Coronavirus is wreaking havoc on schools, stores, businesses and events. With in-person concerts, talks, comedy shows, food festivals and other gatherings cancelled, we have turned our events column into a "nonevents" column. It will remain this way as long as social distancing and stay-at-home orders are in effect.
During this difficult time, please consider contributing to your local arts organizations or to individual artists and performers.
The gang from Community reunites for a good cause. The Hola Mexico Film Festival screens new flicks. OCMA holds a 24-hour video art festival. Zócalo talks with author William Sturkey. The Hammer examines the Department of Justice's decision to drop charges against Michael Flynn.
Community Reunion
The Community cast gets together for a virtual table read and Q&A to benefit COVID-19 relief efforts. Joel McHale, Donald Glover, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong join series creator Dan Harmon to read Season 5, Episode 4 ("Cooperative Polygraphy"). It'll stream on Sony Pictures TV's Community YouTube page. Fans are encouraged to donate to charities World Central Kitchen and Frontline Foods via the Community fund.
COST: FREE, donations encouraged; MORE INFO
Offsite Online
The magazine Sight Unseen usually presents OFFSITE, its nomadic design fair, during NYCxDesign and the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York. This year, it's an online digital space featuring new furniture and objects from 57 designers and brands. The fair also holds four weeks of related programming on its various digital channels.
COST: FREE admission; MORE INFO
Tampering with Justice: DOJ Drops Case Against Michael Flynn
The Hammer Forum welcomes Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson to moderate a discussion about the Department of Justice's recent move to dismiss charges against Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump's former national security advisor. What does this decision mean for the future of law enforcement? Flynn was charged with -- and pleaded guilty to -- lying to members of the FBI about his dealings with a Russian ambassador during Robert Mueller's investigation into collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
SF Sketchfest: Live from the Archive
Every Tuesday, the San Francisco comedy festival opens up its archive of past events, including panels and tribute conversations. Recent releases have includes Best in Show and Airplane! reunions. This week, Molly Shannon talks with Bruce McCulloch to honor the 20th anniversary of Superstar. Proceeds go to festival performers, to the festivalitself and to select charities. Shows are available to watch for 48 hours, starting when you hit "play" for the first time.
COST: $5 rental; MORE INFO
Safe and Sound
Safe Place for Youth (S.P.Y.), an L.A.-based nonprofit that supports homeless and at-risk youth, presents a virtual benefit concert hosted by Dave Burd a.k.a. Lil Dicky. The roster of artists includes Aloe Blacc, Matt Berninger of The National, Grouplove, Young the Giant and six musicians from S.P.Y.'s youth music program. Chef Giada de Laurentiis does a quarantine cooking lesson during intermission.
COST: FREE - $10,000 (donations encouraged); MORE INFO
Zócalo: A Conversation with William Sturkey
Zócalo Public Square welcomes William Sturkey, winner of the 10th annual Zócalo Public Square Book Prize for Hattiesburg: An American City in Black and White. He'll discuss race, family and social justice on Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and the city's place in bolstering the civil rights movement. Listen for opening remarks from Zócalo's new board chair, Krist Novoselić (aka Nirvana's bassist).
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
MusiCares Sessions
Each Wednesday, the Grammy's MusiCares nonprofit presents two hours of performances and conversations live on Twitch. Over the next few, expect music from artists Bryce Vine, Dawes, HANSON, MAX, Old Dominion, Sofi Tukker, Sam Harris of X Ambassadors and Wrabel. Viewers can contribute to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund via the "DONATE HERE" button.COST: FREE, but donations encouraged; MORE INFO
Patty Chang: New Work
18th Street Arts Center and Marathon Screenings present an artist talk and screening that focuses on Chang's Milk Debt, which will now open this fall at the Santa Monica center. The multipart video project features women pumping breast milk while reciting lists of fears drawn from different communities around the world. The title refers to the idea in Chinese Buddhism that a child is forever indebted to its mother for the milk she gave. The livestream screenings run from Wednesday through Friday, with an artist talk on Friday at 1 p.m.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
"What Day Is It Again?" 24-Hour Video Art Festival
The festival spotlights five works from the Orange County Museum of Art's collection, all of which address our new relationship to home during quarantine. These videos were shot at home or in "home-like spaces," and most of the works were made during the early days of consumer camcorders. The works lampoon the absurdity of life today.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Lo-Freq Fest
H2the's lo-fi livestream album release party for An Album of Lo-Fi Songs That Will Never Trend, allows attendees jump from virtual room to room to watch indie artists and painters. Performers include h2the, KoOoLkOjAk, Rhyme, Yate, Brad Tennant and host Kosha Dillz. The party also raises funds for No Kid Hungry.
COST: FREE (donations encouraged); MORE INFO
12th Annual Hola Mexico Film Festival
The Hola Mexico Film Festival has been postponed until September but you can catch an online series showcasing some of the best films from Mexico in recent years. The screenings take place Thursdays to Sundays, with each film available for viewing for only 24 hours. A recorded Q&A is included with each film. Proceeds from each ticket will be shared with the filmmaker. The online fest opens with Los Parecidos (The Similars), directed by Isaac Ezban.
COST: $4.99; MORE INFO
Artist to Artist Talk
The California African American Museum presents a Zoom conversation between Carla Jay Harris, Sam Vernon and Janna Ireland, who were featured in CAAM's exhibition Sanctuary: Recent Acquisitions to the Permanent Collection. They'll discuss the concept of safe space and refuge as it relates to the African American experience. RSVP for Zoom link.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Get Back Up
Justin Furstenfeld, lead singer of Blue October, hosts the premiere of a documentary that tracks the band for seven tumultuous years. Members deal with substance abuse, mental health struggles and recovery. The premiere is followed by interactive Q&A sessions.
COST: $11.99; MORE INFO
Groundlings Online Classes
The comedy troupe counts a number of well-known performers among its alumni ranks. A few of them are returning to host live-streamed online classes that will benefit the theater and school. Ben Falcone, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash will present "Directing for the Screen." The conversation will touch on directing, including breaking in, running a set and being a great collaborator. A Q&A is included in the class session. Limited enrollment.
COST: $50; MORE INFO
The Future of _Space
The A+D Museum presents its first virtual, crowdsourced digital exhibition. The museum prompted artists and designers to explore a new understanding of space in times when our interactions have become the focus of society at large. How do you really connect online? What does this new way of digital interaction mean for our private spaces?
COST: FREE admission; MORE INFO
Who doesn't miss going out to eat or stopping by a bar for a drink? Here are a few options from restaurants and bars as we work our way back toward normal.
