Based on his comments at the May 19 Anchorage Assembly meeting, Mayor Ethan Berkowitz seems determined to keep his health orders in place for churches, businesses and other sectors of the economy. This comes despite the fact that Gov. Mike Dunleavy is lifting nearly all statewide mandates on May 22.

While he may not be interested in opening the city for widespread business, the mayor did have an idea on how to give residents a bit of hope as they endure ongoing emergency orders that continue to wreak havoc on area businesses.

His latest thought is to inspire locals to create art that “gives us hope, shows us the world from multiple perspectives, creates a sense of belonging, honors our shared experience, and for many, helps us heal.”

Posting to Facebook on May 20, the mayor said COVID-19 has “challenged us in many ways.”

To alleviate the economic, social and spiritual strain, Berkowitz would like Anchorage artists – including musicians, dancers, performers, writers and photographers – to create works that can be shared at one of his upcoming community press conferences.

The May 20 post says art submissions should “be inspired by or created in response to COVID-19.” We predict the mayor may be surprised at how creative Anchorage business owner can get.

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