the community will head to downtown Annapolis or shop locally online during the Eleventh Hour of Midnight Madness buying gifts, dining out and getting gift cards to help businesses survive in our community. You can shop locally made art and crafts at local galleries including Gallery 57 West, Annapolis Collection Gallery, Nancy Hammond Editions, Here. A Popup Shop and online at several Annapolis Artist Studios. If you order carry-out this week, show your receipt at Maryland Federation of Art and they will deduct the cost of your carry-out off your art purchase, up to 20% of the cost of the art.
"Artists have a strong tradition of supporting the community, hosting fundraising concerts, donating art to community fundraisers, etc.," says Erik Evans, Executive Director of the Annapolis Arts District. "This season it’s time to give back to those that have given so much to our community over the years."
For those that are hurting financially this year, you can still support your community with kind words. A positive review on social media of your favorite artist, business, or arts organization goes a long way.
For those able to make a donation to support the arts here are a few of the many local non-profit arts organizations for you to consider: Annapolis Arts District, Annapolis Opera, Annapolis Shakespeare Company, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Theatre of Maryland, Banneker-Douglass Museum, Chesapeake Children's Museum, Future History Now, Live Arts Maryland, Maryland Federation of Art, and Maryland Theatre for the Performing Arts.
The good news is two vaccines are starting to roll out and many in the community have made an effort to shop and support local this year. This can reduce the short-term impacts felt by artists and arts organizations this year.
Strong communities working together can create amazing positive and lasting results. Artists and arts organizations are already dreaming up ideas to entertain and inspire the community when we can all get back together again.
The Annapolis Arts District is looking for those willing to work together in a collaborative spirit to bring the arts to the forefront of our community in the new year. They will be hosting listening sessions with various local arts organizations and artists to learn the best ways the arts can move forward beyond COVID. With both public and private financial support of the arts, we can help jump-start our local economy in 2021.
To learn more about the Annapolis Arts District visit http://www.AnnapolisArtsDistrict.org
Attached picture of Alexander Peters, a local musician in Annapolis, Maryland that released a new album this year titled Crystal Ball Gypsy available both on vinyl and CD.
Erik Evans
Executive Director
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This article originally appeared on the Annapolis Patch
