The arts can help everyone stay connected and can create a sense of community and belonging, especially in these challenging times. The list below includes a variety of engaging, interactive online opportunities to develop your creative potential and explore the arts, including workshops, tutorials, how-to videos, demonstrations, and other hands-on activities. Get involved now, and when we can get back out into the community, you'll know where to go for more in-person engagement and growth! Minnesota-based and LGBTQ+-themed activities are marked with icons. Did we miss an opportunity you know about? Do you have a request? Contact us at hrights@advrights.org with your suggestions!
Opportunity
Platform
Host
Description
Lessons and Skill-Development
General / Rotating topics, live lessons and workshops
Dance Church Go!
Join streamed dance classes every Wednesday and Sunday. Dance Church may not be a religion, but it's certainly something to believe in. Join the next class on Wednesday, May 27th at 7PM.
Virtual Open Studios: Live!
Web
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Join artists and educators for a live virtual open studio on Fridays at 1pm. Each week, you can tune in to learn a new art-making technique, featuring materials you’re likely to have on hand around you! May 15: Making at-home still lifes.
Tuesday Workshops
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Every Tuesday from 6:30-8:30 pm, MCAD hosts a free online workshop on a different form of art or technique. Register in advance.
Art-A-Whirl
Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association
The Art-A-Whirl arts tour is going online starting May 15, and it will include video art demonstrations!
Virtual Family Day
On the second Sunday of every month, the museum is filled with hands-on art activities, live music, dance performances, artist demonstrations, family tours and more — all inspired by Mia’s incredible collection. On May 10, the theme is Making Home, based on the special exhibit When Home Won’t Let You Stay: Art and Migration.
Free First Saturday At Home
Walker Art Center
All the fun you experience at Free First Saturday is now online! Here you can find performances, art-making activities, kids’ films, and interactive workshops—all designed especially for you and your family to do from home. Cozy up to your trusty device (laptop, phone, tablet, etc.) and get ready to get arty with it! Activities include live zoom webinars and demonstrations, art-making activities, and sing-along concerts. June 6: Celebrating families and everything that makes them unique.
Drawing and Illustrating
Drawing Workshop: Self-Portrait
One-time workshop, Tuesday, May 12, 2020, 6:30-8:30 pm: During this time of uncertainty in the world we are spending more time in our personal spaces. Artist Erin Sandsmark will lead a self portrait workshop that will walk you through drawing techniques to create a portrait that explores both your personal space and mental state while allowing for self reflection. Take this time to focus inward and let your mind become present in this moment, in your space.
Illustration Workshop: Illuminated Letter Writing and Envelope Addressing
One-time workshop, Tuesday, May 26, 2020, 6:30-8:30 pm: Learn how to create engaging letters with simple illustrations and fun eye-catching envelopes for staying connected over a distance. Artist Andi Fink will demonstrate how to turn handwriting and basic letterforms into beautiful lettering with a few simple techniques and experiment with shape, style, and composition.
Doodle Club
Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts
Free drawing club for ages 12+ led by Lisa Douglas, Wednesdays from 7:30-8:00 pm in May. Register online.
Chance Drawing
Some artists use chance to create their works—and now you can too. Try both of these fun activities! For ages 4 and up. Downloadable PDF materials.
MCA Moment Intro to Perspective Drawing
YouTube
Join Saint Mary's University of Minnesota student and Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) intern, Grace Gillis for a drawing lesson. During this video Grace introduces one point perspective drawing.
MCA Moment One Point Perspective Drawing Lesson 2
Join Saint Mary's University of Minnesota student and Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) intern, Grace Gillis for a drawing lesson. During this video Grace dives deeper into one point perspective drawing.
MCA Moment – Circle Doodles
Join Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) instructor, Lisa Douglas for a doodling demonstration. During this video Lisa demonstrates and breaks down the process of using simple lines, shapes, and patterns to create beautiful designs.
Virtual Drop-In Drawing
Facebook
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
A series of video sessions to develop your drawing skills.
Drop-by Drawing
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
A how-to video series on sketching
Reclaiming the Gaze: Self-Portrait Workshop
Sarabande Foundation
Artist Shannon Bono will deliver a self-portrait online class incorporating fun drawing techniques, colour and art therapy. Grab your favourite mirror and find some flattering lighting because in this 50min session Shannon will use traditional life drawing techniques to help us all reclaim the gaze and control our own narratives through self-portraiture. The session will touch upon artists who have inspired Shannon’s own practise to encourage participants to express their emotions, identities and interests through sketching. To take part all you’ll need is a pencil/ charcoal/ pens and any kind of paper - yesterday’s pizza box would do just fine.
