Murphy – The Art Walk was ready to return Friday night, but it has unfortunately become just another seasonal event on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Valley River Arts Guild is waiting for Gov. Roy Cooper to lift restrictions on large crowds before they plan for the event’s return, organizer Tim Ford said. More than 30 artists were already registered to participate in the event held on the first Friday of each month from May through December.
“As an artist myself, I am disappointed that we can’t move forward with a community event that celebrates our downtown shops, art and restaurants,” Ford said. “It is hard to walk through downtown and seeing the empty streets, closed shops and limited access to local restaurants.”
The event brings together local artists and downtown businesses. Sidewalks are filled with artists showing, performing and selling their work. Depending on the weather, the event draws crowds of visitors to downtown, causing some business owners to stay open later those nights.
Ford believes delaying the start of the event’s ninth season will impact local merchants already hurting from virus restrictions. As a result, he said the guild is considering waiving merchant fees to sponsor artists during the event. The Art Walk’s budget depends on grants and those fees.
“Our budget will be tighter than originally planned, but there are plans to expand Art Walk awareness outside of Murphy,” Ford said. “We need more visitors from out of town to discover both local arts and the uniqueness of downtown Murphy.”
For details on participating as an artist or a host business, email Ford at tlford2035@gmail.com.
Guild delays Art Walk 2020 season opening
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