We wanted you to be the first to be provided with an update on the new timelines, planning and safety changes which you can expect to be announced in the coming months. Arts and culture have kept us all connected during the COVID-19 outbreak, but the sustainability of those opportunities and the non-profit arts and cultural organizations that promote them have been decimated in a matter of months, and SAACA is no exception.
In the next year, SAACA will implement a phased approach to rebuilding and recovering many of the below festivals. To adapt to the changing times, the organization will also lean into an innovative approach with a solutions-focused vision. We anticipate providing leadership and opportunity towards a complete creative sector re-energizing , helping ensure a vibrant future for arts and culture. You can expect continuous communications as we work with our business and venue partners to establish new parameters, dates and formats for our 2020/2021 calendar of festivals, events and programs.
Both short and long-term changes to our programs are inevitable. We will adapt and asses feasibility of a wide range of festival, event and CATALYST-based programming considerations, including:
There is no doubt, much of our programming and events will look and feel different for some time, but we must make these modifications for the health and safety of our community.
Many of these decisions will be difficult, especially in this ever-changing environment. However, we promise to reach for the best interests of the arts and culture community, preserving and sustaining what we have built through unified support and partnerships over the past 23 years. This pandemic will teach everyone new ways to come together, connect, collaborate and support each other. We see many challenges along the way as we begin to work harder with less resources, while intimately facing more complex issues than ever before. We understand the community is looking to SAACA for answers and to reflect the voice of our stakeholders and diverse communities we serve.
ART FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
SAACA Fall Festival Season 2020
SAACA is currently working with each of the communities in which we partner on feasibility and capacities of our larger community celebrations of arts and culture. These celebrations have not only grown to become significant economic drivers for participating artists, musicians and makers, but they have also become integral elements of the cultural fabric of the communities who host the celebrations. We are working with both local and state government leaders to establish working timelines for approvals of these public gatherings and establish and implementing necessary event changes to uphold and protect our public health.
We remain dedicated to our exhibitors, food vendors, artists, performers, and audiences, and we are actively scenario planning many options for the best way to move forward in the coming 2020/2021 season, preserving the community spirit of creating more vibrant and equitable communities through arts and cultural gatherings.
At this time, we are moving cautiously forward with planning the below events until we hear otherwise from local/federal leadership regarding health practices and gathering in large groups. Currently, Arizona is in Phase 1 of Reopening (which limits gatherings to people 10 or less), and hopes to move into Phase 2 very soon (limits gatherings to 50 or less). Phase 3 details have not been announced yet, but we are actively working with our decision makers to provide broader definition to outdoor festival capacities once we move into Phase 3 of planning.
Due to the COVID-19 situation, we want to support our artists, vendors and exhibitors in any way possible. Because of that, we have implemented the following COVID-19 policies in case it impacts our event:
Starting early August 2020, we will announce details on festival feasibility, artist and vendor applications, as well as structural distancing and safety changes, for the following festivals.
2020 Fall/Winter Schedule of Arts Festivals
Announcement and application opening in August 2020
Patagonia Fall Festival (Currently Scheduled for October 10 & 11, 2020)
La Encantada Fall Fine Art Festival (Currently Scheduled for October 24 & 25, 2020)
POP: Art in Unexpected Places Festival in Scottsdale, AZ (Currently Scheduled for November 14 & 15, 2020)
Oro Valley Holiday Festival of the Arts (Currently Scheduled for December 5 & 6, 2020)
2021 Winter/Spring Schedule of Arts Festivals
Announcement and application opening in October 2020
Winter La Encantada Fine Art Festival (January 2021)
Sahuarita Creative Arts Festival (Spring 2021)
Spring Festival of the Arts (March 2021)
*We will striving to add additional festival opportunities throughout Arizona, to further our commitment to providing new opportunities for artists to be provided with new audiences and opportunities to sell and promote their work.
We believe this amended schedule of application release to be essential to ensuring continuity and relevance of communication, while ensuring and evaluating any critical community changes in public health. For any additional questions or concerns, please contact festivals@saaca.org for more information.
In the next year, SAACA will implement a phased approach to rebuilding and recovering many of the below festivals. To adapt to the changing times, the organization will also lean into an innovative approach with a solutions-focused vision. We anticipate providing leadership and opportunity towards a complete creative sector re-energizing , helping ensure a vibrant future for arts and culture. You can expect continuous communications as we work with our business and venue partners to establish new parameters, dates and formats for our 2020/2021 calendar of festivals, events and programs.
