As we start a new year, here is an update from Karen Watson, Artistic Director at East Street Arts.
When we first had to adjust our lives to COVID-19 and lockdown last March I thought that we would all have more time to do the things we don’t usually get time for. Opportunities for reading, research, and reflection were high on my list of priorities.
I was wrong and this last year has been harder and busier than I could have imagined. Ensuring we can deliver activities within new constraints, making the finances stack up, supporting staff, artists and others we work closely with, adjusting plans, and just being a stable place people can rely on all contributed to a year like no other. I think we all welcomed the break at Christmas and New Year with open arms.
Coming back to work in January was of course with the news of another national lockdown and an ever-increasing amount of people contracting the virus. We have again, as everyone has had to adjust our plans.
We are delaying aspects of our public-facing programme and supporting the artists involved to manage what impact this has on their plans. Everything that we can continue to do on-line or through the post, we will, so that we can continue to develop our relationship with our neighbours through projects such as the Neighbourhood Plan and the Heritage Action Zone pilot.
We are now comfortable with our Artists Support programmes such as Guild and our one-to-one sessions taking place online.
As ever, we are here if you feel we can help, or if you need some advice or support with a project.
We will continue to develop the Art Hostel with an opening planned for April 2021. You can find out more about recent developments and who the artists are we are working.
Happy New Year, Keep safe.
