Creatively Quarantining - Summit County Arts & Culture Organizations Continue to Serve their Community through Virtual Activities & Events
The Park City Summit County Arts Council recognizes the severe hardship faced by many in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, and our hearts go out to those affected. During this difficult time, many of us are turning to the arts as a coping mechanism, keeping us creatively active during a time of isolation. In an effort to promote this, the Arts Council has launched a social media campaign, #ArtConnectsUs, and has partnered with our local arts and culture nonprofits to program virtual events and activities in the upcoming weeks.
The Arts Council’s recent social media campaign, #ArtConnectsUs, focuses on a different creative theme throughout each week during quarantine. So far we’ve explored virtual creative experiences such as museums from home, invited you to spend some time sketching your quarantine buddy, we shook off some anxiety with Social Dis-dance-ing, and encouraged you to send a handwritten card made by a local artist to a friend of a loved one. We’ve got plenty more creative activities and inspiration coming up in the next few weeks, so make sure you follow us @pcscarts on Facebook and Instagram to stay connected.
On top of this, there are plenty of virtual, arts & culture activities that our creative nonprofit sector is programming for the community at this time. When this month’s gallery stroll was cancelled, the Arts Council partnered up with the Park City Gallery Association and the Park City Area Restaurant Association to launch Park City’s first Virtual Gallery Stroll. We’re encouraging everyone to make an evening out of it -- grab some curbside pick-up from one of your favorite local restaurants, and take it home to enjoy during the live gallery stroll! Use the code “ARTS” when you call in an order to get a 20% discount on food from participating restaurants including Riverhorse Provisions, Tupelo, Hearth and Hill, Fuego Bistro & Pizzeria, and Bangkok Thai.
From 6-9pm on Friday, April 24th, a representative from each participating Park City gallery will lead you through a 15 minute tour of some of their favorite pieces from local artists in their gallery. They will share the tour LIVE on their Facebook page, and all the virtual tours will also be conveniently hosted on the Arts Council Facebook page. So far, more than 10 galleries have signed up to participate.
The Fourth Annual Monster Drawing Rally was also recently postponed until Fall 2020 (exact date TBD) due to the current state and impacts of COVID-19. In the interim, the Arts Council and Kimball Art Center have decided to develop a virtual art experience, to take place on May 15th, that will emulate the Monster Drawing Rally model to keep local artists creatively activated, energized, and connected with the community during this challenging time.
Local Arts & Culture nonprofits have been meeting every two weeks to discuss creative solutions to COVID-19’s impact on the arts, and are currently developing an arts & culture event and celebration that will feature the work of our local arts and culture nonprofit organizations digitally, including an array of virtual experiences such as studio tours, how-tos, arts + craft demonstrations, Q+As, art talks, tutorials, live streamed performances, film screenings, live comedy and more.
We are inspired by the innovative creativity of our arts and culture sector during this time and the virtual events and activities that have been popping up as this situation has developed. Take a look below at the list of virtual events our arts & culture nonprofit have put together in the last few weeks, and always stay tuned for updates on the Arts Council Event Calendar.
Here are additional Summit County virtual event highlights:
Facebook Live Storytimes with the Park City Library every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11am. Tune in here.
Facebook Live Preschool Storytimes every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:30am. Tune in here.
Kimball Art Center online art classes for all ages. View upcoming classes online here,
The Arts Council is hosting a Zoom class called "Recycled Art with EQL" every Wednesday in April featuring CREATE PC’s local artist-in-residence Emily Quinn Loughlin. Email admin@pcscarts.org for info on how to join in.
Mountain Town Music, O.P. Rockwell, Park City Summit County Arts Council, & Muse PC present Locals Lounge, a Facebook LIVE MUSIC EVENT taking place every night at 7 pm during the month of April. Every performance will be streamed directly from the artist's Facebook page and will be shared on the Arts Council's Facebook page.
On April 24th at 8pm the PC Follies will have a Facebook Live Event - A Sneak Peek with the Show’s Creators Paul Tan & Tom Clyde, Introduced by Randy Barton. Visit www.follies2020.com for more info.
Park City Institute is putting together a studio for Facebook Live performances that will feature professional multitrack audio, comprehensive lighting and 3-5 HD cameras.
Park City Film is offering virtual cinema screenings and curated film picks that you can stream online.
Chalk Your Walk! - A community public art project that strives to bring a little color and positivity to our sidewalks by encouraging drawing or writing of messages of strength, calm and togetherness for others to see through April. Post your photos with #chalkyourwalksummitcounty. Tag @pcscarts, @summitcountyut and @parkcitygovt.
Support our hardworking arts organizations, local non-profits, and businesses that enrich our lives and enhance our community by participating in these upcoming virtual events! Individual actions make a difference. And if you can, please give at pcscarts.org/donate. We will pull through this together as a community. Art never stops.