|
|
Darke County Center for the Arts
Not Normal Times
By Marilyn Delk - DCCA News
Truthfully, we don’t know much. We don’t know if the COVID-19 virus
will continue to spread, we don’t know if the pandemic will still be
defining our lives next month, next fall, next year, we don’t know if
schools will re-open, whether or not the Great Darke County Fair will
happen, and ultimately, we don’t know how to thoughtfully and
efficiently plan for the future. This frustrating truth is experienced
by almost everyone, including the staff and officials of Darke County
Center for the Arts, who are desperately hoping to present an exciting
slate of events during the upcoming year. Normally, right now I would
be lauding DCCA’s upcoming Artists Series, Family Theatre Series, and
Coffeehouse Series, urging you to get your tickets now so as not to
miss out on any of the wonders that await; however, these are not
normal times, and we cannot predict when we will move from not knowing
into whatever a new normal may be.
Believe me, I am ready to experience live music once again, to feel the
thrilling interaction between the audience and those artists making the
music, to head home knowing that I have been involved in memorable
moments that will never again happen on this earth, feeling and
remembering pretty much forever the euphoria that those moments
inspired. Oh, I enjoy the creative output of performers whose need to
do what they were born to do inspires impromptu ad hoc concerts from
their homes, sometimes alone, sometimes through the magic of technology
alone together with others. Although at times magical moments are made
and captured on a screen within our homes and transferred to our hearts
and souls, it is not the same as having been there at that
unforgettable moment in time when you were one with the artists, with
others in the audience, with the universe.
DCCA understands all that, and is eager to fulfill your hopes and
expectations—but cannot make solid plans during such an unstable
period. So, instead of following the normal schedule and announcing the
upcoming season, DCCA is currently notifying past Artists Series
subscribers of their options regarding the cancellation of the planned
final two shows of the season just ended. Knowing that the arts
organization’s success through the years is due to loyal support
received from community members, DCCA is offering the following options
for subscribers to the 2019-2020 Kaleidoscope season: The value of
those unused tickets for The Hit Men and Toledo Symphony Orchestra
concerts ($55) can be donated to DCCA as an investment assisting the
organization’s mission to promote the arts; or that amount can be
applied to the cost of a subscription to DCCA’s planned 2020-2021
Vision season; or a refund can be requested.
Those wishing to donate the ticket amount back to DCCA need do nothing
at all; after June 22, those donors will receive a tax letter
acknowledging the value of their contribution to the non-profit
organization. If you want to apply the cost of those unused tickets to
your payment for the upcoming season or to request a refund, contact
DCCA at 937-547-0908 or dcca@darkecountyarts.org before that June 22
deadline date. Single ticket buyers have until June 30 to request
refunds for shows that DCCA was forced to cancel; if you have questions
or need more information, please contact DCCA.
We never know what the future holds; however, as we have absolutely no
pattern to follow, making normal actions fraught with doubt, the
unprecedented nature of this novel virus contributes to even greater
uncertainty. As we learn to tolerate living with this uncertainty, we
move into the unknown one day at a time. And that’s pretty much what we
know now.
|
|
|
|
