The Atlin Arts and Music Festival (AAMF) board of directors has opted not to proceed with a 2022 festival, to focus instead on producing a strong lineup for 2023.

The festival has endured two years of COVID-19-related cancellations, organizers pointed out Tuesday.

However, there have been accomplishments by diverting resources into alternative projects for the benefit of local musicians, technicians and Atlin and Yukon communities.

“When the festival was cancelled in 2020 due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the AAMF board of directors recognized an opportunity to reflect and reshape the festival,” said board president Dennis Beaudoin.

“The Atlin community and festival goers alike felt the festival had grown too large and in an undesirable direction, so COVID provided a much-needed pause to consider the core values of the long-running festival and get us back to our roots.”

In 2020, the festival retained the services of producer Matthew Lien to produce a documentary about the event.

The documentary, now in its final stage of production, features commentary and specially-recorded performances by festival alumni.

Those artists include Bruce Cockburn, Danny Michel, Death, Stephen Fearing, Tom Jackson and several other national and local performing artists.

The film presents an in-depth history of the festival, its origins and past highlights.

After the 2021 cancellation, the festival, with Lien, produced the Summer Concert Series, filmed in Atlin’s historic Globe Theatre and the MV Tarahne.

The series – which brought opportunity and income to 13 ensembles consisting of 32 musicians, and 15 sound and lighting technicians – was published on YouTube and Facebook.

“With renewed clarity and potential safety measures in mind, the AAMF had been preparing a more intimate 2022 festival,” organizers said.

Local venues and national headliners had already been confirmed, and planning was underway with the Take River Tlingit First Nation, which traditionally opens and closes the festival and partners in the performances.

A curator had also been confirmed to develop the visual arts aspect of the festival.

However with COVID still present in Atlin, there was reticence among the organizers that Atlin – a very small, “end of the road” community – was ready to welcome an outside audience.

“When the organizers themselves became sick, resulting in down-time and overall exhaustion, it was deemed best to postpone and focus instead on a strong comeback in 2023,” the festival said.

“The AAMF board of directors wishes to thank its supporters, and assures that its commitment to presenting music and art in the years to come remains strong.

“To this end, the AAMF is seeking a new executive director, and encourages community members with fresh ideas to involve in a renewed Atlin Arts and Music Festival 2023.”