By offering virtual presentations with writers, artists, and storytellers, the San Bernardino Valley College Art Department is able to reach a worldwide audience. In the fall, SBVC hosted two Zoom Art Talks, and “both had more attendees than we might have had pre-pandemic on campus,” Prof. Mandi Batalo, chair of the Art Department, says. “Yousef Ragheb spoke from Egypt and some of his students in Cairo joined us for the Art Talk.”
This spring, the Art Department presented two free online events: a creative writing presentation with Tamiko Nimura and a conversation on digital storytelling with artist Edward Gunawan. “We do not have many opportunities to meet one another in person these days, and virtual events like this can help to maintain social connections and build artistic community,” Batalo says. “It’s also wonderful that people from all over the country and around the world can participate and contribute to meaningful discussions.”
