3 Takeaways from the first 30 days of COVID-19: Arts & Culture

Spring has sprung! And normally, this is the time that major arts and culture institutions begin hosting their biggest events of the year. From exhibition opening parties to fashion shows to full-on galas, Spring is a very busy time for many organizations to raise awareness for their fundraising efforts.

But this year, like so many other things, IRL is cancelled, and virtual lives on.

We can all agree that it is a bummer to miss seeing a new exhibition in real-life or having to wait to enjoy live music and a round of cocktails with friends. However, there are a number of ways that art and cultural institutions are bringing these opportunities to life using technology, and reaching even more people in the process. Here are the top 3 trends we’re seeing:

Google Arts & Culture: Leave it to Google to become the new-age Encyclopedia Britannica for art and cultural institutions, including leading museums around the globe. Can’t visit the Louvre? No problem, you can take a private tour via Google Arts & Culture app. You can see the full list of Museums participating in this online project here.

Live Tutorials and Workshops: Been meaning to learn to play the ukulele? Or master painting with watercolors? Now you can learn with a professional while you wear sweatpants in your living room. Check out dance classes with City Ballet, which are being offered via Zoom. Or take on a new crafts project with the kids with weekly tutorials from the New Children’s Museum.

Having Fun With It: We’re all in a pretty strange predicament right now, and we’re seeing some beautifully refreshing takes on what it means to be in ‘isolation.’ Couchella is bringing the best live acts from the world’s hippest music festival from the past 20 years to your home. DJ D-Nice’s Club Quarantine is drawing hundreds of thousands of live viewers via Instagram Live, including Bernie Sanders, Michelle Obama, Oprah and Rihanna. We are helping our client, The San Diego Museum of Art, bring a treasured San Diego tradition to life online with Virtual Art Alive. Yes, there will be cocktails and yes, there will be dancing. And a whole lot of flowers – you can even join in on a floral workshop with local florist Native Poppy via Facebook Live.

What are some of your favorite cultural institutions doing to bring their resources to you at home? Let’s hear from you, please share your insights in the comments.