With the COVID-19 coronavirus forcing a wave of mass cancellations and postponements in the arts industry, artists and companies are finding new ways to continue reaching their audience, attempting to keep the sector afloat in what is an unprecedented crisis. One organisation having to change tack in these difficult times is the Melbourne Guitar Festival. A three-day September festival and annual concert series that has had to cancel the remainder of its 2020 season, which included over 60 concerts across Australia, its survival, like so many of the small to medium arts companies, is now precarious.

Dan McKay and Ben Dix of Boilermaker. Photo supplied

However, guitarist and director Michael MacManus hopes that audiences will stick by the MGF as it moves online. In the days since making the decision to call off the year’s scheduled events, MacManus has brought together 37 classical guitarists from around the world to participate in a paid, weekly livestream concert series. All proceeds from the livestream will be evenly split between the artists and Festival, with the first concert performed by Boilermaker, a new Australian guitar duo comprised of Ben Dix and Dan McKay. Other guitarists...