#CreativityWillSaveUs

WHEN VENUES CLOSE / WINDOWS OPEN

Artists & Imagine-Nations Come Together To Navigate The Global Pandemic With The Superpower of Creativity.

#CreativityWillSaveUs (Phase 1 & 2) is a special project, a video / podcast series, and a social media campaign where 80+ prominent figures from the world of art, culture, entertainment & business unite, from different points of the Earth, to reflect on the central value that art & creativity bring to humanity during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. And, in support of the global community of artists who saw all of their venues temporarily shut down to safely prevent the spreading of the virus.

The project was thought, written and produced by Tommaso Cartia and Daniela Pavan, Founders of Creative Point-On, in collaboration with award-winning author, playwright and Creative Point-On contributor, David James Parr.

Soundtrack - 'Faith Within Your Hands' written and performed by Alessandra Salerno.

Artwork by Giada Bardelli, aka Giada Joys.

A PROJECT NOMINATED BY THE UNITED NATIONS FOR THE SDG IMPACT AWARDS

The SDG Impact Awards represent an unprecedented opportunity for the global community to showcase their own sustainability goal solutions that will engage interest, acknowledgment, and support.

PROJECT INTRO

Ready, set, imagine! Daniela Pavan and Tommaso Cartia, Founders of Creative Point-On (former Creative Pois-On), present the #CreativityWillSaveUs series.

 

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 1 

In this episode:

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 2 

In this episode:
  • Multidisciplinary artist Annalaura di Luggo 
  • Actress and an Audie-nominated and SOVAS Award-winning audiobook narrator, Julie McKay
  • NYC-based, International Writer, Director, and Broadway Dramaturg Marco Calvani
  • Writer, Playwright, Producer, and Editor David James Parr presenting a piece from his poetry book - Personal Training: Poetry & Exercise Tips - performed by actor James Wells
  • The eMPathia Jazz Duo, composed by International Singer-songwriter Mafalda Minnozzi and NYC guitarist Paul Ricci - performing "Via con me" by Italian author Paolo Conte

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 3 

In this episode:

  • International Artist – Leading Figurative Sculptor Lorenzo Quinn. He gifts us with a profoundly moving homage to Gaia – The Mother Earth – inviting through his art the global community to reach a higher level of awareness during this critical time.
  • Principal Dancer of The American Ballet Theatre – Herman Cornejo. He pays tribute to Wihelm Burmann – master teacher of ballet stars recently passed away because of Corona Virus complications.
  • NYC-based Italian American Actor - Jacopo Rampini. The NYC based Italian American Actor pays tribute to Italy by reciting an English version of the lyrics of “L’anno che verrà” from Italian Singer-Songwriter Lucio Dalla.
  • International Pianist & Artistic Director of the Narnia Festival – Cristiana Pegoraro. She sends her positive message of faith and resilience performing the Gioachino Rossini’s aria “Largo al factotum” from The Barber of Seville, arranged for the piano by her.
  • NYC-based Actress and Playwright Shelly Ramoni presenting her original piece The Light Within - a touching reflection on the current state of emergency.
  • American based Agent, Music Supervisor & Producer - Fois Music Founder – Giovanni Arcadu – who has worked at major TV and movie soundtracks, like Paolo Bonvino’s “Medici- Masters of Florence” with Dustin Hoffman, and with many prominent artists including Andrea Bocelli. 

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 4 

In this episode:
  • Italian Singer-Songwriter & Guitarist Leda Battisti, performs an inspiring medley of Sarah McLachlan's "In the Arms of the Angel" and Sting's "Fragile", sending her message of hope to the World battling the COVID-19 global pandemic. 
  • Rachele Buriassi, the Principal Dancer of the Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, performs an ode to art with her partner, Drummer Andrea Belfiore (Berklee College of Music). Their alchemy is a sublime synergy of dance and rhythms. 
  • NYC-based Artist & Illustrator Stefano Imbert reflects on the challenging state of emergency and presents one of his creations - The Mask - inspired by the Corona Virus contingency.
  • NYC Actress, Choreographer, and Broadway Performer Brooke Martino gifts us with her version of "A Way Back to Then" , live from the lockdown of her home in NY. 

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 5 

In this episode:
  • Italian Singer-Songwriter & Actor Peppe Voltarelli - considered one of the greatest Ambassadors of the Mediterranean folk music tradition that he brings in his successful concerts all over the world from Europe, Canada, the U.S., and Latin America. He sends his message of hope and performs his original song "Tu Volissi Ridere".
  • Anthony Michael Martinez - NYC-based Actor, Teaching Artist & Shakespeare Aficionado, accepted the NY's Public Theater BRAVE NEW SHAKESPEARE challenge, where many actors perform scenes from the Master of theater in quarantine. He performs a "Quarantined Romeo" from Romeo & Juliet - Balcony Scene act 2.2. "There is a world elsewhere beyond these 'CORONA' walls!"  
  • Pianist & Composer Alessandro Martire - introduced by the enchanting atmosphere of The Floating Moving Concert Festival - his original idea where musicians perform while traversing Lake Como in Italy. The pianist also performs his original piece "Ena", from his new album "Share the World and sends his message of hope to the world battling the global pandemic.
  • NYC-based artist Marco Gallotta reflects on the essential value of art and the performing arts hit hard by the current state of emergency, channeling into his new series of papercutting masked figures, a tribute to all of the firs responders confronting the COVID-19 every day. 

