JOSEPH — In response to the ongoing coronavirus situation, the 38th annual Wallowa Valley Festival of Arts will be held both as virtual and physical exhibits.

The exhibits and an online silent auction of artwork opens Sept. 11.

As has been the tradition in past years, artwork will be hung at the Josephy Center.

The silent auction will be on the Josephy Center website: https://josephy.org/arts-council/festival-of-the-arts/. On Sept. 30, the auction will end and winning bidders will be notified and arrangements will be made for pick up or shipping.

“We are so sorry that we will all miss our annual in-person gathering and celebration of the arts this year, but our priority has to be everyone’s health and safety,” Festival Director Jeff Costello said. “With that, we are still committed to doing everything in our power to keep the festival tradition alive, so, going virtual for this year was our best option. We want to continue to support our artists, even if that must be from remote locations. And, hopefully, this will just make our next opportunity to gather in-person again, to celebrate the arts, that much sweeter.”