What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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6 What's up! april 25-May 1, 2021 EurEka SpringS "The event draws hundreds of visitors to White Street, and social distancing would not be possible," says Taylor, who admits that being in an at-risk age group makes him more cautious. "Even though some of the art displayed is outdoors where it is safer to gather, there are several indoor art displays that are in rather small spaces. Again, we are disappointed that the show can't happen this year, but we did not want to be responsible for further spreading the virus — especially when there is an end in sight." Taylor says being confined to his house has caused him to be even more creative than usual, and he thinks that's true of many other Eureka Springs artists, who have found patrons for their art through the internet. "Those who I've talked with and who made online sales really worked on marketing their art via the web," he says. "Online marketing was the key to surviving after in-person shows and festivals had been canceled." As far as live events, Taylor says the White Street artists will make their own decisions. "I personally have made no plans at this point to do any shows. I'm still somewhat concerned about the pandemic. That said, the White Street organizers are looking forward to resuming the Walk in 2022." May Festival oF the arts Which brings us to the 35-year tradition of an arts month in May. "The original intent of the month- long event was to kick off the tourism season," says Sandy Martin, chairwoman of the Eureka Springs Arts Council. Over the years, the City Advertising and Promotion Commission was involved, as was Chamber of Commerce, she says, and more recently the Eureka Springs Arts Council took on some of the organizational duties. Martin says no entity decided to cancel this year's event. "It was covid- 19 that made that decision for us." "Because a month-long celebration with all the moving parts takes many months to plan and organize, we had to make a decision about May Festival of the Arts 2021 in the early fall of 2020," she explains. "Covid cases were on the rise, vaccines weren't available yet, and the mayor extended the moratorium on all city events, festivals and parades through June of 2021. Clearly, anything with the month of 'May' in the title was not going to happen." However, she adds, "the brand and essence of Eureka Springs is the arts, and the Arts Council wanted to make sure the emphasis on the arts was included in the 2021 marketing strategy. The CAPC agreed to maintain the funding with the understanding that the Arts Council would make recommendations on how to proceed considering the unknowns and to ensure that everything was covid-safe. We made our recommendations to the CAPC in November of 2020." Martin says the resulting plan for events "will be a work in progress for at least the first six months of the year." "What we know now is that people want to travel to locations that are authentic, have plenty of outdoor activities and spaces and great food," she says. "That's Eureka Springs, and we want to leverage that interest by doing more outdoor art such as The Plein Air Paint-Outs happening in May and produced by the Plein Air Artists of Eureka Springs. We are planning to again present our Chalk Street Art Festival in the summer. The art galleries will continue to do their Gallery Strolls and special exhibits featuring local artists. In addition, we will add public art projects." Martin also hopes for some fall film events, more music at the Eureka Springs City Auditorium and a fall festival that might include the ArtRageous Parade. She encourages artists to share their ideas by emailing artscouncileureka@gmail.com or visiting the eurekaspringsartwall.com website. "The thing about Eureka Springs is that art is everywhere, every day — it's in our DNA." Canceled Continued From page 5 During its 15 years at the Crescent hotel, Books in Bloom brought local and world-renowned authors to Eureka springs. Co-founder Jean Elderwind says that although "famous is great, also important is impact." "Without a doubt, our invitation to Garrard Conley had a big impact on all who met him," she says. "his only book, a memoir titled 'Boy Erased,' in which told of his parents' attempt to change his sexual orientation through conversion therapy, touched his Books in Bloom audience deeply." (Courtesy photo) White street Walk founders Mary springer (from left), Zeek taylor and Eleanor lux promise the spring gallery tour will resume in 2022 and will celebrate its 30th anniversary then. (Courtesy photo)