NEWS RELEASE
Huntsville, AL – The 2020 Panoply Arts Festival – North Alabama’s largest annual celebration of art, music and more – has been cancelled due to global health concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Arts Huntsville’s Board of Directors regretfully cancelled the event, scheduled for April 24 – 26, 2020, to protect the health of the community, including the event’s attendees, artists, musicians, community partners, volunteers and employees.
Panoply 2020 marked the 38th year for this popular festival produced by Arts Huntsville in Big Spring Park in the heart of downtown Huntsville. Area performersand artists have created and programmed work specifically to share with festivalgoers from across North Alabama and the southeast at Panoply, and the loss of the event impacts both the community and artists and vendors scheduled to participate in the 2020 event.
“While we are deeply saddened that we cannot share the great programming our staff and volunteers have planned for Panoply this year, we hope the community will work to support our local artists, musicians and arts organizations at this critical time,” said Allison Dillon-Jauken, Arts Huntsville Executive Director. “The artists and vendors scheduled to participate in Panoply – along with all of our local artists and arts organizations – are small businesses struggling to sustain their income through this difficult time.”
Beginning in April, Arts Huntsville’s social media channels will be featuring the local visual artists, musicians and arts organizations scheduled to participate in Panoply 2020. While the public cannot experience these artists at this year’s festival, the community can both enjoy and support local artists by purchasing their music and artwork, supporting ‘virtual tip jars’ and donating to area nonprofit arts organizations.
“Through the centuries, humankind has come together to sing, dance, write, visualize and dramatize our most joyful, challenging and even mundane moments,” added Dillon-Jauken. “Decades from now, this moment in time will be remembered through historical records and the stories and experiences immortalized in powerful and creative ways by the artists around us today. Please help us ensure that their work continues.”