An important update from Trinacria Theatre Company regarding COVID-19
Design by Sean Devare.
Dear Trinacria friends, followers, and family,
I write to you during these difficult and unprecedented times with sad news and a call for help. The Hades & Persephone Project, which was awarded an Arts Council National Lottery Grant for development in London this April, has sadly been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are truly heartbroken. This decision was the only sensible step to take, but it was not easy. Receiving Arts Council funding to develop this production was such a huge step not only for the project, but for our entire organization. The UK government is “strongly advising” against unnecessary social interaction such as theatres, pubs, and cinemas. This decree left out a significant detail: no mandate for closure. Without a mandated forced closure, small organizations such as ours will lose all revenue streams but cannot claim insurance or government support against their losses. This has left us in a precarious position, worrying for the financial well-being of our entire team.
However the health and safety of our artists and audiences will always come first. We look forward to sharing The Hades & Persephone Project with you when it is safe to do so. We are so grateful for all the support and love so far. We cannot wait to tell these stories that come from the heart of land that has been so deeply affected by the outbreak. As members of an Italian community, we witnessed the devastating effects of coronavirus. Our hearts are with our community in Italy.
In the meanwhile, we must make an appeal. Our team has worked extremely hard already. Most of our artists are self-employed, which means we have little financial security and must hustle to make ends meet even in the best of times. In just a matter of just a few days, our jobs and opportunities disappeared for the foreseeable future. Our livelihoods are at stake.
Please consider one of these two ways to help us:
1. Contribute to our artist relief fund
Trinacria is committed to supporting our artists as best we can through these difficult times. We would greatly appreciate any donation you can make to help us keep afloat. All donations made during this time will go directly to providing financial relief for the team working on The Hades & Persephone Project, all of whom just lost their main source of income.
2. Purchase our merchandise
You can buy a shirt or one of the other beautiful products designed by company artist, Sean Devare. We will be releasing NEW hand drawn designs inspired by The Hades & Persephone Project as well as the 2019 Messina Duomo collection, featuring the beloved Messina clock tower landmark that has appeared in all our productions thus far. Products ship all over the world.
Many things are uncertain, but we are still looking with hope toward the future. We will of course adjust our plans as necessary, but as of right now, we can say:
The Hades & Persephone Project will perform at a later date (to be determined).
We are still planning to present outdoor performances of La Storia di Colapesce to audiences in New England in June 2020.
And we are still working towards hosting our Summer Creative Residency and Trinacria Arts Festival in Sicily in August 2020—however due to the extraordinary circumstances, we are extending the deadline to apply until April 20th. (Nota bene: In the event the Summer Residency must be rescheduled due to ongoing public health concerns, we will work with prospective participants to arrange new residency dates.)
Theatre relies on togetherness, on people gathering in a space, sharing the magic of a live, collective experience. It is that very togetherness that we will miss most in these lonely days.
Like many of you, I have turned to the arts to help me through isolation: books, poetry, movies, music, and plays. The world needs artists to carry us through in this moment of crisis, but those same artists need your help to survive.
These days, we have seen the overwhelming power of community and collective effort, especially in Italy. We have seen the videos of communities singing together, creating joy in moments of pain. In the days ahead, we will once again come together. We will grieve our losses, celebrate our heroes, and embrace each other warmly after long days of solitude. And like our old hero Colapesce, we will return to lift up our land—together.
Photo by Eva Gomez.
Thank you as always for your support. As the Italians have learned to say: andrà tutto bene.
Wishing you all the best,
Mariagrazia (Artistic Director), Sean, Elena, Quinton, Gina, Loretta, & Max (the Trinacria Theatre Company Board of Directors) and Anna (producer of The Hades & Persephone Project)