Artpark working to reschedule concerts; Patti LaBelle, BNL among acts with new date

As virtually all of Lewiston’s summer festivals and large-scale events are canceled, many people have asked about Artpark – will the venue be allowed to stage concerts this summer?

Artpark & Company Executive Director Sonia Clark announced the following on Tuesday:

Dear Artpark Community,

I hope this message finds you well given the current circumstances, and would like to take this opportunity to share some updates on Artpark’s season.

As we navigate through the COVID-19 crisis, we all are feeling a sense of loss in various ways. For some this may be illness or loss of a loved one. Others may be feeling a financial setback. And even more of us are experiencing a loss of normalcy and the events and traditions we look forward to in the spring and summer. The latter is evident in Artpark’s season, which has already realized a number of cancellations or postponements with more anticipated in the coming weeks.

We can confirm that the following concerts have been cancelled:

• Dropkick Murphys & Rancid (May 24)
• The Head and the Heart (May 27)
• AWOLNATION with Andrew McMahon (May 31)
• Vampire Weekend (June 2)
• Bright Eyes (June 14)
• Andrew Bird and Calexico and Iron & Wine (June 15)
• Joe Russo's Almost Dead has been rescheduled to Aug. 20, 2021

Details on these cancelled and rescheduled events have already been communicated to ticket holders. If you have tickets to any of these shows and have not yet received an email, please contact us at [email protected].

New Announcements:

• Patti LaBelle (originally scheduled for June 23) – rescheduled to June 22, 2021
• Buddy Guy (June 30) – rescheduled to June 29, 2021
• King Crimson (July 1) – rescheduled to June 28, 2021
• Barenaked Ladies (July 7) – rescheduled to July 6, 2021
• Tedeschi Trucks Band (July 14) – postponed to 2021, date TBA
• Earth Wind & Fire (July 18) – postponed to 2021, date TBA
• Chick Corea (Aug. 10) – postponed to 2021, date TBA

• David Gray (July 13) – postponed, date TBA

Ticket holders for these concerts will be contacted soon with further details.

If the event(s) you have purchased tickets to are not listed above, please note that we are in regular contact with the artists’ representatives and await their further direction. We appreciate your patience and will share more information as soon as we are able.

However, during these challenging times we take a cue from the nature that surrounds us and move forward. In a number of ways, Artpark is in bloom again with renewed energies and mission-focused initiatives championed by our Board of Directors who are working tirelessly with our professional staff to sustain our operations today and to ensure our upward trajectory.

We recently conducted online auditions for School of Rock, and were moved and impressed by the talented young people from across Western New York who participated. While we regretfully will not be able to move forward with Artpark Theatre Academy this season due to present public health guidelines, we are working on new ways to showcase the abilities of young performers in our community for later in the summer.

Artpark also recently received proposals for a new public mural project and our judges panel selected local artists Rob Lynch & Matt SaGurney (The Solo Roths). They will work collaboratively with our Artpark Bridges partners. Together, they will transform the lower parking lot into an expansive canvas of colorful playfulness that expresses universal connections of shared humanity.

We are also actively developing exciting new ways you can interact with Artpark this summer through creative walking tours / experiences created by international artists. We will share details soon on these and other exciting artistic initiatives, all of which support creation of new work and allow for a healthy experience in our gorgeous park.

During this time we are all reminded of how important the arts are in our lives. Artpark is a not-for-profit organization, presenting over 100 events and programs to 100,000+ people every summer, and ticket purchases, sponsorships, and donations help sustain and grow not only the music programming for the future but the many free and low-cost community arts programs offered all summer long in the park.

We are so thankful for the support we have received from businesses, foundations and individuals in the community. A special gratitude to those who have been making financial contributions, and ticket holders choosing to receive an account credit or donate some or all of the value of their tickets for cancelled concerts. Your generosity during this difficult time inspires us all.

Thank you for your attention and understanding. We will overcome this crisis by working together and helping one another. Your continued support as a ticket buyer, sponsor, donor, member or volunteer helps ensure that Artpark will be there for you and the community tomorrow.

Be well.

For more information, visit www.artpark.net.