| VOLUME 24 | * * All Arts News On the Web * * | December 17, 2020 |
ArtBits always features a calendar of the goings on of Franklin County artists. Check out these events around Franklin County. Each issue includes the entire text of our weekly newspaper column. STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS
Franklin County's arts and music gatherings bring new opportunities, gossip, "show-and-tell" and occasional workshops. There are also booked and acoustic Open Mic Nights that feature music, readings, and more from the best new artists in Vermont.
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The FDA has issued emergency use authorization for the Pfizer mRNA vaccine on Friday. The Vermont Department of Health was allocated weekly shipments of 5,850 doses of the vaccine through December. The first 1,950 doses arrived in Vermont on Monday; the State Vaccine Depot and the UVM Medical Center each received 975 doses. The coming vaccine from Moderna Therapeutics will also have a positive effect on supply. CANCELLATION (AND RESTART) NEWS
The next few weeks will be hell as we face the most dangerous time of the pandemic. With the vaccine "almost here" for us all, many want to resume normal social activities. Please don't let down your guard.It appears Vermont avoided the Thanksgiving COVID surge, but new outbreaks and case growth remain a concern going into the holidays, Gov. Phil Scott said last Friday. Most Vermonters apparently avoided gatherings or kept them small.
As cases continue to rise, Gov. Scott extended the State of Emergency to January 15. The Vermont State of Emergency continues. All non-essential travel to and from Vermont requires quarantine. The Vermont statewide mask mandate remains in effect along with the ban on multi-household gatherings and an order to close bars and social clubs. The state is performing daily testing in skilled nursing facilities and twice weekly testing of all patients, daily antigen testing for staff, and immediate testing available for symptomatic residents at long-term care facilities.
As of Sunday, the Vermont Dashboard showed a total of 5,753 cases, up from a reported 5,015 last week. There have been 95 deaths (1.7% of cases). The seven-day average test positivity rate has remained high at 2.3%. CDC reported 778 new cases this past week although HealthVermont reported 119 new cases. The state's arithmetic still does not add up; it is an interesting, and ongoing, disparity. Franklin County had 22 new cases this week, 159 in the last two weeks.
243,371 people (up to 39% of the Vermont population) have been tested a total of 617,618 times, although that data comes with a crucial caveat:
• A negative test result yesterday says nothing about an individual's health today. We need a daily test that costs ten cents and gives results in ten minutes.
The state has added to its contact tracing staff. A HealthVermont video, How Contact Tracing Slows the Spread of COVID-19, explains what contact tracers do. Click here for the YouTube video.
More artists and venues are doing more online. The Vermont Humanities Council has ongoing arts and literary digital events and programs including First Wednesdays and Vermont Reads. Although the activities may take place at a distance from Franklin County, they are available safely and locally online at vermonthumanities.org.
Because I write this weekly column largely on Sundays, the infection rates reported may lag "live media" reports. Since it appears on Thursday and covers an entire week in the future, that also means events and happenings are likely to change with changing State mandates. Be sure to check with the organizers of any event for up-to-the-minute info.
Although so many of our favorite activities won't happen this year, all the volunteers will stay as active as possible and this weekly column about the arts and entertainment around the region will continue to serve up live and almost live events and artists from around the region. Read all about it here every Thursday.
ST. ALBANS--Vermont artist Corliss Blakely offers "a little moment of serenity" with original watercolors she created "to evoke a sense of calm in your daily life." She has framed them in a compact 6 x 8 format to sit easily in any workspace. ART YOU CAN BUY--THE PERFECT GIFT FOR THE HOLIDAYS OR AS A PRESENT FOR YOURSELF
Click here to see the serenity series as well as her selections of other oil and watercolor paintings.
ST. ALBANS--The Artist In Residence Gallery Winter Holiday Store has gift cards, ornament trees, featured artists, and more available in the store or online.
The Artist in Residence art cooperative features paintings, fiber arts, stained glass, sculpture, lamps, pottery, folk art boxes, scarves, hats and more by 40 Franklin County and surrounding area artists. It is owned and operated by the artists and sponsors. The gallery on South Main Street is open Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here or find them on Facebook for more info.
MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild artist pop-up features jewelry designer Cathy Laclair and Cathy Hartley with paintings and drawings at the Guild on Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. They will display new work, demonstrate, and explain their process.
MAG's artist pop-ups will feature artists every Saturday with appropriate social distancing. "This way, we can support our artists, and create a special and fun weekend destination." Come and meet the artists on Saturdays, while the Guild is open. Charlene Murray and Ye Olde Sign Shoppe were on tap last Saturday. Find them on Facebook for more info.
The MAG online shop is open.
FAIRFAX--The Fairfax Arts Council will host a Google Meet on Tuesday at 7 p.m. to discuss a grant opportunity for a public art project. All are welcome to attend, learn, share suggestions, and provide feedback. Click here to join the meeting. IN THE ARTS COUNCILS
The Better Places pilot program provides "placemaking" grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 that improve the vitality of state designated downtowns, village centers, new town centers, or neighborhood development areas. Click here for more info about the grant.
Email Amanda Duling if you'd like to participate in the conversation but are unable to attend or for more info.
Here's the roundup of virtual music and events for this week. ALMOST LIVE ON STAGE
Friday, December 18
Summer Sounds favorite John Bartus' Perpetual Island Tour will perform Social Distancing Concert 39, Live from the Florida Keys, thanks to Facebook Live on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Find him on Facebook for the watch party. He has a new single on the major download sites: Happy Holidays (My Own Damn Christmas Song).
Social Distancing Concert 38 was live on Facebook last Friday.
The UVM Lane Series presents Coig in a virtual concert in the comfort of your own living room on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
The group has performed three in-person holiday concerts for the Lane Series with their blend of joyful, uplifting, and comforting songs and tunes from the Cape Breton Celtic tradition. Coig is working with local venues, so a portion of the ticket price goes to help keep some of their bills paid. They also collect for a local food bank or heating assistance program and have a donate button that links directly to a separate account that will be sent to the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf.
Admission is $20. Click here for tickets and more info.
Andrew Lloyd Webber will stream his musicals in the free YouTube series, The Shows Must Go On, every Friday at 7 p.m. for 48 hours. A new show begins tomorrow. Clips of famous performances and behind-the-scenes footage also appear on the channel beside the full shows. Christmas Music By Candlelight played on December 7.
Click here for Mr. Webber's YouTube channel for all the details and to subscribe.
Saturday, December 19
The Hudson Valley Philharmonic and the Bardavon present Handel's Messiah, A Free Virtual Sing-along, on Saturday, at 2 p.m.
The virtual singalong features excerpts from the 2019 performance of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic and Cappella Festiva, with lyrics on the screen and commentary by guest conductor Christine Howlett.
The Bardavon 1869 Opera House, a 944-seat historic theater in Poughkeepsie, is currently closed due to COVID. It is the oldest continuously operating theater in NY State, one of the oldest in the country, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. HVP is the region's premiere orchestra. Find the event on Facebook for more details and the links.
Ongoing
Scott Guptill, Taylor Arsenault, and Scott Belisle streamed A Year In Review with ELEVEN on Facebook.
"Happy Holidays and stay safe," they said.
Fiona and Emmett performed on Young Tradition's Facebook page as part of the series of online concerts and interviews by current and alumni members of the Touring Group.
Watching is free but YTV requests a $5 donation. Proceeds are split between participating group members and Young Tradition Vermont, all to support this year's Touring Group project, which started rehearsals in September and will continue through a final project in late April. Donations can be made through PayPal.me/YTVermontPaypal . Email for more info.
Country music performer Mark Leclair of St. Albans was live on Facebook on Saturday night.
Summer Sounds favorite Mark Shelton went live with an Elvis tribute, Christmas songs and more on Facebook on Friday evening. He sang Christmas and gospel songs for the third Sunday of Advent on Facebook from the living room.
Follow him on Facebook for a link to this week's offerings.
ArtBits features a quick weekly peek at library events in and around Franklin County. That popular feature has a page of its own at the Franklin County Bookshelf here on the AAC site at AllArtsCouncil.org/books. We also take an occasional peek at the bookshelf or night stand of the folks you know in and around Franklin County. Those reviews can be found on the ArtBits Bookshelf. ON THE BOOKSHELF
Good News!There are so many events around the region that we miss some of them.Be sure to check these calendars for what's happening near you ... |
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Music!Links to the Summer Music series in Franklin County |
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Dick Harper, Chair
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