Looking Ahead to March 2021
This is an era of unprecedented uncertainty around the globe. Many event planners recently made the tough but responsible call to postpone or cancel their upcoming events, even before this was mandated by official restrictions on group gatherings. Our heart goes out to those who found themselves in this extremely difficult position. We know how much work goes into producing an event of any size or type, whether it be an intimate birthday party or a large festival. And though we still face an uncertain future, the only way forward for us is to recognize that human connection is integral to our ability to survive and thrive. For this reason, we are full steam ahead on our original plans for March 5-7 2021 on Salt Spring Island. In the coming months we will continually reassess, roll with the punches, and make the most responsible decisions we can as new knowledge comes to light.
When people come together to celebrate the arts, we tap into a collective energy that is palpable. If you have ever seen a speaker bouncing around on stage talking about a subject they’re passionate about, or been seated next to conference cohorts who are scribbling notes in earnest, then you know that the thread of a new idea bustling beneath the surface of consciousness has an unmistakable power to it. Sharing ideas is not only exciting to our spirit, but it’s a foundational element of who we are. We come together, whether it be around an actual or metaphorical campfire, to tell stories.
This is a tenuous time for us to pursue the very first event of what we intend to be an annual festival, but in many ways it’s more important than ever to push through the uncertainty. And there’s a lot to muddle through: the lack of companies who have the financial bandwidth to sponsor, the tightening of our borders, the freeze on mobility, the anxiety of physical proximity to others, the financial fallout of world markets. But we intend to do everything within our power to applaud Canadian authors and creators, to bring their stories to the stage. After all, the art of storytelling is what gives us our humanity, and we can think of no better antidote to fear than that.
