SAN ANTONIO – The 2020 Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival was scheduled for Nov. 14 at Hemisfair but organizers on Friday announced it is canceled.
The board and staff leadership of the festival said in a press release they chose to cancel with the overwhelming health concerns and the projected insecurity of funds resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recommended Videos
By the numbers: How much money each San Antonio arts program is projected to lose due to pandemic
The board chair, Eric Rodríguez released the following statement:
“This was a very difficult decision for the Luminaria Board of Directors to make. We are saddened that the consequences of the global pandemic due to the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted our festival for 2020. However, the sad reality is that health and safety concerns will continue to exist in the community, and we expect that we will continue to experience the related social anxiety associated with convening in large gatherings. The Board is committed to supporting the ongoing activities of Luminaria and artists in our community as best we can during these unprecedented times, and we look forward to the day we can celebrate the arts with our family of supporters.”
Closure List: Schools, events, churches, sports, retailers, city services and other changes
Even though the festival is canceled the current call for artists will remain open through April 20. All applications will be held for review for the 2021 Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE FROM KSAT: