COVID-19 may have silenced Armstrong MetalFest (AMF) this year, but thanks to a provincial grant, the festival will be kept on its feet until it can 乌鸦传媒榯urn it up to eleven乌鸦传媒� in 2022.
AMF, a part of West Metal Entertainment, was awarded relief funds through the BC Arts Council and co-founder Jesse Valstar said the grant will cover all of the society乌鸦传媒檚 fixed and basic operating costs for 2020-21.
乌鸦传媒淭his funding is really positive,乌鸦传媒� Valstar said. 乌鸦传媒淥ne of the most challenging parts during the COVID pandemic is for a (non-for-profit) society that depends on people gathering to make money 乌鸦传媒� when you can乌鸦传媒檛 gather people, you can乌鸦传媒檛 raise funds.乌鸦传媒�
Earlier this month, AMF announced it had to pull the plug for the second year in a row due to provincial health orders restricting events and Valstar said the volunteer-based society had come to accept the costs of the pandemic.
乌鸦传媒淲e had just said, 乌鸦传媒榯his is a casualty but we can deal with it.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
But with this award, the team behind Western Canada乌鸦传媒檚 largest metal festival won乌鸦传媒檛 have to start two steps back.
The funding will cover website operations, society maintenance and the annual Armstrong Metal Fest Music Bursary, awarded to a graduating Pleasant Valley Secondary student.
乌鸦传媒淲hen we don乌鸦传媒檛 have an event, we can乌鸦传媒檛 really pay for that kind of stuff,乌鸦传媒� Valstar said. 乌鸦传媒淭he B.C. government rolled in and actually helped us out quite a bit.乌鸦传媒�
Looking to 2022, the festival is set to come back bigger and better than ever 乌鸦传媒� pending health orders.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e looking at ways to expand the festival from what it is right now but trying to sort things out乌鸦传媒� we can乌鸦传媒檛 do anything without knowing what we乌鸦传媒檙e allowed to do,乌鸦传媒� Valstar said.
Now, it乌鸦传媒檚 a game of wait and see.
乌鸦传媒淎rmstrong MetalFest and every other event and gathering has its struggles so we乌鸦传媒檙e not unique in that aspect,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檝e just got to move forward with whatever you乌鸦传媒檝e got.乌鸦传媒�
The BC Arts Council was created in 1995 to support the arts and cultural activity in communities across the province.
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