Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus strain, over 180,000 people have contracted the disease, resulting in more than 7,500 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation. The global specialised agency had since declared the disease a pandemic and as the disease continues to spread, live event organisers have been cancelling or postponing large gatherings from technology conferences to major concerts with questions like, is a public gathering worth the risk of spreading the virus?
The answer, again and again, has been “no.” So, if you’re in self-isolation because of the coronavirus, don’t get caught up in FOMO – you’re definitely not missing anything major because the badass Wuhan virus is holding all of our favourite tours, festivals, concerts, film releases and social gatherings hostage. Whether it is out of an abundance of caution or a government mandate, we’re staying our asses at home.
As many of us will be facing our own four walls for an extended time, we have to fill up the said time with some kind of entertainment, right?
Well, a playwright from Toronto in Canada named Nick Green has our back. The Dora and Sterling award-winning actor, whose production for his newest play was cancelled last Friday due to the pandemic, has launched the Social Distancing Festival, a website to celebrate and showcase the work of the many artists around the world who have been cancelled, delayed or disrupted by the need for social distancing that has come about due to the spread of this crappy corona crapstorm.
The festival is supported by The Actors Fund of Canada, Actors Fund (US), Creative People in Florence, The Indie Theatre Fund NYC, Artist Emergency Relief Fund -Ireland, Red Sandcastle Theatre, Queer Writers of Color Relief Fund, Writer’s Trust, Support Act, Australia, Playwright’s Guild of Canada and the Young People’s Theatre.
Any artist or creator from across the world can submit their work as it is a chance to showcase and exhibit the work that they didn’t get to share. It is also a design to enjoy a sense of solidarity and community with fellow artists. The call for submission is open to theatre practitioners (musical, opera & dance), classical musicians, visual artists, bands, singer/songwriters, soloists, spoken word, comedy performers and book readers, among other creators.
According to the site, Green, along with others, are collecting work to put up on the site with the Live Streamed Events column getting updated regularly. The column will feature work throughout the week.
Meanwhile, submissions have included clips from rehearsals, scenes done with cast-mates over webcam, recordings from workshops, design plans, and performers.
Among those who have submitted their work to the ongoing e-festival is Tadhi Alawi, a performing artist/dancer from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania who was supposed to present his Body vs Mouth contemporary dance short film and a new solo at the Laois Dance Platform festival in Ireland. Sadly, the festival was cancelled.
With more creators and shows signing up to be part of the Social Distancing Festival, this gatherum of bright diversion and cultural exuberance is set to bring a little of that old meatspace entanglement into our online lives. We can stay in our homes wearing our cute PJs bottoms and that bag of a snack and still snag those, Yes I-was-there bragging rights, for when this pathogenic shitstorm finally passes into the history books.
Happy binging, y’all! We’ll be right there with you, just a couple screens away.
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