When the Music Stops: Longview's Arts Scene Faces a Silent Struggle

There's a quiet that has settled over Longview lately, a stillness many of us feel deep in our bones. It's the kind of quiet that isn't peaceful, you know? It's the quiet where music used to play, where laughter echoed, where stories unfolded on a stage — a silence brought on, quite brutally, by the arrival of COVID-19. Our local arts groups, those tireless champions of culture and community spirit, they're facing a fight for their very existence, an undeniable struggle behind closed doors.

And honestly, it's more than just canceled shows, though those are painful enough. Think about it: a theatre like the magnificent Columbia, or even the more intimate settings of Stageworks Northwest; these aren't just buildings. They're hubs. They’re places where revenue from ticket sales, from workshops, from events, it all flows in to keep the lights on, to pay the artists, to plan the next season. When that flow suddenly stops, well, the foundations start to wobble, don't they? That's the stark, uncomfortable reality facing organizations right now.

Take the Columbia Theatre, for instance. It's truly an anchor, hosting, what, 40 to 50 events a year? A place where folks come to see everything from Pink Martini — remember those vibrant nights? — to local talent. Suddenly, those big-ticket events, the ones that really bring in the cash, poof, gone. Now, they’re digging into reserves, hoping, really hoping, that community generosity can bridge the gap. It's a huge ask, but also, you could say, a necessary one if we want to see those lights come back on.

Then there are groups like Stageworks Northwest, grappling with postponed productions, trying to figure out if streaming is even a viable option for their unique craft. Or the melodic voices of the Longview Civic Chorus, their rehearsals and performances halted, envisioning a return sometime in spring 2021 — if everything goes right, of course. The Longview Symphony? Uncertainty, too, clouds their upcoming season. And let's not forget the Longview Gallery, a place where art finds a home, now open by appointment only, its workshops and gatherings suspended. It’s a domino effect, a pervasive quiet across the entire spectrum.

But why does this matter so profoundly, you might ask? Well, because these groups, they’re not just entertainment providers. They really are the threads that weave our community together, aren't they? They educate, they inspire, they contribute to our local economy in ways we sometimes forget. They give us a collective identity, a shared sense of wonder and beauty. Losing them, or even seeing them diminished, would leave a gaping hole, a permanent silence where there once was so much life.

So, as we navigate these strange times, perhaps it's worth pausing, reflecting on the value these cultural institutions bring. The future, in truth, remains unclear for many. But what is clear is that their resilience, and our support, will determine if the music truly plays again. And for once, let's hope it does, with an even greater roar than before.