Press release from Wortham Center for the Performing Arts:
Dear Wortham Center Patrons:
The arts bring people together. However, we are now in an unprecedented time in which being together poses enormous risk. As performing arts professionals who exist with a staunch “the show must go on” mentality, this is an incredibly difficult announcement.
In response to national and local guidelines and a City of Asheville proclamation stating limitations on organized assemblages on city-owned property, all events in excess of 100 persons at the Wortham Center through the beginning of April will be rescheduled or canceled — effective immediately. This restriction may continue further into the month of April.
The Wortham Center is currently in the process of rescheduling or canceling 47 separate performances and events by local and international artists and organizations, fundraisers, workshops, activities in local schools, and school matinees serving area children. The impact for the Wortham Center and the community is massive. It includes excessive loss of income, lost wages for hourly employees and artists and lost opportunities for thousands of children to learn through the arts.
We are hopeful that many events will be rescheduled for a time later in the year when the COVID-19 threat is past. As the entire industry is currently affected, this planning will take some time and coordination. We ask for your patience and support as staff works to compile an update for each event.
If you have tickets for an upcoming event, you will receive information about your choices. To help us provide the best customer service possible, please wait until we have communicated the rescheduled dates and times for events before corresponding with the box office staff regarding your tickets.
In general, you will have several options:
1. If the event is rescheduled, you may transfer your tickets to the new date.
2. Return your tickets for a credit (good for 12 months).
3. Convert your tickets to a donation to the Wortham Center.
4. Request a refund.While we can’t fully anticipate what the next few weeks will bring, we know that the effects will be widespread. We also know we will emerge on the other side of COVID-19 as a strong force, ready to bring our community back together to recover through the arts.
As you receive information about upcoming shows, please consider how you can help the Wortham — and the thousands of artists, school children and local companies served by this facility — by transferring your ticket purchase to a rescheduled or new event or by converting it to a donation.
We’re all in this together and we are eternally grateful for your support.
Sincerely,
Rae Geoffrey
Managing Director
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts
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