Both short and long-term changes to our programs are inevitable. We will adapt and asses feasibility of a wide range of festival, event and CATALYST-based programming considerations, including:
- Capacity, sanitation and layout modifications at larger events
- Newly envisioned arts experiences, including digital and in-person access
- Innovative approaches for the changing needs of healthcare and business partnerships
- New opportunities for artists
- Dynamic opportunities to convene, lead and provide professional development training
- Funding and advocacy avenues for the creative sector
There is no doubt, much of our programming and events will look and feel different for some time, but we must make these modifications for the health and safety of our community.
Many of these decisions will be difficult, especially in this ever-changing environment. However, we promise to reach for the best interests of the arts and culture community, preserving and sustaining what we have built through unified support and partnerships over the past 23 years. This pandemic will teach everyone new ways to come together, connect, collaborate and support each other. We see many challenges along the way as we begin to work harder with less resources, while intimately facing more complex issues than ever before. We understand the community is looking to SAACA for answers and to reflect the voice of our stakeholders and diverse communities we serve.
ART FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
SAACA Fall Festival Season 2020
SAACA is currently working with each of the communities in which we partner on feasibility and capacities of our larger community celebrations of arts and culture. These celebrations have not only grown to become significant economic drivers for participating artists, musicians and makers, but they have also become integral elements of the cultural fabric of the communities who host the celebrations. We are working with both local and state government leaders to establish working timelines for approvals of these public gatherings and establish and implementing necessary event changes to uphold and protect our public health.
We remain dedicated to our exhibitors, food vendors, artists, performers, and audiences, and we are actively scenario planning many options for the best way to move forward in the coming 2020/2021 season, preserving the community spirit of creating more vibrant and equitable communities through arts and cultural gatherings.
At this time, we are moving cautiously forward with planning the below events until we hear otherwise from local/federal leadership regarding health practices and gathering in large groups. Currently, Arizona is in Phase 1 of Reopening (which limits gatherings to people 10 or less), and hopes to move into Phase 2 very soon (limits gatherings to 50 or less). Phase 3 details have not been announced yet, but we are actively working with our decision makers to provide broader definition to outdoor festival capacities once we move into Phase 3 of planning.
Due to the COVID-19 situation, we want to support our artists, vendors and exhibitors in any way possible. Because of that, we have implemented the following COVID-19 policies in case it impacts our event:
- Full booth space refund if the event is canceled due to COVID-19 shutdowns enforced by local/federal leadership, minus non-refundable application or jury fees.
- If you were originally invited/juried into the Sahuarita Creative Arts Festival (March 2020) and Spring Oro Valley Festival of the Arts (May 2020) which were both cancelled because of COVID-19, and opted for a credit, you can apply that credit to one of the below shows. We will be reaching out again a few days before applications and details would be announced in August to confirm that festival for which you want your credit applied. Many of you have already indicated which festival you want it applied to, and you can be assured, that your place in line is safe.
- All festivals will have online digital experience opportunities. This will provide online sales opportunities for participating festival artists to connect to visitors who are unable to attend or participate onsite.
- Please note, all 2020/2021 new applicants will require a non-refundable application fee of $30.
Starting early August 2020, we will announce details on festival feasibility, artist and vendor applications, as well as structural distancing and safety changes, for the following festivals.
2020 Fall/Winter Schedule of Arts Festivals
Announcement and application opening in August 2020
Patagonia Fall Festival (Currently Scheduled for October 10 & 11, 2020)
La Encantada Fall Fine Art Festival (Currently Scheduled for October 24 & 25, 2020)
POP: Art in Unexpected Places Festival in Scottsdale, AZ (Currently Scheduled for November 14 & 15, 2020)
Oro Valley Holiday Festival of the Arts (Currently Scheduled for December 5 & 6, 2020)
2021 Winter/Spring Schedule of Arts Festivals
Announcement and application opening in October 2020
Winter La Encantada Fine Art Festival (January 2021)
Sahuarita Creative Arts Festival (Spring 2021)
Spring Festival of the Arts (March 2021)
*We will striving to add additional festival opportunities throughout Arizona, to further our commitment to providing new opportunities for artists to be provided with new audiences and opportunities to sell and promote their work.
We believe this amended schedule of application release to be essential to ensuring continuity and relevance of communication, while ensuring and evaluating any critical community changes in public health. For any additional questions or concerns, please contact festivals@saaca.org for more information.