Support artists and their causes amid the pandemic through these online events

City-wide festivals, film fests, theater shows and other public gatherings have been put on hold as a crucial move to encourage social distancing. 

[Read: Cinemalaya film fest postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic]

The pandemic has evidently cast a shadow in our cultural events so much so that the need to support artists at this time also should be emphasized. But on the brightside, modern technology proves itself to be very useful in times like this as it continues to provide new ways of connecting and responding to each other’s needs.

The live streaming feature people typically use on a whim is now coming to the rescue of artists and their causes. In fact, here’s a lineup of well-intentioned virtual gigs that will not only keep you entertained but more importantly, also aid people affected by the pandemic. 

Puhon: A Ben&Ben FB Live Event for COVID-19 Response Efforts

Well-known OPM band Ben&Ben will be having a virtual concert this Friday Mar. 27 at 7 p.m. “Puhon!” which is Cebuano for “hope,” is a one-hour livestream of the band’s jamming session in their respective homes. All proceeds of the concert go to COVID-19 testing kits, PPEs and food for medical frontliners as well as relief goods for daily wage workers.

Know more through this link 

Save the Film Workers

It can sometimes be overlooked that the implications of the pandemic also affects project-based workers. In a collaborative call for support from the Director’s Guild of the Philippines, Lupon ng Pilipinong Sinematograpo and Ricky Lee’s Film Scriptwriting Workshop, Lockdown Cinema Club: Films for a Cause Volume II is a fundraising initiative for over 1,000 independent Filipino film workers who are currently being economically threatened and displaced due to the lockdown. 

The cinema club has reached out to filmmakers in the country and across Southeast Asia to make over two volumes consisting of 100 short films available for public viewing, binge-watching and for any price they can give.  

You can donate through bank deposits via BDO, BPI or you may also visit Lockdown Cinema Club’s Ticket2Me page.

Free online scriptwriting workshop by Ricky Lee

Another initiative involving Lockdown Cinema Club is a partnership with renowned Filipino screenwriter Ricky Lee in hosting another one of his free scriptwriting workshops, only this time it will evidently be done online. Set to take place in April, the online event is yet another avenue to help support abovementioned displaced film industry workers.   

While any amount to be donated is encouraged, there will only be 50 slots available in the online class. Applicants must also be Filipino citizens and at least 18 years old. In line with this, a letter of intent and writer’s bio should be sent by Mar. 27, 11:59 p.m. to banalramel@gmail.com.

Details on where and how you can donate are in the post above. 

Bayanihan Musikahan 

After officially launching last Mar. 20 with Ebe Dancel, Spongecola and Karylle, National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab’s series of online concerts entitled “Bayanihan Musikahan” adds Bullet Dumas, Chito Miranda, Jim Paredes, Gloc-9, Martin Nieverra and Juris to its stellar lineup of performers for this week. 

As of writing, the concert marathon has reportedly accumulated over 13 million pesos for the donations of food packs and health supplies of urban poor communities in Metro Manila. These are to be distributed through organizations such as Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilyang Pangtawid, Likhaan and Caritas Manila. At the same time, the series also aims to aid local government units in creating “barangay quarantine spaces to stave off contagion and to augment the medical services infrastructure of Metro Manila.”

You can donate by depositing to the given BDO and BPI bank accounts above as well as through PayMaya. More details about this, the lineup and schedule of the Facebook Live concert series can be seen in their Facebook page.

Velvet Live 

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Velvet Live is a weekly online gig by Soupstar Entertainment, the group managing prominent bands like 6cyclemind, Imago, Sandwich, Hilera, Pedicab and Moonstar88. The event which launched last Mar. 23 with a performance from all-time favorite rock band Moonstar88, will start streaming live performances from Sandwich, Pedicab, Imago, Banda ni Kleggy, Gracenote and other bands every Monday at 5 p.m. 

The live sessions, in partnership with Smart Communications, allow subscribers to use their ‘stars’ from the mobile network’s rewards system as donations to frontliners health workers, checkpoint officers, emergency response teams, and other communities in need. You can send your donations here.

#RaiseForRoadies

Even though bands and solo artists can still make a living out of music streaming, downloads, merch sales and online shows, most of their ‘roadies’ or the crew members who assist the production of live performances can’t exactly do the same.

To address the “no show, no pay” dilemma that roadies behind gigs like that of Rivermaya,  Bullet Dumas, Flu and Carousel Casualties are facing, Indie Manila and Red Ninja Productions got together with Roadie Superstar a community of well, roadies or people behind the scenes productions who share their knowledge expertise and equipment with each other. 

In line with this, since last Thursday Mar. 19, the whole team has been broadcasting talks on topics surrounding the music scene via Instagram Live. This is set to happen every Thursday at 9 p.m. The collaboration set up a special GoGetFunding page along with Gcash and BPI accounts for their crowdfunding during this crisis.

Street Team Unite 4- Reese Lansangan

Teaming up with Street Teams Unite & Project Laan, singer-songwriter Reese Lansangan will be doing a livestream performance of her original songs in her Youtube channel tomorrow night Mar.  26 at 6 p.m. Lansangan will be closing Street Teams Unite 4, a series of fundraising online events which previously featured other artists like Clara Benin, Leanne and Nara, and Keiko Necesario to aid Brgy. Calawis, a remote  community at the foot of Sierra Madre by putting up a soup kitchen in their area that can provide the community with enough meals a day as well as deliver essential goods to every household. 

Donations can be deposited through BDO and BPI accounts by scanning the QR Codes above via the GCASH account provided.

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