Coronavirus

Ballet BC Dancers Gilbert Small and Emily Chessa in rehearsal for Romeo+Juliet. The performance was slated for mid-March in Victoria, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19-related ban on gatherings, at the time, of 250 or more people. New provincial relief money announced Friday aims to relieve some of the financial burden being felt by professional artists and arts organizations. Photos by Michael Slobodian

Province announces $3M in funding for arts groups hit by COVID-19 crisis

BC Arts Council to administer support for both organizations and individual artists

Ballet BC Dancers Gilbert Small and Emily Chessa in rehearsal for Romeo+Juliet. The performance was slated for mid-March in Victoria, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19-related ban on gatherings, at the time, of 250 or more people. New provincial relief money announced Friday aims to relieve some of the financial burden being felt by professional artists and arts organizations. Photos by Michael Slobodian
Trio of rock shows rescheduled for Alix Goolden Hall

Trio of rock shows rescheduled for Alix Goolden Hall

Bowie tribute show, Martin Barre’s Jethro Tull show and Tommy Emmanuel all booked for late fall

Trio of rock shows rescheduled for Alix Goolden Hall
Netflix logo

Netflix reducing video quality in Canada to lower Internet bandwidth use

Bell Media is also planning traffic measures affecting the Crave streaming service

Netflix logo
Victoria Quarantunes playlist encourages support for struggling artists

Victoria Quarantunes playlist encourages support for struggling artists

Victoria brewpub creates local playlist after restaurant closes in response to COVID-19

  • Mar 25, 2020
Victoria Quarantunes playlist encourages support for struggling artists
Joey Scarfone, the author of Vintage Cars of Victoria and a former record store owner in Fernwood, has written a poem reflecting on the current times we’re living through. Black Press file photo

Retired Victoria record store owner pens a poem for these ‘strange times’

Joey Scarfone offers his creative commentary on the scenario wrought by a pandemic

  • Mar 24, 2020
Joey Scarfone, the author of Vintage Cars of Victoria and a former record store owner in Fernwood, has written a poem reflecting on the current times we’re living through. Black Press file photo
Screenshot from video.

VIDEO: Island artist gets help from Canadians far and wide for inspirational self-isolation message

Sue Pyper and others appear in video, accompanied by the Big Little Lions’ tune ‘Big Mistake’

Screenshot from video.
Dance company Kidd Pivot rehearses for their production of Revisor. An art relief fund has been started to help out artists put out of work by the COVID-19-related shutdown of shows across the world. Photo by Michael Slobodian

Relief fund for Canadian performing artists gets $100,000 boost from foundation

Facebook started the fund with a first $100,000 donation last week

Dance company Kidd Pivot rehearses for their production of Revisor. An art relief fund has been started to help out artists put out of work by the COVID-19-related shutdown of shows across the world. Photo by Michael Slobodian
A 2017 performance during the Tiny Lights Music Festival in the Kootenay community of Ymir. This year’s edition of the annual event has been postponed to 2021. Tyler Harper/Black Press

Will the show go on? B.C. music festivals consider options for 2020

Summer events running out of time to stay on schedule, in wake of COVID-19 uncertainties

A 2017 performance during the Tiny Lights Music Festival in the Kootenay community of Ymir. This year’s edition of the annual event has been postponed to 2021. Tyler Harper/Black Press
What’s your go-to activity with gatherings and socializing heavily curtailed?

What’s your go-to activity with gatherings and socializing heavily curtailed?

Entertain yourself with suggestions from our Top 10 list

What’s your go-to activity with gatherings and socializing heavily curtailed?
A fan takes a photo of a band at a live concert. Photo by Terry Farrell

Music industry feeling the effects of COVID-19 pandemic

Island musicians, promoters and producers alike reeling from cancellations, venue bans

A fan takes a photo of a band at a live concert. Photo by Terry Farrell
People watch the Stanley Cup playoffs at a bar in Montreal, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

B.C.’s top doctor orders bars, some restaurants to close over COVID-19

B.C. declares the novel coronavirus spread a public health emergency

People watch the Stanley Cup playoffs at a bar in Montreal, Tuesday, May 21, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
All 12 GVPL branches closed after tonight amidst COVID-19 fears. (Black Press Media file photo)

Greater Victoria libraries shut doors until further notice

All GVPL, VIRL branches close after tonight amidst COVID-19 fears

All 12 GVPL branches closed after tonight amidst COVID-19 fears. (Black Press Media file photo)
Victoria-based singer-songwriter Stephen Fearing has replaced his cancelled Oak Bay concert with a live-stream solo show from the Duncan Showroom this Wednesday night (March 18). Photo by Jen Squires

LIVE MUSIC: Stephen Fearing taking to the web to replace cancelled Oak Bay concert

Fans will be able to hear a live CD launch performance on Facebook the evening of March 21

Victoria-based singer-songwriter Stephen Fearing has replaced his cancelled Oak Bay concert with a live-stream solo show from the Duncan Showroom this Wednesday night (March 18). Photo by Jen Squires
Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama’s talk at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on March 31 has been postponed due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. (Black Press Media file photo)

Michelle Obama talk in Victoria postponed amidst COVID-19 concerns

Province bans gatherings of more than 250 people

Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama’s talk at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on March 31 has been postponed due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. (Black Press Media file photo)
Tiffany Harvey got decked out as Venom, the Marvel Comics character, for Capital City Comic Con last year at the Victoria Convention Centre. This year’s convention has been postponed due to concerns over the spread of coronvirus. (Black Press Media file photo)

Capital City Comic Con postponed due to COVID-19

Screen Actors Guild advises members to not fly in forseeable future

Tiffany Harvey got decked out as Venom, the Marvel Comics character, for Capital City Comic Con last year at the Victoria Convention Centre. This year’s convention has been postponed due to concerns over the spread of coronvirus. (Black Press Media file photo)
FILE – Crowd shot at concert. (Phil McLachlan/Black Press Media)

COVID-19: Province bans large gatherings in B.C.; Victoria sports, entertainment venues affected

Health officials take new measures to combat spread of novel coronavirus

FILE – Crowd shot at concert. (Phil McLachlan/Black Press Media)
Hollywood braces for shutdown, Broadway goes dark amid COVID-19 pandemic

Hollywood braces for shutdown, Broadway goes dark amid COVID-19 pandemic

Hollywood moved to pause the normal hum of TV productions

Hollywood braces for shutdown, Broadway goes dark amid COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19: Precautions being taken, Victoria shows going on so far

COVID-19: Precautions being taken, Victoria shows going on so far

Live performance venues ramp up theatre sanitizing measures to help prevent spread of virus

COVID-19: Precautions being taken, Victoria shows going on so far
Juno Awards in Saskatoon cancelled at the last minute over COVID-19 concerns

Juno Awards in Saskatoon cancelled at the last minute over COVID-19 concerns

Annual Canadian music awards gala was scheduled to happen this Sunday

Juno Awards in Saskatoon cancelled at the last minute over COVID-19 concerns
Actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for the coronavirus, in a March 11, 2020 story. (Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Tom Hanks and his wife test positive for coronavirus

The couple is in Australia

Actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for the coronavirus, in a March 11, 2020 story. (Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)