Quarantine Art Club
Web, YouTube, Instagram
Carson Ellis
Award-winning illustrator Carson Ellis posts images, instructional YouTube videos, and daily art prompts, encouraging visitors to complete the projects along with her.
Painting
Hands-On Art History: All About Paintings
Learn about some artworks in Mia’s collection, then get hands-on making your own paintings! Developed by Mia’s Learning Innovation staff and curator of Paintings.
Scratch Painting
Use toothpicks or skewers to create a layered work of art. Includes an instructional video.
Kinetic Painting
Be inspired by artist Olafur Eliasson and create your own abstract painting using movement. For all ages. Downloadable PDF materials.
Mirror Party!
Create your own Mirror Painting like artist Michelangelo Pistoletto and you can be inside the art! For all ages. Downloadable PDF materials.
Create: Color in Abstract Art
Step-by-step instructions for creating your own marbled paper.
How To | Tate
Tate Modern, London
Tate’s “How To” series shows how great artists made their masterpieces, with many videos focusing on painting
Watercolor Resist Painting
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Follow along this how-to video to make your own watercolor painting.
Pottery and Ceramics
Tate’s “How To” series shows how great artists made their masterpieces, including “How to Make a Pot Like Grayson Perry” and “How to Cast Like Whiteread”
Northern Clay Center
The Minneapolis-based Northern Clay Center has a YouTube channel including several instructional videos and workshops
Sculpture
Papier Mache Paste
Learn how to make papier mache paste to design your own creations. Two instructional videos: one to make the paste, one to create sculptures using papier mache.
Simple Hand Puppet
Learn how to make a simple hand puppet using the papier mache techniques from the previous activity. Includes an instructional video.
Printmaking and Book Arts
Tate’s “How To” series shows how great artists made their masterpieces, including “How to Print Like Warhol”
Book-binding At Home
Make your own artist journal at home! Save money on costly sketchbooks with a book-binding class from Paloma Tendero, using materials you have around the house. Paloma will teach two techniques; Single Section binding which uses only one row of stitching to group the pages - either saddle stitch or hitch stitch and Japanese binding for use binding single sheets of paper, where the thread creates a beautiful pattern. Each book takes around 15 mins to make, and you can do so with just one needle and thread, as well as paper found around the home.
Photography and Videography
Nikon School Online
Nikon
After quickly registering, anyone can access Nikon instructional videos to develop and practice their photography and video skills.
Seeing Through Photographs
Museum of Modern Art
This 16-hour course offered through Coursera focuses primarily on photography appreciation but may also improve your photography skills. Subtitles: French, Serbian, Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Russian, English, Spanish
Digital/Graphic Design and Comic Art
Comic of Our Fears
Use this activity developed by artist Anavi Mullick to help you process your feelings and fears.
Drawing on Adobe Illustrator
Resident artist Berke Yazicioglu will be showing you how to create a vector drawing on Adobe Illustrator. A class that’s suitable for adobe first-timers or those with some experience, Berke will cover various features including smart guides, layering, and stroke profiles; teaching you how to use them to obtain articulate shapes and perfect curves.
Learn about Comic Creation . . . For Free!
Creative Comic Art
This website provides many tutorials and lessons for people who want to learn to draw and public comics.
Coloring
Queer Colouring Book Pages
New Haven Pride Center
The New Haven Pride Center, as part of its special covid-19 programming, has collected a folder of queer coloring book pages
Art Adventure Coloring Pages
Coloring pages inspired by the artworks in Mia’s collection
Frank Big Bear Coloring Book
This limited-edition coloring book was made just for you by Frank Big Bear from his original pencil drawings. Teens from the Little Earth Arts Collective wrote the text inspired by the images.
Video and Filmmaking
Script to Screen
Everything you need to know before you get rolling. You’ve got your idea, but how do you get it onto the screen? It doesn’t matter if you’re embarking on your first feature or short or if you’re a filmmaking veteran, the importance of production development should never be underestimated. How do you budget? Where do you go to to finance your film? What team and equipment do you need? Listen to industry experts, Olivier Kaempfer, BAFTA-nominated producer and Founder of Parkville Pictures, Amy Jackson, Producer and Former Head of Production at See Saw films, and Fiona Lamptey, Producer & Founder of Fruit Tree Media.
Get Your Film Seen
NOWNESS and Dazed's Bunney Kinney teams up with music video director/ filmmaker Saam Farahmand and 'The Film Festival Doctor', Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith for this film screening and talk. Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith of 'The Film Festival Doctor' gives us the know-how to get your film seen, discovered and distributed --through digital platforms and film festivals, by asking and questioning the filmmakers themselves. If you're a filmmaker and want to GET YOUR FILM SEEN, tune in now!
Fashion and Costume
Fashion as Design
This 19-hour online course will help you understand and appreciate fashion design through many perspectives.
