The Europe wide Arts Festivals Summit 2020 which was due to take place in Galway next month has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Arts Festivals Summit was to take place in Galway from April 27-30, with stakeholders from festivals around Europe sharing their experiences and expertise, with Galway 2020 in the spotlight.
In a statement the European Festivals Association said that it has taken the decision to cancel the April summit with a “heavy heart”, and that it hopes to hold one in November instead.
The EFA expressed its “great thankfulness to Colm Croffy and the Association of Irish Festivals and Events (AOIFE), the city of Galway and all local partners and people who have shown their flexibility to invite us all later this year to Galway in the full trust that circumstances will allow.”
“We decided to postpone the Summit in order to work with the festivals community on a window of hope and commitment”.
The exact date of the planned Cultural Summit for Hope in November has yet to be confirmed.
“The intention of November’s Arts Festivals Summit is to bring those ‘enabling’ stakeholders together that contribute to our commitment and work towards the artists, the arts and the audiences”.
“Cities, sponsors, governments, EU and other stakeholders will be invited to dialogue with the festivals community, artists as well as concert halls, theaters and other artistic and cultural networks.”
The EFA also extended its solidarity with the festivals, artists, cultural houses, people and families in the arts sector which have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.
Arts Festivals and other large public gatherings have been cancelled across Ireland and Europe as people are being told to practice social distancing, and are either on lockdown or being advised to stay indoors unless crucial.
