Our Virtual Culture Road Trip Continues with Stops for Glass Making, Middle Eastern Food, Theater Celebrating Latinx Culture, and More
This week we continue our virtual cross-country road trip to a dozen cultural organizations in cities across America. While sheltering-in-place keeps us from visiting in person for now, these small and midsize cultural organizations are bringing their most exciting offerings right to our living rooms — digitally.
Join us to continue the virtual road trip with activities, exhibits, cooking lessons, and more from organizations, which are part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Arts Innovation and Management (AIM) program, in six cities:
Expand Your Culinary Knowledge with the Arab American National Museum Near Detroit
Looking to hone your cooking skills? Try one of the recipes shared by the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan through Yalla Eat!. On the museum’s website, you can find a list of ingredients for each dish that has been featured in live cooking demonstrations, which are all archived in the highlights section of the museum’s Instagram page.
The first and only museum in the country devoted to Arab American history and culture, the Arab American National Museum offers online lesson plans and educational resources for learners of all ages as part of the #SmithsonianEdu initiative. You can also see a video preview of artist Yasmine Nasser Diaz’s current exhibit, soft powers, which reflects on coming-of-age nostalgia and Yemeni American girlhood.
Finally, Arab Americans can share their personal experiences through the museum’s COVID-19 Story Collection project, which will document the impact of COVID-19 on Arab Americans through stories, photos, and more.
Celebrate Latinx Culture with Chicago’s Teatro Vista
Teatro Vista in Chicago, Illinois is committed to sharing and celebrating Latinx culture with audiences even while its physical doors are closed. Tune in to a series of short and engaging Instagram videos that are written and performed by members of its ensemble.
The #TVFacetoFace video series reflects on our current environment through scenes that explore what it means to be face-to-face while not being side-by-side. Another series, TV Flashbacks, features members of the ensemble discussing their favorite Teatro Vista productions from the past. Follow Teatro Vista on Instagram to watch these videos and more.
Experience a Daily Dose of Classical Music with Boston’s From The Top
Need a daily dose of musical inspiration to accompany your day? The talented young musicians of From The Top, based in Boston, Massachusetts, are here to help. From The Top recently launched a Daily Joy video series to engage musicians and remind us all of music’s power to bring people together.
There are so many great videos to choose from, but if you’re looking for a place to start, try this virtual concert featuring two saxophone ensembles joining forces. Or a Hawaiian quartet that is recording an album together, even while physically separated. You can also subscribe to get From The Top’s Daily Joy videos delivered straight to your inbox.
Get Your Groove on with Denver’s Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance in Denver, Colorado is committed to keeping its community active, connected, and uplifted, even from afar. Dancers and nondancers alike can join in the fun with Cyber Dance 2020, a series of pre-recorded and live-streamed classes and movement activities that serve all ages and ability levels.
After class, check out, “Cool…Calm… Conversations with Cleo,” a weekly podcast series featuring uplifting and informative conversations between Founder and Artistic Director Cleo Parker Robinson, along with special guests who span the artistic spectrum.
Try Your Hand at Glass Art with Pittsburgh Glass Center
Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania offers virtual resources that allow adults and kids alike to explore the art and science of glass. Follow a step-by-step guide to make your own sugar glass or by taking a mosaic lesson.
If you’re not in the mood for a new hobby, explore the interplay between technology and human creativity with PGC’s latest exhibition, Silica Valley. You can view the exhibit at home through a 360-degree virtual tour guided by the curator, along with artist talks and related educational activities.
Get Your Art Fix with CulturalDC in the Nation’s Capital
Since 1998, CulturalDC has supported the creative economy in Washington, D.C. Through its new Mobile Arts Program, CulturalDC converted a 40 foot shipping container into a multi-functional space that delivers art to neighborhoods across D.C.
You can explore the current Mobile Art Gallery exhibition, Rendition, via a virtual gallery tour and artist talk. Featuring work by D.C.- and Baltimore-based artist Zoë Charlton, the African masks and statues in this exhibit engage cultural identity, race, commodity, and cultural tokenism through an approach that is both critical and humorous. You can also learn about past exhibits in CulturalDC’s podcast.
Finally, check out CulturalDC’s weekly cultural happy hour, “Shaken, Not Stirred with Kristi Maiselman,” featuring the executive director in conversation with artists, collectors and leaders across the country.
Join us again next week as we continue to highlight online resources from arts and cultural institutions. In the meantime, follow Bloomberg Philanthropies on Twitter and Facebook for a daily cultural spotlight, and catch up on the previous posts in our virtual arts experience series:
Five Ways to Explore Culture This Weekend with Podcasts, Online Courses, Livestream, and Music
Five Ways to Travel the World Virtually This Weekend
Explore the Outdoors While Indoors This Weekend
The Show Must Go On – Light Up Your Living Room with These Virtual Performances