Weaving
Tate’s “How To” series shows how great artists made their masterpieces, including “How to Weave Like Anni Albers”
Dance
Slay! With Brian Bose
Zoom
Guthrie Theater
Feel sexy, fierce and powerful while learning fun choreography, grooving to music and dancing your way to empowerment. This class creates an open environment to get your cardio up, move your body and challenge yourself. Strip away fears and perfectionism while learning how to get out of your own way so you have no choice but to slay. No prerequisite or dance experience necessary. Monday, May 18, 6:30-8:00 pm is a FREE session. Other sessions are $10 per class or $75 for all 8 classes.
Connect across Time and Space through Dance!
Connect with friends and family through movement. Learn several short dance sequences by artists in the Walker’s collection, then create your own dance! Also available in Spanish.
Ballet Classes
Web, YouTube
Ballez
“Ballez is just what it sounds like... it’s lesbians doing ballet.” Ballez offers free live lessons and instructional videos on YouTube.
MCA Dancers Stay Strong during COVID-19
A series of instructional and strength-building exercises for new or experienced dancers, including tap, Irish dancing, and more!
Get in Shape Grrl (Broadway COVID series)
Get in Shape Grrl
Bust your best moves during free workout sessions led by top dancers from Broadway and American Ballet Theatre. Join the Facebook Group to get started.
Instagram Live Dance Parties
Follow former Lady Gaga tour dancer Mark Kanemura (@mkik808) for Pride filled Instagram Live Dance Parties every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2 PM PT/5 PM ET!
Theater / Acting
MCA Moment – Acting warm up (the Articulator Dance)
Join Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts Managing Director and her son Seamus for a fun acting warm-up. Rehearsing the Articulator Dance will help you warm-up your articulators (lips, tongue, and teeth), which help you speak clearly both on and off stage.
MCA Moment Tongue Twister Challenge #1
Join Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts Managing Director and her son Seamus for a fun Tongue Twister Challenge.
Theatre in the Round Podcasts
Podcast
Theatre in the Round
Theatre in the Round has produced a variety of podcasts relating to theater production, including stage managing, scenic design, props, lighting, and auditioning.
One Hour Improv
Huge Improv
The first Friday of every month. Next class: Friday, June 5, 6-7 pm. This one-time Friday evening course is a quick-hit to give you some bare-bones basics to shake off your fears and bring joy to your life. Designed for absolute beginners – no experience necessary! With master teacher Jill Bernard! – Open to students worldwide! Register online. There is a $20 fee but people who are struggling financial can just type “HELP” in the payment code box to receive $20 off.
Broadway Weekends at Home
Facebook and Zoom
Broadway Weekends
This private facebook group offers pay-what-you-can classes in musical theater taught by Broadway and West End Performers. Join the group and then sign up for classes, which are taught on Zoom.
Drag / Ballroom
Virtual Drag Shows
Zoom, Twitch, Facebook
FlipPhone
FlipPhone is based in the Twin Cities and has shifted its popular drag brunches and Drag Story Hours to an online format. Visit facebook for details. Watch and learn, dance along!
DragCast
Nina West
Nina West (AKA Andrew Levitt) takes on all things drag and LGBT in this podcast
Singing
Take 5 with GPS
YouTube, Facebook
VocalEssence
Every day from 9:00-9:05 am, VocalEssence Associate Conductor G. Phillip Shoultz, III leads a live 5-minute exercise to help warm you up, including wellness components, poems, and song. Find previous sessions on the VocalEssence YouTube Channel
VocalEssence Singers of This Age Singing Songs of Hope
Facebook, Instagram
VocalEssence’s youth choir, VocalEssence Singers of This Age, is creating Sounds of Hope, a singing challenge for all ages. The choir chooses songs that give them hope and posts videos of them that begin with short inspirational messages.
One Voice Mixed Chorus
Minnesota’s LGBTA mixed chorus has a YouTube page with several singing workshops.
Beer Choir Twin Cities
Every Thursday at 5pm CT and Sunday at 8pm CT we gather on Facebook Live for 30-45 minutes to bring the Beer Choir experience to you at home during this time of social distancing.
Music Education
MCA Moment – Tips for Church Musicians
Many music instructors and musicians put their talent to work in a place of worship. In this video Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) vocal instructor, Dawn Burmeister shares a few tips on how musicians can continue to share music virtually with congregations while social distancing is in place.
MCA Moment – Funga Alafia Drumming
During this MCA Moment, Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts Percussion and Piano Instructor, Kayla Jannsen encourages views to explore the world of drumming with materials they have right at home and to sing/ play along to a traditional African song, Funga Alafia.
Comping And Stumming Single Note Line Technique
The Grammy Museum goes back to 1970s New York and explores the environment and influences that led to the creation of Hip-Hop.
