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Coronavirus: Stay connected through the arts

Virtual open mic nights, podcasts with creators and more to keep you engaged

When you are an artist, you are a healer - and there's no wound that the arts can't heal. While we've been familiar with these words for a while, testing times re-affirm our faith in the same. As we #stayathome and emerge stronger, artistes globally - and, of course, in the UAE, have virtually come together to ensure we stay connected through stories, paintings, poetry and more.

In case you missed the initial few storytelling sessions for kids by performing arts institute, The Hive, you can follow them on their Facebook page. So far, Malavika Varadan has beautifully read out The Incredible Book Eating Boy and Rosie Revere Engineer, for the young audience. The Junction, another performing arts space, ventured into podcasting last week, aspiring to speak to creators in the city. You can hear their debut podcast at anchor.fm with actor, director producer Asad Raza Khan,  hosted by Gautam Goenka. Meanwhile, with Dubai 360 you can opt for virtual tours of a few historical and cultural sites like Al Fahidi Historical District, Dubai Museum and Etihad Museum. Cinema Akil, a cinema arthouse, has been consistently recommending a list of films to be seen at home.

These suggestions are coming from a curated list of contributors, collaborators, thought and creative leaders. Follow them on Instagram to discover great films. We, at WKND, too, are sharing our recommendations on our Insta handle, @wkndmag, too.

Also, tonight at 8pm, Rooftop Rhythms and The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi with official support of the US Embassy Abu Dhabi, will be hosting their first ever virtual poetry open mic night. It will be streamed on Rooftop Rhythms' Facebook event page and NYUAD Arts Center's page, and be hosted by Dorian Paul Rogers with the smooth sounds of DJ A.L.L.A.D. The performers will be in different locations and will be streamed into the live feed. Meanwhile, Emerging Scene, a UAE-based platform which creates concept events to promote the work of emerging visual artists, is inviting artists all around the world to share  a 10-second story and their work during these testing times.

Last week, alserkal.online, a digital platform where audiences can discover art exhibitions, meet artists and makers from the Alserkal Avenue community, learn something new, or simply browse for inspiring content, was launched, as well.

 A lot is happening online to keep your creative spirits high and to engage productively, from downloading free colouring books from museums to participating in poetry writing competitions. Let the arts heal you from inside, before you are ready to step outside.
purva@khaleejtimes.com