ANOTHER much-loved local event has pulled the plug on this year’s festivities citing the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.
Arts on Terrace, which sees Loxton’s East Terrace become a gallery of creativity, conversation and commerce for the local arts scene every year, will not go ahead in August, due to a number of coronavirus-related concerns.
Loxton Chamber of Commerce (LCC) business and events manager Sonya Altschwager said not only was the COVID-19 situation uncertain at the moment, but the LCC didn’t want to put further pressure on local businesses.
“The (businesses on East Terrace) are already trying to cope with all the rules and regulations around COVID-19, and we didn’t want to take away any customer space or the numbers of customers in their shops because of the restrictions,” she said.
“Also, we had to leave it until the last possible minute we could to even know what the event regulations were, so the late callout for sculpture entries could have had an impact on the number of entries being submitted.
“There were a number of factors that we needed to consider, and it was just not a safe time. There is so much uncertainty around coronavirus and what’s happening interstate, so we thought we’d just call it for the year unfortunately and put our efforts and focus on next year’s event as many other people are doing.”
Loxton artist Lyn Anstey said Arts on Terrace was a “fantastic” way to showcase local art, and now that it is cancelled, artists have nowhere to promote and display their work once again.
“It is our one chance, particularly now that we don’t have an art gallery which we have in the building on the roundabout,” she said.
“So, because we have even less venues than what we used to, it just seems that we’re shrinking the possible places we could show our art.
“I do speak to a few visitors that come into town, and they’re quite disappointed when they come up here and realise we don’t have an art gallery or a display centre in Loxton showing local art.
“I just felt that Arts on Terrace was a fantastic way to showcase our art, (where we) at least still have many venues and lots of people coming into town to view them in all the different shops.”
However, while Mrs Anstey was disappointed, she said she understood why the event had to be cancelled.
“It’s had such an impact COVID-19 that it’s difficult to meet all the requirements and plan ahead,” she said.
“I do realise that makes it a bit more difficult to hold Arts on Terrace, so I do understand, but I’m disappointed.
“Even if they could’ve had an altered way of showing our art, it would have been a better way than not at all.”
Mrs Altschwager agreed it was disappointing to have to cancel the event because it is typically a great day for people to shop and trade, but said the LCC would look at potentially holding something a little bit later in the year to offer that same opportunity to traders in East Terrace and the community.
However, in the meantime, she urged the community to keep supporting local artists.