From Muskoka Arts and Crafts (MAC):
For the second year in a row, Muskoka Arts & Crafts has cancelled its annual Summer Show that was to take place this summer from July 16 to 18 at Annie Williams Memorial Park in Bracebridge.
This change has been prompted by accommodating the way people are now making their art purchases, as well as the shifting state of the current global pandemic. Muskoka Arts & Crafts’ first and foremost priority continues to be for the safety and health of our artists, volunteers, customers, service providers, staff and community. 2021 will be the second year in a row that Muskoka Arts & Crafts has cancelled its annual in-person Summer Show that was to take place this summer from July 16 to 18 at Annie Williams Memorial Park in Bracebridge.
“Muskoka Arts & Crafts is keenly aware of the amount of time, material resources and finances required by artists in order to prepare and attend art shows, and by making this decision as early as possible, our artists can now plan accordingly,” said Elene Freer, the executive director who also remarked that organizations also invest similarly when hosting such events.
In making this difficult decision, Muskoka Arts & Crafts took into account information currently available from the public health units, the Ministry of Health and the provincial government along with the pros and cons of hosting a large, outdoor three-day event that is typically attended by two hundred artists from different regions of Ontario and other provinces as well as an estimated 18,000 visitors.
The Summer Show is one of Ontario’s oldest and largest rural outdoor shows and is a long-standing highlight of Muskoka’s summer season for many residents and visitors to the region. Its presence is an important part of the incomes for many of the attending artists, has a significant economic impact for Bracebridge and is the organization’s major fundraiser. “Unfortunately, a viable path to continue with the in-person 2021 Summer Show was no longer possible under the current and uncertain foreseeable conditions,” says Freer.
“Muskoka Arts & Crafts is dedicated to the arts and to supporting our artists and community. To that end, we took the time to rebrand the organization and to redesign our website as we pivot to the new realities of bringing artists, their art and people together during these times of physical separation,” remarked Freer. “This year’s 59th Annual Summer Show will be held online in the MAC Shop on our website beginning on July 16 and running for four weeks until August 14.” People will be able to browse the art available for sale, read stories about how and why it was made and make those special purchases that financially support artists – all from the comfort of their homes or cottages.
For information about the upcoming online 59th Annual Summer Show, visit shop.muskokaartsandcrafts.com or call 705-645-5501.
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