Recently I received an email from the Utah Arts Festival stating that the 2020 festival is canceled. I am a donor to the festival and even have tickets to attend, because of my support.
My words of admiration are inadequate to describe the depth of my appreciation for the bravery and fortitude to come to this decision. Individuals, nonprofits such as the Utah Arts Festival, small businesses, mayors, etc., are having to make impossibly hard decisions that have huge repercussions.
It really comes down to good individual people wrestling with unknown variables to make their best decision. The Utah Arts Festival staff and board made a commitment to the public good and their mission.
I hope many, many community leaders, including our governor, make similar tough decisions now. I deeply hope all Utahns isolate and socially distance now. And I fervently hope that by the end of June, festival time, that the pandemic is fading.
We will all miss our wonderful Utah Arts Festival. I will remain very grateful to the courageous leadership, everywhere, that is rising to the face this unknown in order to protect as many as possible from COVID-19.
Jaye Rieser, Salt Lake City