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Mission Creek is Postponed (Long Live Mission Creek) Iowa City’s long-running festival fell victim to coronavirus fears, but it’s down, not out. BY GENEVIEVE TRAINOR
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n Thursday, March 12, just three days before this issue was due to go to print, Iowa City’s Mission Creek Festival made the announcement Jenny Lewis performing at Mission Creek Festival, April 2019. Zak Neumann / Little Village that it wouldn’t be holding its much-anticipated April 1-4 fest. It was six days after the cancellaeveryone.” tion of Austin’s SXSW festival had shaken the “People are really concerned and nervous Schickendanz said that the festival should film and music worlds, the first clue that this about the current situation,” Schickedanz wrote. know more about what the new vision will look not-then-pandemic that originated in China was “Community support for the decision has been like in the next few weeks. going to have a significant impact on the arts overwhelming. We understand that this is obMission Creek Festival wasn’t the first event here in the United States. viously an inconvenience for patrons who have in the Iowa City area to shutter, but it’s possibly This issue of Little Village (and the next) purchased tickets so it’s humbling to see such a the most significant. Now in its 15th year, the normally focuses on all things Mission Creek. positive response.” festival is a favorite for patrons and artists both Our all-hands-on-deck efforts at LVHQ to If the cancellation of Mission Creek, and in town and throughout the region, providing a rethink and reorganize this magazine felt hercuthe dominoes that fell after (Riverside Theatre, chance to spend the early days of spring wanlean from the inside, but we’re well aware that Iowa City Community Theatre, Public Space dering around downtown Iowa City to the fest’s they are only a fraction of the efforts going on One and the Iowa City Public Library are scattered venues. And other arts presenters in the city, state, national and global level to try among the other orgs that have canceled events the area may take their cues from the decisions and craft a new normal for the arts in a time of since) can help the public comprehend the seriof an event this big. social distancing. ousness of what the World Health Organization Rather than canceling completely, Mission officially declared a Creek decided on a pseudo-postponement. It pandemic on March 11, won’t be possible to wrangle all of the same then it will have served a “WE DO KNOW THAT WE DON’T KNOW talent scheduled for the expansive music, litervital role. WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN GOING ature, film and art fest, but organizers are doing “Over the course of FORWARD, BUT WE CAN HOPE THAT THERE’S their best to bring as many folks together as the week there was a possible on a yet-to-be-determined date later deeper understanding A TIME WHEN THE SITUATION DIES DOWN A this year, for an event that may not match the of what communities, LITTLE BIT. WHEN THAT TIME COMES, WE’RE original, but will surely capture the same pasfestivals, artists needed REALLY GOING TO THINK HARD ABOUT HOW sion and fascination that the community is used to do to ensure a better to reveling in. situation for communiCAN WE CELEBRATE THAT.” —ANDRE PERRY “We’re postponing as much of the festival ties across our country,” as possible, and working with individual artists Perry said. “Everyone “These are effects that are being felt across to identify their availability,” said Marketing was a little bit shell-shocked this week, but at the board, certainly in the states, and in our Director John Schickedanz in an email. “When the same time the decisions I don’t think were small community here,” said Andre Perry, the community faces a crisis, it’s the arts that difficult.” Mission Creek Festival founder and executive remind us of our humanity and allow an escape Perry has had to reconsider events of his own director of the Englert Theatre, which presents from the everyday. We want to make sure that as he continues to promote his recent book, the festival. “I think when you see a music feswe continue to grow the arts in our community Some of Us Are Very Hungry Now. tival go down … those things are a little more to allow people that release. We also understand There’s also the challenge of finding ways to in the public eye. People might see those first. that canceling the festival would affect the support the other professionals associated with There was probably a big shock when South downtown economy and artists. We’ve considpresenting a festival: artists, managers, agents, by Southwest got canceled, to be followed by ered patrons, artists and the downtown commuvendors. “They’re all just miniature-to-moderCoachella. It’s just so public.” nity and feel that our current plan is the best for ate economies of their own,” he said. 28 Mar. 18–31, 2020 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LV281