Like many of you, I have been praying that life would have returned to normal by now. Well, at least the way life looked before Covid. As I write this column, I feel as if we are still living in some sort of alternate reality.

Masks and social-distancing have become an everyday way of life for many. I feel as if these new mandates go against my Southern upbringing. I usually greet folks with a hug or at the least, a handshake – not anymore. The worst part for me, though, is not being able to see my friends and some of my family.

For many, August marks the end of summer. School will soon be back in session, whether or not it will be in a traditional classroom is a personal decision for many. 

For us at Augusta Magazine, the August/September issue typically kicks off a new arts season. Not this year. Like many publications, we have had to modify this issue due to the delays and cancellations of performances.

We traditionally print an arts calendar that is inserted in this issue and then overprint the calendar to distribute throughout the year. Instead, we have incorporated the section into the pages of the magazine.

We have touched base with our arts community to compile our calendar and at the time of publication the information was accurate. But given our ever-changing environment, please check with the organization before purchasing a ticket or going to an event. On our website, we will have a digital calendar with the latest information.

I encourage you to support our arts community, as many of you do each and every year. They need our support now more than ever to sustain their operations.

-Ashlee

This article appears in the August/September 2020 issue of Augusta Magazine.