The Benilde Arts Management (BeAm) recently updated their archive titled “Arts and Culture Resources During COVID-19,” a compilation of resources from the arts and culture sector that can be skimmed through the comfort of everyone’s homes via BeAm’s official Facebook Page.
The compilation contains numerous categorized links that redirect the reader through various art forms from ebook websites such as the book catalogs of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, a modern art museum from New York that released free ebooks about art compilations, portfolios and discussions, or art exhibitions such as “Art At a Time Like This,” a nonprofit online art space funded by Barbara Pollock and Anne Varllahen that virtually showcases public exhibitions created by artists throughout the years.
In an interview with The Benildean, BeAm Vice President for External Affairs Krishaine Serrano asserts that the archive is a way to not only entertain the people with educational and insightful artworks, but also to connect to artists and people in reminding about unity and hope that expounds at a virtual reach.
“In a way, we wanted to bring these two groups of people—creator and audience—together so they realize, “Hey, I’m not alone in this! What are you up to?” Serrano said.
Furthermore, there are also art fundings, donation drives, research websites and job-finding links within the archives such as #ArtforMedPh, a commission-based donation drive where all the proceeds will be given to frontliners and medical workers for their hard work and efforts to help us in the pandemic, a job-seeking Facebook page titled “Post.ph,” a virtual bulletin board where they post job findings from the Arts and Humanities’ organizations, institutions or colleges that you can easily browse through their pages, a collaborative research-based local website that shows the impact of the creative industry in the Philippines during the pandemic.
“There are many ways artists and creatives are reacting to the pandemic, so this archive of resources is our own little way of showing these reactions to anyone who might need to know about the work others are doing for the arts and culture community,” Serrano added.
Lastly, Serrano encouraged everyone to share the archive to anyone as this is a way of appreciation and gratitude for the Arts and also a support for local art businesses, especially in the time of pandemic.
“Now more than ever, people are looking at art and rediscovering their creativity, so people you might never expect to like what you do might end up suddenly supporting you. Especially at a time when a lot of us are stuck at home, connecting with people is really important,” she emphasized.
Originally released on June 16, 2020, the archive is an eight-page long Google document consisting links of dozens of art websites and YouTube channels from virtual books, exhibits, films, performances, documentaries, art initiatives and visual arts, that was created and published when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic due to the spread of COVID-19 last March 20, 2020.
Benilde Arts Management (BeAm) is a recognized student organization of Benilde that ensures young and aspiring arts managers to hone their skills in art appreciation and management through forging bonds, connections, events and expounding their knowledge on arts on culture, tradition and appropriation.
