The Void |COURTESY PSA: Message from Mesa Arts Center's Executive Director, Cindy Ornstein

Dear friends and patrons,  Joni Mitchell sang, “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got till it’s gone.”  She was singing about the disappearance of our natural environment, but that sentiment applies to lots of things these days—to gathering with friends, seeing a live performance, going to a movie or a museum. Things we may have taken for granted will be sorely missed for some time.  As you likely know by now, Mesa Arts Center is temporarily closed to public participation through April 30 in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.  With ours and many other arts and cultural destinations temporarily closed, I feel a void. These community assets offer places where we can reconnect with each other, with the world and with our own humanity. Perhaps you feel the loss as well.  That said, we recognize there are many pressing health and safety needs at this moment, and those are top of mind for all of us, as we seek to ensure the well being of friends and family.  In addition to managing schedule changes and providing ongoing customer service, and planning ahead for programs that will await you, Mesa Arts Center staff is working diligently to find ways to serve you during these challenging times. We hope to share arts resources and tools for in-home arts experiences in the coming weeks, including some special performances.    Meanwhile, we hope you’ll find a way to take comfort through the arts in your own homes, by reading a poem, listening to music or singing with your family. We will all be healthier and happier if we can give ourselves some beauty, some relief, some escape and something to remind us of our common humanity. We will get through this together.  Please know that we are thinking of you, wishing you good health, and looking forward to welcoming you to Mesa Arts Center again soon.  Warmly,  Cindy Ornstein Executive Director, Mesa Arts Center Director of Arts and Culture, City of Mesa