In May 2020, Cultural Survival made the decision to cancel the 2020 Bazaars that would normally occur in Newburyport and Tiverton in July. Due to Covid-19, schools are closed in Massachusetts and will not reopen until September, and it is not guaranteed that they will reopen at that time. Our priorities are the health of all vendors, attendees and staff, as well as the potential cost to our vendors whose sales could be dramatically impacted by the recent order to shelter-in-place, even if that is lifted by July, as communities may take their time to return to public events with crowds.
Our thoughts are with Bazaar vendors, specifically Indigenous artists and their communities, as we all care for ourselves and our families. We understand that alongside, and in addition to health concerns, for many it is the economic impact of Covid safety measures that is taking a far reaching toll on communities. For Indigenous artists relying on sales from the Bazaars as a source of income for the year, we know that this cancellation due to Covid will impact them and their communities.
Here is what Cultural Survival is doing in response to Covid-19 concerns:
- Data Collection and Sharing: We are collecting data from anyone interested in reporting from the ground about how Covid-19 has impacted each Indigenous community’s health.
- We are producing public service announcements in Indigenous languages, and we are aiming for 100.
- Processing Refunds: We are working directly with anyone who has registered and paid for the July 2020 Bazaars to process their refunds or transfer their payments to our next Bazaar season.
- Selling Online: We are planning to host a virtual form of the Bazaar online. Vendors will apply specifically for this opportunity (the process will be announced soon) and a portion of evaluation will be based on the vendors’ current online presence and demonstrated ability to fulfill online orders.
To all of our Bazaar attendees, shoppers and Cultural Survival supporters, we thank you at this time, as always for your ongoing support and channeling of resources to the communities we serve. As we move our efforts online, we will look forward to your participation as we celebrate our first virtual Bazaar. Stay tuned!
