COVID-19 may have silenced Armstrong MetalFest (AMF) this year, but thanks to a provincial grant, the festival will be kept on its feet until it can 鈥榯urn it up to eleven鈥� in 2022.
AMF, a part of West Metal Entertainment, was awarded relief funds through the BC Arts Council and co-founder Jesse Valstar said the grant will cover all of the society鈥檚 fixed and basic operating costs for 2020-21.
鈥淭his funding is really positive,鈥� Valstar said. 鈥淥ne of the most challenging parts during the COVID pandemic is for a (non-for-profit) society that depends on people gathering to make money 鈥� when you can鈥檛 gather people, you can鈥檛 raise funds.鈥�
Earlier this month, AMF announced it had to pull the plug for the second year in a row due to provincial health orders restricting events and Valstar said the volunteer-based society had come to accept the costs of the pandemic.
鈥淲e had just said, 鈥榯his is a casualty but we can deal with it.鈥欌��
But with this award, the team behind Western Canada鈥檚 largest metal festival won鈥檛 have to start two steps back.
The funding will cover website operations, society maintenance and the annual Armstrong Metal Fest Music Bursary, awarded to a graduating Pleasant Valley Secondary student.
鈥淲hen we don鈥檛 have an event, we can鈥檛 really pay for that kind of stuff,鈥� Valstar said. 鈥淭he B.C. government rolled in and actually helped us out quite a bit.鈥�
Looking to 2022, the festival is set to come back bigger and better than ever 鈥� pending health orders.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at ways to expand the festival from what it is right now but trying to sort things out鈥� we can鈥檛 do anything without knowing what we鈥檙e allowed to do,鈥� Valstar said.
Now, it鈥檚 a game of wait and see.
鈥淎rmstrong MetalFest and every other event and gathering has its struggles so we鈥檙e not unique in that aspect,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e just got to move forward with whatever you鈥檝e got.鈥�
The BC Arts Council was created in 1995 to support the arts and cultural activity in communities across the province.
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