Creative Writing
Queering the Path
Instagram
This Instagram account has been posting creative journaling prompts for the month of April and inviting followers to write on their own and/or submit snippets of their writing for an upcoming newsletter. They also post periodical invites to photo contests and other virtual activities.
Using the words of Chicago natives such as poet Kevil Coval, Chance the Rapper, Jamila Woods, Nico Segal, and musical group, The Social Experiment, The Grammy Museum offers an in-depth look at community through poetry.
Contests and Calls for Submissions
“Queerantine” Art Contest and Exhibition
“Pink” Armenia
"Pink" Armenia is a community-based LGBTQ organization and has organized an art contest where people can submit their own hand-drawn or digitally created illustrations depicting anti-discrimination themes. The contest entries are due by May 7 and the contest is open to anyone. Winners will have their art printed on the organization's postcards and other outreach materials.
Global Open Call for Art
Amplifier
Open call ends May 8, but people may vote on submissions thereafter: We are currently looking for symbols that help promote mental health, well-being, and social change work during these stressful times. We are also looking for work that can envision the world we know is possible on the other side of this pandemic. What will we take with us and what will we leave behind? Show us your vision for that new world!
Kids’ Art Activities
Toddler Time Activities
Three activities for young kids designed to bring some fun and creativity to your day.
Beyond the Stage
Stages Theatre Company
Free virtual theater activities for ages 18 months to 18 years.
MCA Moments – ways to keep busy and creative during COVID-19!
MCA Moments will fill your creative toolbox full of arts tips, tricks, and boredom busters for the whole family.
Artful Writing
Weisman Art Museum
Activities for Grades 4-12 designed to foster creative writing inspired by art
Children’s Theater Company Weekly Series
Web, Facebook, YouTube
Children’s Theater Company
CTC posts videos online for Mindfulness Mondays (stress-reducing exercises developed through the Creative Play program) and Write On! Wednesdays (parents send in their children’s original plays and stories and members of the CTC’s acting company perform them and release them on Facebook one week later)
Off Book
Off Book includes several “Create & Do” activities that springboard from recent CTC productions. Activities include music creation, puppets, and more!
NGV Kids At Home
Activity sheets (suitable for ages 8 and up), meet the artist e-books (ideal for primary-aged children, and younger children with assistance of an adult), and art games for the whole family
Digital Creatives
Combining coding activities and the arts
Great Art Ideas for Teachers
A variety of creative art lessons that can be adapted for home use, suitable for primary school ages
Art-Making Activities
Art Institute of Chicago
Activities great for ages 7 and up, but can be enjoyed by learners of all ages
Creative Writing Prompts
Coloring Book Pages
Virtual museum tours
Explore Mia’s art collection from the comforts of your home. You’ll find fascinating art stories and podcasts, 360-degree images and zoom views of the collection, and more to spark and nurture your creativity. Mia also has online activities for virtual visits.
Public Art 25 is a virtual tour of WAM’s public art collection located on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.
Better World Museum
Current exhibits include several fashion and costume exhibits
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Sculpture, paintings, and drawings
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
Contemporary art, including paper, sculpture, metal, and glass, and exhibits on South and Southeast Asian art and art from Latin America, among others
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
20th Century and contemporary American art, focusing on living American artists
The Frick Collection, New York
Renaissance to late 19th century paintings, but also furniture, enamels, and porcelains
The Cloisters Museum and Gardens, New York
A branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art focusing on the art and architecture of medieval Europe
American Museum of Natural History, New York
A collection of specimens and artifacts documenting the natural history of the United States
The British Museum, London
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Classical Dutch art, Asian artefacts, 17th-century silver and porcelain
Musée d’Orsay, Paris
Impressionist and post-impressionist works
The Broad, Los Angeles
Contemporary art from the 1950s to the present
Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Renaissance art from Italy
Museum of Broken Relationships, Zagreb and Los Angeles
You can contribute your own item to the museum’s collection as well as browse current holdings
Museu de Arte de São Paulo, Brazil
Art from around the world
Picasso Museum, Barcelona
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Banaki Museum, Athens
Virtual tours of the Museum of Greek Culture, the Museum of Islamic Art, the Ghika Gallery, the Toy Museum, and others
National Palace Museum, Taipei
Chinese arts and crafts from the Neolithic to the modern era
Online Performances
Opera: Free Student Streams
Metropolitan Opera
Every Wednesday the Metropolitan Opera releases an opera for people around the world to stream for free and also provides accompanying videos throughout that week that include artist statements, tips for engagement, and thematic commentary
Free apps to create art
Tromaramix
Learn how to use stop-motion animation make things move, multiply, and disappear using this iPad App