San Diego Arts And Artists Go Digital During Coronavirus Closures

March 18, 2020 at 12:45 PM PDT

Speaker 1: 00:00 Speaker 2: 00:28 Speaker 1: 00:34 Speaker 3: 01:34 Speaker 1: 02:18 Speaker 2: 02:33 Speaker 4: 02:37 Speaker 2: 02:45 Speaker 4: 02:47 Speaker 2: 02:51 Speaker 3: 02:59 Speaker 1: 03:00 Speaker 3: 03:56 Speaker 1: 04:56 Speaker 3: 05:00 Speaker 1: 05:24 Speaker 3: 05:29 Speaker 1: 06:00 Speaker 3: 06:12 Speaker 1: 06:56 Speaker 3: 07:04 Speaker 1: 07:28 In order to slow the spread of Corona virus. Most of us have to spend most of our time at home. That can be fine for a while, but after days of bingeing on Netflix or napping or cleaning or whatever you're doing to pass the time, staying home can get old. That's why many people are trying to incorporate the arts into their home lives. People told to stay indoors, played instruments from their balconies in Italy. Hmm. Celebrities like Josh GAD, AKA the actor who voices Olaf in frozen are creating online videos, reading books for kids. Here's GAD reading the true story of the three little pigs. Oh no. Well, this whole dig, that whole thing got started, but it's all wrong. Maybe it's because of our diet. Hayes, my fault wolves, cute little animals like bunnies she pays. It's just the way we are. If cheeseburgers were cute, folks who probably think you were big in bad and there are more innovative ideas springing up from local arts organizations to help you enjoy your time at home. Joining me is KPBS arts editor, Julia Dixon. Evan's joining me from home. Hi Julia. Hi Marine. Now, some local art museums are taking a page from other famous museums like the Guggenheim and the UVC by offering virtual online tours and videos. Tell us about them. Sure. And what's exciting is some of the stuff was already in place. A museum of photographic arts MOPA has their connects videos. They have um, art conservators showing you how to fix a frame or getting a little insight into those processes. And they also have online exhibitions. You can check out the latest, which is uh, five women artists, one that asks you, can you name by women, photographic artists. And then also San Diego museum of art has a wild where close series you can link to their YouTube channel from there and watch their SDMA plus theories, stuff like chamber music and the exhibition halls and gallery tops. Let's listen to a clip of some music in the San Diego museum of art gallery. Cello concerto number one by Camille sound song performed by Justin Wu of San Diego youth symphony [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] and the standing of museum of art has an app that lets you explore each collection. Tim, Ken museum also has an app you can virtually tour including their newest exhibition. And interestingly, Lex art Institute is going to start open hours where you can reserve a very limited time spot to see their exhibitions and small groups of 10 and they have brand new work from fiber artists, Michelle Monjoy, she'll even be live posting the installation and offer drive up viewings in front of their massive front windows there at Lex. You can also find galleries like the studio door bread and salt thumbprint and more have online catalogs. You can browse and even shop from now performances at the LA Jolla Playhouse, the old globe. Most other theaters have been postponed. And I imagine theater is just something you can't do virtually. Is that right? Well, some are trying, uh, one local dance company, PG K dance projects. We'll be broadcasting what was supposed to be this weekend's performance holding tight as an on demand video this weekend. Um, a lot of national musicians are streaming from home and I just listened to the all songs considered podcasts. Latest episode, it's called what we'll miss at South by Southwest this year. And that was a really great listen for connecting with new music. Right now in the, in more national performing arts, there's social distancing festival.com which has a list of global streamed events from operas to stories, lambs to theater. And there's so much more out there in that realm too. And a local storytelling grassroots organization is hosting daring stories tonight, which is a, a live stream version of their monthly show. They've moved all of their programming online. What our city and County libraries doing while they're close to the public. Well the County library has gone curbside for checkouts. It's also, they've made it really easy to get a digital library card for the County library system. I didn't have a County library card yet and I signed up really easily just using my cell phone. And then you can use this app, Libby, where you can access so many um, eBooks and audio books from there. Our local bookstores responding in any way since people can't go out and visit them. They are, and we all need books right now. Uh, Warrick's has daily Instagram live story times at 11, and they have curbside service as well. But catapult is offering very local free delivery and regular delivery to you and their owners. Steph, Marco is on hand to answer the phone when you call in and he'll give signature recommendations run for cover and OB. It's also processing phone orders and you can ask for their Maryanne's dealer's choice order too. A lot of the things you've been saying have to do with adults and children, but specifically for kids because they're home right now. Any suggestions for arts related things to do with school aged children? Yeah, you can find a lot of how tos online Xen making workshops on YouTube. And then KPBS is broadcasting the PBS learning media lessons, which are, I explored them a little bit last night and they're amazing. There's a lot of videos and interactives and put a ton of content for K through 12 for the arts. Also about my level, um, dance videos, painting lessons, music theory. I watched one on some prisms this morning and um, Twitch also streams nonstop. Bob Ross paints some lines, and I went to one of these at TwitchCon. It was really magical touch has been doing this sort of thing for years. So now the rest of the creative world is kind of catching up. Okay. So the arts are trying to support us during this time. If we're able, how can we return the favor and support the arts? Well, in addition to supporting the organizations and the venues, many of them are having to lay off their staff who are often artists themselves or reduce their hours a lot. So let to hire local musicians or artists to do, um, video, private lessons, uh, buy art from galleries, books and music. Maybe consider buying a few albums a month from local bands as well. Okay. Then I've been speaking with KPBS arts editor, Julia Dixon Evans. Keep yourself occupied.

By KPBS Public Media

San Diego artists, art museums, galleries and performing arts groups are finding ways to still share their art while traditional spaces and gatherings are canceled.