UPDATE MON 25 JAN 2021 …. WORKSHOPS PRIOR TO EASTER CANCELLED
It is now clear that we won’t be up and running again before Easter and even after that there are question marks.
This time last year we were gearing up for a busy 2020 programme, of which, we managed to deliver just 3 weeks. It all seemed like a temporary crisis back then, but sadly it is still very much with us. Then, it seemed our best chance of weathering the storm lay in rescheduling to 2021- hunkering down until the crisis passed. Twelve months later, thankfully, we’re still here, but it’s clear that Covid and its fallout, will be with us for a while yet so our survival plans needs to change…
So, for now, all workshops due to take place before Easter will definitely not be able to go ahead and have been cancelled.
We’ll review the situation early in March and make a decision about the block of workshops between Easter and the summer. Everyone affected will be contacted again by mid-March with an update. Please get in touch if you have any queries.
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Sadly, due to the pandemic, all ArtisOn’s 2020 workshops have been rescheduled to 2021. All bookings have been transferred and new 2021 dates have been communicated to all involved. The rescheduled dates are all now listed on the Workshops page and there are some places still available.
Gift Vouchers with expiry dates will all be honoured for an additional 12 months and any new vouchers purchased will also be valid for 24 months from purchase.
Months in the planning, our 2020 programme was our biggest ever. With so many of you setting your alarm clocks back in October in order to grab your places, we also had our highest ever level of advanced bookings. Only 5 weeks into the 2020 programme and lockdown meant we were forced to stop 94 events going ahead before the summer. In July, following consultation with all 48 tutors participating in the autumn, we took the very difficult decision to postpone all dates scheduled for the rest of the year.
If you wish to understand more about our situation and the reasons for this decision, read on. If you you have bookings, look out for email updates in case of any changes. If not, you can join our email list at the bottom of the contact page here.
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WHY POSTPONE?
Though we had plans in place for general operational and building changes that would allow us to be Covid Secure from September. When we consulted with all the tutors due to teach, the specific detailed issues relating to individual tutor’s workshops emerged and some we could not overcome. In addition, some tutors were unable to return to a teaching environment, due to shielding themselves or loved ones. The result was that less than 60% of the 100 planned workshops could go ahead, leaving gaping, unmanageable, holes in the autumn schedule. Combined with this, we predicted significant further impact from Test and Trace and disruption from local lockdowns as the winter progressed.
Our primary concern has always been the safety, confidence and comfort of tutors and customers. A very close second, is that we are able to provide the pleasure, relaxation and enjoyment which everyone wants when they book a day at ArtisOn. Some of the measures needed now will simply undermine this enjoyment.
All in all, the risks and unknowns that could further derail what is a quite carefully calibrated and intense schedule of events, combined with the reduced overall enjoyment of the experience, meant we decided it was best to postpone the autumn as we had done for the spring.
Thank you again for bearing with us. Hopefully this at least provides some certainty about your bookings for the rest if the year and gives everyone something to look forward to in 2021.
Just to confirm, any gift vouchers issued now, will not expire until the end of 2022. Existing gift vouchers due for expiry will all also be honoured until the end of 2022.
Please stay safe and well.
Best wishes, Gaynor & Sue
