.Another Potential Casualty of the Redevelopment Shutdown: Concord’s 23-Year-Old Music and Market Series

Ouch. Turns out the massive dismantling of redevelopment agencies throughout California won’t just affect urban infrastructure, employment, and social programs — it’ll also have deleterious consequences for the arts. One long-running event that might be on the chopping block is the Music and Market Series in Concord, producer of free concerts in Todos Santos Plaza, as well as the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market. The organizers sent out an urgent email this morning announcing the demise of their current funding mechanism, along with new plans for the short-term — including a web page, campaign to solicit sponsorship from local businesses, and a potential benefit event. As far as long-term strategies go, they may try to secure a “title sponsor” for the series, carve out and consecrate special civic arts districts, or create a Concord Arts Foundation. For now, they ask that supporters send “love letters” to Concord’s City Council, or make a case for the Music and Market Series at next week’s council meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, January 24.

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