The cancellation of the Jazz & Heritage Festival due to
the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a new opportunity for the community to
support the affected visual artists who would have otherwise showcased their
work to thousands of festival-goers. For many artists, Jazz Fest represents a
large part of their yearly income, so the news of the cancellation of the event,
in coordination with local, state, and federal regulations, signaled a large
financial loss.
The New Orleans Jazz
& Heritage Festival and Foundation is committed to supporting the local
artists by hosting a
virtual auction, which can be accessed on the foundation's website. The
auction has been active since May 26 and will run until June 22. Since the
bidding started on May 26, the foundation has showcased the work of 25 artists
each week. The auction includes various art forms, including jewelry,
paintings, leather, fiber, glass, 2D and 3D mixed media, and clay work. A full 100
percent of the bids will go to the participating artists, in an effort to help
them to recover from the financial loss that the cancellation of the festival
represents for the art community.
