The digital response to the challenges of covid-19 in the field of culture
With two Youtube channels and the creation of two digital festivals, the Municipality of Heraklion responds to the problems of organizing live cultural events in the era of covid-19.
It started on March 13th on the Youtube channel of the VikelaiaLibrary Municipal Library, “VikelaiaLibrary” which presents performances and cultural events. By the end of March 2020, a total of thirty-four (34) performances were uploaded in high image quality. The average duration of each show is about two (2) hours. The performances have been watched so far by over 6,000 “digital spectators”.
On April 10, 2020, the Digital Channel “Heraklion Art & Culture“ was created on Youtube. From April to August 2020, the channel has 68,300 views, many of which, apart from Greece, was from countries such as Spain, Germany, Serbia, Turkey, USA, United Kingdom, Egypt, Japan etc.
In the above period of operation of the digital channel, 23 videos with 16 music concerts, 3 theatrical performances, 2 art exhibitions, 1 video spot from previous events have been uploaded.
In order to offer quality performances to the citizens and to support the artists, the two main festivals of the Municipality of Heraklion, “Crete a history of five plus one cultures” and “Art on the Road” were converted into digital. Following a public invitation, contracts were signed for seventy-two productions, in which artists, individually or as a whole, participated. From September 20, 2020 until April 2021, the online channel Heraklion Art & Culture will be enriched by these new productions.
The channel is divided into thematic sections, which are:
“The Vikelaia Municipal Library and its treasures”: Today, the digitization of its audiovisual archive, the palitope maintenance workshop and many other works, save and highlight the treasures of the Vikelaia Municipal Library.
“The Artist’s Cell”: Interesting confessions that “communicate” the thoughts and concerns of people who have dedicated their lives to the visual arts.
“The Red Thread”: that will untie its knots and the little friends will catch the edge, to reach the world of myth and tradition.
“Fota, Avlaia, pame”: With concerts and theaters of old and new producers. Those who remember the theater on radio or on television, before the new genre of serial begins, will find in this section a quality screening with interesting plays and concerts by renowned artists.
“They gave me the Greek language”: Writers mainly from Crete will read pieces from their works and actors remarkable texts of modern Greek literature.
“Let me show you something”: Hidden and obvious historical points of the city and the countryside are presented. Points that citizens pass every day, without knowing their historical value.
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