Participant Newsletters

• Tour Cancellation

  May 18, 2020

  To our 2020 participants,

  After much discussion with Arts and Eats staff and participants both past and present, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Arts and Eats 2020. We make this announcement with heavy hearts but with the firm belief that it is the best choice available to us.

  Why…

  …are we cancelling?

  To be frank, because of this: though the tour is five months away, we have no way of knowing what the situation in Michigan will look like by that time.

  Arts and Eats 2019 attracted visitors from 65 zip codes throughout Michigan and the surrounding states. While we love to help people discover all that Southwest Michigan has to offer, we are uncomfortable hosting an event that invites so much travel at this time. Due to the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, multiple participants have already chosen to pull out of the tour, with more considering doing the same.

  We do not want to provide a lackluster event with fewer participants and fewer visitors to anyone. More importantly, we want to do everything in our power to promote a safe and healthy Southwest Michigan.

  … are we cancelling now?

  While it is still early, we know that many of our participants begin preparing for the tour weeks or months ahead of time, investing significant amounts of time and money into getting ready for the event. Continuing to prepare for the tour also requires a significant investment on our end, both in staff hours and in the production and distribution of the maps/guides. We are choosing to cancel now to give our participants as much notice as possible and to give the tour the best options possible in the years to come.

  Going Forward

  Refunds

  Application fees will be refunded over the next few days. If you have not received your refund early next week, please email Kathleen.

  Promotion

  As we move further into the year and businesses begin to reopen, please continue to send pertinent marketing information to Kathleen. Though the tour itself is cancelled, we plan to continue promotion for our 2020 participants.

  Final Thoughts

  The 2020 tour was to be our 10th anniversary event. Though we are disappointed to instead be facing a year without the tour, we remain grateful for the artists, artisans, farmers, and restaurateurs who make up the tour, the sponsors who make the tour possible, and the visitors who come out each year to celebrate Southwest Michigan. We thank you for your patience as we figure out our next steps, and we look forward to seeing you for Arts and Eats again in 2021.

  The 2020 Arts and Eats Team

• May

  Once a month from now until October, we will send you an email with information on your next steps, tips for getting ready for the event, and ideas for the weekend of the tour. Read on for the May Participant Newsletter. 

  Promotion

  Poster

  2020 posters are now available for download on the For Participants page! Download a poster to put on your website, post to your social media pages, or print and display. Posters are available in both 8.5×11 and 18×24.

  Map & Guide

  Due to the continued shutdown of most non-essential businesses, production on the 2020 Maps & Guides has not yet begun. We are continuing to work closely with our printing company to ensure they can begin production as soon as the shutdown is lifted. We will update participants as new information becomes available.

  Keep in Touch

  COVID-19

  The Arts and Eats team is continuing to operate under the hope that Arts and Eats 2020 will take place as planned. Further decisions will be made on an ongoing basis as continuing updates on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic become available.

  However, we understand that this is an uncertain time and that safety is foremost is everyone’s minds. If you no longer feel comfortable taking part in this year’s tour, please reach out as soon as possible. 

  Staff

  Arts and Eats has undergone many changes behind the scenes in recent years. For clarity’s sake, these are your primary contacts:

  Kathleen Welch
  Marketing Coordinator, Thornapple Arts Council
  Kathleen is your first contact for application issues, technology help, social media promotion, maps & guides, and more. As the person most involved in the day-to-day preparation for Arts and Eats, Kathleen is a great place to start if you have questions or concerns about the upcoming tour.

  Megan Lavell
  Executive Director, Thornapple Arts Council
  Megan primarily handles sponsorships and ads for the Arts and Eats tour. If you or someone you know are interested in sponsoring or advertising on the tour, Megan is the place to go.

  Katherine Ransbottom
  Consultant
  As the former program director at the Thornapple Arts Council, Katherine was the person most involved with Arts and Eats for years. She continues to work on the tour in a limited capacity and is always happy to offer her expertise.

  Final Thoughts

  We know that life right now is an ever-changing situation for many of our participants. If you have a question or concern or just need to check in, please do not hesitate to reach out.

  As we continue counting down to the 10th Annual Arts and Eats Tour, we are excited to have you with us. 

  The 2020 Arts and Eats Team

• April

  Applications are closed, promotion has begun, and YOU are part of the 10th Annual Arts and Eats Backroads Tour! We are excited to have you with us.

  Once a month from now until October, we will send you an email with information on your next steps, tips for getting ready for the event, and ideas for the weekend of.

  For Participants

  New this year is the For Participants page of our website! This work in progress includes copies of our monthly participant newsletters, graphics for social media promotion, frequently asked questions, and more.

  Promotion

  Social Media Toolkit

  While many of our participants are tech-savvy, we understand that figuring out where to start with an event like Arts and Eats can be overwhelming. That’s why we have put together the Social Media Toolkit, a cheat sheet of tips and ideas for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter promotion! In this toolkit, you will find sample posts, basic information on making the most of each social media platform, and pre-made graphics ready for use.

  Have other ideas? Think we missed something? Let us know so we can keep the information flowing.

  Sharing Posts

  We aren’t possessive–we encourage you to share posts from the official Arts and Eats accounts! Whether it’s posts about your own business, a friend’s business, or just another site that looks good to you, we invite you to pass our participant promotional posts on to your followers.

  Not sure how to share posts? Just ask!

  COVID-19

  Small Business Assistance

  This is a difficult time for us all; there is no getting around that. While we hope that the current situation will be resolved in time for Arts and Eats to continue unimpeded, we understand the reality that that is of no help to people struggling now.

  Because of this, we have compiled information on small business assistance during this time, as well as ideas for how communities can support small businesses during this shutdown. If you are not sure where to start, please let this page serve as a first step.

  Tour

  For now, we are continuing to operate under the assumption that Arts and Eats 2020 will take place as planned. Further decisions will be made on an ongoing basis as continuing updates on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic become available.

  Maps & Guides

  The Arts and Eats promotional timeline for 2020 includes having Maps & Guides finished and ready for distribution by Memorial Day weekend. Due to the shutdown of non-essential businesses, that goal will likely not be met. We are working closely with our printing company to ensure they can begin production as soon as the shutdown is lifted, and we will update participants as new information becomes available.

  Final Thoughts

  This is a strange time for us all. As current events continue to change and evolve, we at Arts and Eats are dedicated to doing what we can to help our participants weather this storm. If you have a question or concern or just need to check in, please do not hesitate to reach out.

  As we continue counting down to the 10th Annual Arts and Eats Tour, we are excited to have you with us.

  The 2020 Arts and Eats Team