The shadow of coronavirus is once again looming over another beloved gathering. Today, Toronto Comic Arts Festival announced its cancellation with no postponement for 2020. The show is funded by a few grants and sponsorships but they are taking the hardship of having to refund all fan and exhibitor purchases. Like every event that’s had to cancel, the question of costs associated with the building, hotel contracts, and show needs will be something they need to deal with before announcing 2021 plans.
Statement from TCAF:
Dear fans and attendees of TCAF,
It is with great sadness that we announce that The Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2020, scheduled to take place on May 8, 9, and 10, has been cancelled due to a host of factors resulting from the Covid-19 Global Pandemic.
The response within Canada and internationally has been progressing extremely rapidly, with significant protocol changes being made every single day. TCAF’s team has spent the past two weeks interfacing with leaders in the comics community, TCAF partners, sponsors, venues, our Board of Directors, and health care officials, about the best way to move forward, and we have decided to cancel this year’s festival based on that feedback, and due to the restrictions on travel and events, with no forecasted end to quarantine measures.
We want to say to the entire comics community: We tried very hard to make this work, as we’re very aware of the financial and career necessity that TCAF has become for many working comic authors. At present, cancellation is the only ethical option.
All TCAF exhibitors will receive refunds for their tables, and they have been sent refund request information.
TCAF is committed to using our media and organizational resources to support all of our exhibitors, including those who had deferred or cancelled, however we can. We’re currently putting together a media plan to promote exhibitors online beginning soon, and through TCAF’s original May dates. We’ll have more information next week.
We are also inviting collaboration and feedback from the comics community, with ideas on how we can work to promote and elevate creators. Online comic con? Hashtag? Store orders? We’re brainstorming internally, and we’re willing to work to build a larger coalition too. We’re heartened by the efforts that have been made by other events and organizers on creators’ behalf, and we want to contribute to and build on that. More details will come on twitter @torontocomics, and on our website at www.torontocomics.com.
The whole staff of the Toronto Comic Arts Festival is sorry to have to cancel this year. It has been an unprecedented time for the comics community. We’ve been humbled by your letters of support, and it was clear to us that creators, publishers, and readers were rooting for TCAF to happen. That makes this harder in so many ways, but it also makes it a lot easier too, knowing you have our back.
