Capturing Creativity in Times of COVID: A Weekly Virtual Live Show Lisa D'Adamo-Weinstein - SUNY Empire State College Creative Expressions was a weekly virtual arts and culture series conceived of during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an attempt to recreate the in-person sharing of art, music, poetry, and other forms of creative works typically experienced at an annual college event, the series began as an experiment led by the faculty of the School of Arts and Humanities. That first session was so well received, that I continued to host and organize the show every Thursday for 30 weeks. There were a total of 89 individuals - 34 staff/faculty presenters and 56 student/alumni/guest presenters - who shared their creative talents at least once as part of the series. Approximately 790 attendees came to the Zoom platform across all 30 sessions. You can find the recordings, materials, and all biographical information about the presenters at the Creative Expressions website. For this presentation, I will talk about the lessons learned and possibilities for educators to use Zoom and Google Sites to create a shared space for their students and school communities to celebrate the arts and other topic areas to build community, celebrate creativity, and develop an OER resource. Conference Strand: How to/Integration Target Audience: Grades K-12, Post-Secondary

1. Capturing
Creativity in
Times of
COVID
A WEEKLY VIRTUAL LIVE SHOW
Lisa D’Adamo-Weinstein, Ph.D.
Department of Arts & Media
School of Arts & Humanities
Lisa.D’Adamo-Weinstein@esc.edu
July 23, 2020

2. Capturing Creativity in Times of COVID: A Weekly Virtual Live Show
Lisa D'Adamo-Weinstein - SUNY Empire State College
Creative Expressions was a weekly virtual arts and culture series conceived of during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an
attempt to recreate the in-person sharing of art, music, poetry, and other forms of creative works typically experienced at
an annual college event, the series began as an experiment led by the faculty of the School of Arts and Humanities. That
first session was so well received, that I continued to host and organize the show every Thursday for 30 weeks.
There were a total of 89 individuals - 34 staff/faculty presenters and 56 student/alumni/guest presenters - who shared
their creative talents at least once as part of the series.
Approximately 790 attendees came to the Zoom platform across all 30 sessions. You can find the recordings, materials, and
and all biographical information about the presenters at the Creative Expressions website.
For this presentation, I will talk about the lessons learned and possibilities for educators to use Zoom and Google Sites to
create a shared space for their students and school communities to celebrate the arts and other topic areas to build
community, celebrate creativity, and develop an OER resource.
Conference Strand: How to/Integration
Target Audience: Grades K-12, Post-Secondary

3. Creative Expressions: The Series

4. Creative Expressions – Creative Works
VISUAL
ARTS
PERFORMING
ARTS
SPOKEN &WRITTEN
WORD
CULTURAL/
TOPICAL
FIBER ARTS
Felting
Quilting
Knitting
Tatting
Crochet
Silk Painting
Botanical
Fabric Painting
BUILT BY
HAND
Pottery
Rebuilding
Puerto Rico
Found Objects
Public Art –
Mosaic Mural
Worker’s Arts
Coalition
Sculpture
Public Art -
Sculpture
Podcasting
Poetry Slams
Memoir
Writing &
Wellness
Short Stories
Tahitian
Storytelling &
Poetry
Jamaican Poetry
Painting
Photography
Mixed Media
Collage
Botanical
Paper
Coloring
Books
Political Art
Design
Film
Songs of Protest
Remembering
9/11
Pop Culture
Dia de los
Muertos
Yaad Hip Hop
Southeast Asia
Art & Activism
#BLM &
#NativeLivesMatter
Singing
Guitar
American Roots
Afro-Cuban
Yuruba/Orisa Music
3 COVID Inspired
Theater
Performances
Dance &
Performance Art

7. Technology Tools Used
ZOOM
Live Interaction
Zoom-Keeping
Testing & Recording
LEARNSCAPE
Accessible repository
repository
Transcription
Branded by
institution
GOOGLE SITES
Ease of use
Incorporation of
other Google
products
Don’t need IT
support

8. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

9. • Please keep your microphones on silent during the session.
• For tonight, please turn off your video during the performance.
• You will be able to put video cameras back on at the end to show your
appreciation by clapping, waving your hands, or snapping your fingers.
• Feel free to post your comments in the chatbox to let the artists what you think
about what they have shared.
• There will be time for questions and answers at the end of the session. Please feel
free to put your questions in the chatbox before the Q&A if you would like.
A Bit of “Zoom-keeping”

10. Tips:
Testing &
Recording
Test systems and lighting for all presenters
at least a day before live sessions.
Assume that tech will fail and have a back-
up plan. Phone/tablet to back up
laptop/computer.
Sound for live music is tricky. Have
performers tape themselves and send a
copy of recording to run from desktop in
case of internet issues.
Establish a pattern or checklist for yourself
to be sure that you or a partner have
Disclaimer and prepare group before the
recording starts.
Record local if possible.
Take a Zoomie of your presenters to send as
a thank-you.

11. Space for Video Storage
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
I used a branded college purchased product.
If you don’t have access to a service through your school/institution

12. How to information available at this link.

13. https://bit.ly/CreativeExpressionsWebsite

14. IDEA SHARING
QUESTIONS
DEMONSTRATION TIME