I remember the first time I walked into the one-night, multidisciplinary arts event known as Terrain, one early October evening several years ago. The event was in relative infancy when I was in high school, and I went to college out-of-state, so I missed the Terrain’s explosion in popularity––which seemed to coincide with the region’s arts scene itself. 

Walking into the maze-like Washington Cracker Building, I was in awe at the mass of people (there was a line!), the great music, and—sure—the hip vibe. Exploring the show, I saw styles of art, design, dance, and sculpture that I’d never seen anywhere—let alone in Spokane. The more conceptual pieces (a room full of metronomes! Facebook posts as art!) were among the most memorable, but more than anything, I walked away with an immense sense of pride for my city. It wasn’t just that this type of event was produced in Spokane, but that it seemed like it couldn’t have been produced anywhere else.

Of course, this month feels very different. The COVID-19 pandemic has cancelled almost every regular local arts event and show for the foreseeable future––Terrain included. And while my loss is nothing compared to that of the organizers, artists, and community members who pour their hearts into the event every year, the loss of our arts scene’s biggest annual coming-together feels uniquely raw.

And Terrain is not alone. Already the region has lost numerous arts organizations to the financial costs of the pandemic, including the Richmond Art Collective and others. Music venues have been hit particularly hard; The Pin, one of our city’s smaller venues, has announced its permanent closure. The Spokane Comedy Club has temporarily pivoted to restaurant service, despite being limited even then.

So, what can we do to support local arts scene during this difficult time?

Buy art! If you missed the opportunity this summer to buy local art at Bazaar, Art on the Green, or Artfest, now’s your chance. You can walk into a shop like From Here or Atticus, or check out the fantastic artist roster at spokanearts.org. You just might find a new favorite!

Donate to your favorite arts organization. Whether it’s Terrain, the Spokane Film Project, the Spokane Print and Publishing Center, Spark Central, Spokane Civic Theatre, or some other organization, nonprofit arts groups are in particular need of help. Most are 501(c)3-registered, making your donation tax deductible.

Keep flattening the curve. At the end of the day, the pandemic needs to end for concerts, live events, art shows, and the like to safely resume. Do your part by following public health guidance. To date (and in part due to negligent federal leadership), our country has failed to adequately follow these simple rules. Many industries, including the arts and culture sector, have paid the price. Some countries have already resumed activities like concerts and art shows, even without a vaccine! We can and we must do better.