Kentuck Arts Festival Canceled, Fundraiser Established

The 49th installment of the Kentuck Festival of the Arts has been canceled, according to a release from the event's Board of Directors — a move festival organizers say could result in an estimated revenue loss in excess of $200,000. While the immediate economic impact will no doubt be felt in Northport and Tuscaloosa, Kentuck has also established a fundraising initiative to help finance efforts moving forward through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival’s board this week voted unanimously to cancel the event, a decision referred to in a press release as a “worst-case scenario” for the organization. The Board of Directors said apart from risking public health, survey results and financial projections have indicated that an in-person festival would not be profitable for artists or the organization. What’s more, organizers said the regulations and additional equipment needed to protect all attendees would be financially detrimental to the Kentuck Art Center and the festival.

The economic impact is likely to hurt for many, with organizers saying the 270 artists depending on the festival stand to lose thousands of dollars in needed sales, in addition to local businesses losing a two-day economic impact estimated to be more than $5 million.

While the in-person event will not be held in 2020, Kentuck did allude to plans to provide a virtual celebration of artists, with more details to be announced during the first week of August.

“This Festival cancellation is the biggest existential threat Kentuck Art Center and Festival has faced in our 49-year history,” the organization said in a statement Wednesday. “Kentuck’s Board of Directors and staff have sprung into action, formulating ways to continue bringing art to our community and empowering our artists.”

One of the ways Kentuck hopes to mitigate the economic downturn for the event will be through the Kentuck Festival Forever Fund — an initiative seeking to raise money to ensure the festival and organization will survive. As of the publication of this story on Wednesday, the effort had raised $590 toward its $250,000 goal.

To learn more about the fund or to donate, click here.