HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS
Will DAILEY
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hen Will Dailey was first approached by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod (AFCC) about playing a virtual concert to support the AFCC’s Cape Cod Arts Relief Fund, he had one piece of advice. Go big. Dailey’s advice is one that he followed almost immediately when the pandemic hit, playing a series of online performances to raise funds for Boston-based music venues and their staff who had lost work. Many nights he’d perform in his shower—for the acoustics— as part of what he dubbed the Isolation Tour. He averaged roughly $1,200 per show, evidence of the power the arts have in helping to heal communities. Based on his recommendation, AFCC Executive Director Julie Wake turned a one-off concert into a three-day virtual arts festival that featured some of the region’s biggest names. Of course, Dailey was part of the all-star lineup. Though he’s from Boston, Dailey has strong ties to the Cape, having performed at a number of venues, including the Beachcomber, over the years. “The Cape is such a beautiful part of the country,” he says. “It’s always summer for me whenever I’m there.” His affinity for the Cape was reason enough to take part in Home Is Where The Art Is. His life as a musician was the other. He understands the difficulties local artists are facing because he is one. “Because of the pandemic, all of my plans have been thrown out the window,” he says. “Financially, I built 2020 around touring and other creative projects. It was going to be a really good year; 2019 was when I did all the work for this year, and now all of it is gone.” Still, he knows stability is something an artist never signs up for. “Your job is being able to react in the moment. Even
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if you’re on stage, you’ve got to react artistically,” he says. “Part of the excitement for me of being an artist is reacting to that moment, even if you’re onstage and you break a guitar string.” Of all professions, he says, it is the artist “who is best equipped to react to a pandemic. In a weird way, this isn’t anything new.” So when the pandemic hit, instead of curling up in his room, “playing the guitar alone and crying,” he decided that he’d use his art, energy, and talents to “do that [play the guitar] in front of everybody” online, he says. Dailey’s experience with Home Is Where The Art Is and his Isolation Tour have reinforced why he is an artist. “My whole philosophy during this time, which should be my philosophy throughout all time, is that anything we’re doing should be about lifting others up,” he says.
Pops by the Sea 2020 • At-Home Edition