Today’s “Artsday” column is filled with cancellations, but Australia’s artists and arts bodies are swinging into action with ways of coping, reports arts editor HELEN MUSA. 

THE National Film And Sound Archive, in an announcement headed “creativity in a pandemic”, has alerted Canberra to its curated collection of Australian web series, “whether it’s a family of cannibals, zombie slaying parents, we have you covered”. One of their top picks is “Halal Gurls”, a look into the lives of three 20-something Hijabis living in Bankstown, Sydney, as they endure the unseen everyday culture clash between their faith and desire. Visit the collection here

CRAFT ACT’s Civic headquarters have closed but its online shop remains open with locally made, handcrafted items including textiles, glass, wood, ceramics, metal and jewellery, here.

M16 ARTSPACE has moved into on a virtual exhibition here of its current shows by the Jones-Desmond family, the Canberra Art Workshop and Alana Ford. The virtual exhibitions include text, a video walk-through and artworks, all of which are available to purchase digitally through the stockroom.

THE Australian Chamber Orchestra’s film season, “ACO StudioCasts” and free “ACO HomeCasts” should hit the spot. In a StudioCast premiere at 8pm, Wednesday, August 18, artistic director Richard Tognetti leading the ACO through performances of Arvo Pärt’s “Tabula Rasa” and Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony, integrated with imagery and video projections. For purchase here.

THEN at 8pm on Thursday, August 19, in HomeCast Live, Tognetti and principal violin Satu Vänskä will perform a live duet recital live streamed from their home in Manly featuring music by Paganini, Beethoven and more. Accessible here. 

DIRECTOR of Canberra’s annual “SoundOut” international festival of free improvisation and free jazz, Richard Johnson, has alerted to the release of their new soundscape album, “Out of Place”, now accessible here.

MELBOURNE Symphony Orchestra has added some of its most popular live concert recordings to the on-demand streaming platform. Highlights include classical concerts from new chief conductor designate, Jaime Martín, a contemporary collaboration with Melbourne band The Bamboos, and the return of the MSO’s concert with Tina Arena. Accessible via mso.live

Postponed shows and events include:

• ART Month Sapphire Coast events are now postponed or cancelled, BUT for the Far South Film Festival, which will continue online here online.farsouthfilmfestival.com from August 21-31.Existing cinema ticket-holders will have their tickets transferred to online tickets.
• JAMES Luke and Rachel Thom’s tribute to Charles Mingus and Joni Mitchell in Geoff’s Jazz at Smiths, Wednesday August 18.
• CHARLES Huang in concert, Wesley Music Centre, Wednesday, August 18.
• “JAZZ Divas: Sarah, Ella, Billie and beyond” at Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Sunday, August 22.
• TRAXION Big Band at White Eagle Polish Club, Friday, August 20.
• GREASE, Canberra Philharmonic at Erindale Theatre, August 19.
• “TWENTY Minutes With The Devil” Street Theatre, August 21.
• CANBERRA Sinfonia’s Mozart Concerto Gala, Saturday, August 21.
• “STARS in 3D” at Canberra College Theatre, August 21-22.
• QT Winter Twilight Series, Frank Sultana Blues Machine, Sunday, August 22.
• EDWARD Neeman, Rachel Johnston, and Chris Stone, Llewellyn Hall, Tuesday, August 24.
• LUMINESCENCE Chamber choir’s SoloSeries: The Desire for Hermitage, August 2.

Postponed exhibitions include:

• “A Brush with Birds and Botanicals,” at Helen Stephens Gallery, Collector.
• “SPOWERS & Syme” at Canberra Museum and Gallery.
• “OF Soap And Stone,” by Kati Gorgenyi, Fran Romano and Melinda Brouwer, ANCA Gallery in Dickson.
• “A Young Black Kangaroo,” by Dean Qiulin Li; and “Selected Suburban Works” by William Broadhurst, PhotoAccess.
• “FROM Milan to Canberra, at Canberra Glassworks.”
• MEGALO Studio and Print Workshop Kingston, no access to the gallery or studios and all public programs have been suspended or cancelled.
• “IRE Elevant” by Dan Maginnity—”byrd” at  The Mixing Room Gallery, 10 Mildura Street, Griffith.
• GRAEME Base at Belco Arts with “Other Worlds.