There's no sugarcoating it, the arts are being decimated by the coronavirus like few other segments of society. The things we as individuals turn to for inspiration and comfort — music venues, art galleries, bookstores, movie houses and stage theaters — are suffering mightily as they wait for some relief, some return to normalcy.
And yet, when we reported the stories for this issue, we found a lot of reasons for hope.
We found arts organizations and venues finding success at reaching their audiences online mere months after being at a virtual standstill. We found local theater companies tackling valuable archiving and renovation projects they'd never get to during a "normal season." We met up-and-coming and established visual artists, poets and musicians creating exciting new work during the pandemic, and exploring ways to get that work seen, read and heard.
We don't know when "normal" is coming back. But we know we're going to want our local art scene alive and kicking. As the stories in this year's Fall Arts issue show, the heartbeat is still strong. Do what you can to keep it that way.
Sarah Torres is a multidisciplinary artist, living and working in Spokane. She works in two-dimensional media, including painting, drawing and printmaking. With an associate degree in fine arts from Spokane Falls Community College, she is currently a student of art history and anthropology at the University of Washington. Sarah also works for Laboratory, a new media artist residency based in Spokane. With a website underway, you can find her on Instagram at @art.storres.
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