Uploaded June 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago

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We used to pride ourselves on packing houses. How do we stay alive when we can’t do that anymore?

You’ve seen your favorite local arts organization close its doors, cancel its gatherings, and postpone its programs. You’ve probably also seen them offer programs online: virtual museum or gallery tours, artists talks, livestream concerts, and other ways of delivering content virtually. But the question that is worrying many of these organizations now is, how long can the arts survive in the virtual world?


We invited arts and culture leaders from across the country to talk about what’s keeping them afloat, and what will do so in the days to come. See an excerpt of our conversation below!


Participants

Maria Belcher, Executive Director, FestivALL (Charleston, WV)

Rhonda Bellamy, Executive Director, Arts Council of Wilmington (Wilmington, NC)

Krista Bradley, Director of Programs and Resources, Association of Performing Arts Professionals (Washington, DC)

Kristen Chiacchia, Executive Director & Chief Curator, Second Street Gallery (Charlottesville, VA)

Amy Grossman, President & Chief Executive Officer, The North Carolina Folk Festival (Greensboro, NC)

Bill Martin, Director, The Valentine (Richmond, VA)

Janet Starke, Executive Director, Virginia Commission for the Arts (Richmond, VA)

Marlon Torres, NC Arts in Action (Durham, NC)


Tom Tom Foundation

Rachel Baker, Summit Director

Ben Wilkes, Program Manager