We are living in challenging and confusing times. Covid is taking its toll physically  and mentally on a lot of people. For a lot of people, like me, live music is therapeutic. But for the next few weeks people will have to find their musical therapy elsewhere.

 As Covid cases continue to climb and with new restrictions in place, Lethbridge’s music  and entertainment  venues are trying to adapt. The Owl Acoustic Lounge announced on Facebook there will be no live music until further notice.

 Soundgarden has decided to shut down for three weeks including cancelling the Chevelles this weekend who o were going to help Sound Garden celebrate their twentieth anniversary on the weekend.

Good Times also announced in Facebook also cancelled all of their comedy shows, emphasizing no Covid cases have come through their venue.
The Nikka Yuko  Japanese Gardens are still planning on holding their annual winter lights festival, but have cancelled  all horse and wagon rides  for Dec. 4 and 5 as well as Shakespeare Meets Dickens’ Dec. 8 show.

SAAG is psyched for ArtFrenzy— the local art museum’s popular annual fund-raising event.

 But, due to Covid 19 The Southern Alberta Art Gallery is thinking out of the box so the  twenty-eighth annual ArtFrenzy will be an online auction of 44 artworks and 16 gift packages.
 While the actual auction is tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 21, there are three one hour long Champagne Previews tonight, Nov. 20.

“It’s our annual signature fundraising event, but because of Covid, our usual live auction party will be a virtual event this year. There are 44 artworks and 16 different experiences to bid on,” said SAAG Executive director Kristy Trinier, noting there has already been a frenzy of  interest in early bidding since bidding opened on Nov. 13. Bidding closes at 9 p.m., Nov. 21.

She noted it was a priority to ensure Art Frenzy is a safe as an event as possible.

“It has been a challenging process. But we’re very thankful for the art community’s support of this non-profit gallery,” she said.

The participating artists, who donated their work to ArtFrenzy including University of Lethbridge professors, students, alumni and community members, many of whom have been part of previous SAAG exhibits.
 They have utilized a variety of different mediums including paint, photography, graphic design, crafts, needlepoint, fabric art, leather work, needlepoint, sculpture and more.  Trinier was excited by the different perspectives all the different artists brought to the table.

It seems too early to be thinking about Christmas, but with snow on the ground and election craziness and Covid all around, anything positive deserves to be highlighted.
 Christmas at Casa is a great way for local artisans to get their work out in the community and for people to get Christmas shopping out of the way.

 Unfortunately with Covid, the popular annual event is forced to go online. This year Christmas at Casa will begin at noon Nov. 21 and run until Dec. 1 at midnight  at www.ChristmasatCasa.ca.
 “With over 3,000 people visiting Casa in two days in 2019, there was just not a safe way to proceed,” explains Tara Gillanders, Allied Arts Council Projects Manager in a press release.

 “By going on-line, we keep artists and customers safe in our community. While we will miss gathering in person there are some definite benefits to being virtual.”

The online market and extended run will allow vendors to restock products online and add new products over the next couple weeks.

“Covid has been hard on artists, really hard, so the Allied Arts Council has worked hard to give artists options, safe options,” said Kelaine Devine, Allied Arts Council Communications Co-ordinator, noting Christmas at Casa has been a Christmas mainstay over the past  eight years.

“But having between 3-5,000 people going through Casa  over a day and a half was never going to be an option,” she said.

“It‘s not like having an event at Exhibition Park where everybody is spread out. Casa is several tiny rooms,” she said, adding there are  more options for patrons as well as artisans.
“Check back often because artists will be adding more stuff. It will be 24-7 for 12 days. I, for one, love pyjama shopping. So if you feel the need for a ceramic cup at three in the morning, you can get one,” she chuckled.
“This has never been about making a buck for the Allied Arts Council, it is about supporting  artists in a safe and secure way,” she said.