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 6 

In this episode:
  • NYC-based Award-winning Make-Up Artist Angela Valentino - @AngieValentinoNyc - who collaborates with prestigious fashion & beauty brands, including New York Fashion Week, Philippe Plein, Moncler, Bikkembergs, the one and only Donatella Versace. She transforms her face into living works of art and sends her positive resilient message to the global community of artists. 
  • NYC-based Singer & Songwriter Hadiza Dockeray shares with us the raw emotion of her life's experience of the state of emergency in New York City when she struggled to reach a beloved one in need from her home to the other side of the city. And then she lifts our spirits with a performance of her original song "Truce".
  • NYC-based Pianist & Composer Chantal Balestri. The artist is also the President of the NY World Piano Teachers Association and Artistic Director of the Lunigiana International Music Festival. She shares her passion for her art, playing a piece with her beloved piano, and she also introduces one of her piano students.
  • American Storyteller, Writer, Artist & Art Curator Sabrina Wirth, opens her home, her heart, and her art to us showing also how she is spending some of her quarantine's time producing COVID-19 preventing masks from pieces of old fabrics that she found at home. Sabrina is also the host of the #CreativityWillSaveUs episodes on the Creative Pois-On Podcast 

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 7 

In this episode:
  • NYC-based Actress & Singer Tamara Torres - star, among others, of Award-Winning TV shows like Orange Is the New Black and movies like Blue Valentine - sings for us a touching version of St. Anthony's Prayer - in loving memory of Jim Conroy, recently passed away. 
  • Columbus Ohio-based artist, interior designer, and art teacher Kathy Vincent - she takes us on a journey into her artistic realms, and her experience as an art teacher for "Learning Never Ends" - an organization that provides day programs for those with developmental disabilities. 
  • Actors Todd Flaherty, sheltering in New Jersey & James Wells, sheltering in Manhattan, connect via a virtual theatre piece from David James Parr's play Slap&Tickle about a potential dating app romance thwarted by emotional distancing.

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 8 

This is a very special episode, featuring the evocative genius of NYC-based Film Director Jeremiah Kipp who shares with us his latest short-movie "Poem XV" by Pablo Neruda inspired by the current state of lockdown. The movie stars a constellation of exquisite actors: Adam Auslander (NBC's "The Blacklist"; "Okja"); Nicole Greevy ("Uncanny County"); Philip Hoffman ("The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"; "The Plot Against America"); Ben McHugh ("Mamma Mia!" "Pickup"); Pooya Mohseni (Law&Order); Joy Shatz ("Rich Boy, Rich Girl; "Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel"). 
NYC-based Photographer Reka Nyari who during the city lockdown because of the COVID-19 is auctioning some of her works to support NY Langone Medical Workers in the frontlines. 
From the island of Sicily, in Italy, resonates in this episode the soulful voice of Award-Winning, Singer-songwriter, and Music Creator Cassandra Raffaele. A true multi-instrumentalist, gifted lyricists, and histrionic producer, strong of many international experiences, the artist rose to fame also thanks to her participation in the X-Factor talent show. Cassandra is today considered one of the most interesting and eclectic talents of Italy's music scene. From her series "Songs from the Ghetto", inspired by the lockdown, she performs "My Friends" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 9

From Brussels, Belgium, to Brooklyn, NYC.
This new episode unifies the artistic inspiration of three exceptional creative minds experiencing the quarantine.
From Brussels, Conceptual Digital Artist Peter M. Friess presents a visionary interpretation of the COVID-19 phenomenon, orchestrating a concerto of images and sounds, mixed up with real media reports. The video was realized with a Brussels-based group of artists and it is based on their improvisations on the Corona Virus theme.
From Brooklyn, New York, Award-Winning Author Andrew Cotto and a regular contributor of newspapers like The New York Times; The Huffington Post; Condé Nast Traveler; Maxim; shares his thoughts and feelings on how he is living the quarantine, reflecting on the center value of art and creativity. Also, the author delights us with a passage from his latest book "Cucina Tipica - An Italian Adventure" - through which we can travel to Italy with our imagination and with the dreamy power of literature. 
Back to Brussels, with Concert Pianist and Art Researcher Giusy Caruso who reflects on the importance of art, music creativity, introspection, and healing that a time like the quarantine allows us to dive in and experience even more intensely than before. Her didactic aims, combined with the yogic principle of mind-body interaction, to transfer enthusiasm, determination, and grit to young musicians by highlighting and enhancing the individuality of the students while respecting the philological aspect of the musical text. 

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 10

In this episode:
International Singer-Songwriter & Musician Barbara Eramo shares the video of a 'Ordinary People' a special song inspired by her quarantine experience in Italy. The song is written, produced, and performed by Barbara Eramo and Artist Andrea D’Apolito - Dap. The song anticipates Eramo's upcoming LP "Emisferi".
Sheltered in Houston, Texas, Author, Editor, and Founder of Brighten Press Publishing, Gene Hult recites his poem "Prophet", an excerpt from his poetry book "Render", bringing it to life by counterpointing the words with a vivid video collage. Gene is the author of 125 published books under the pseudonym J.E. Bright (jebright.com), including upcoming hardcover Wonder Woman: The Way of the Amazons. 
Sheltered in Dallas, Texas, Pianist, Composer, and Teacher and Leader of the band Plus One Jazz Group, Rebecca Cordes shares her feelings on how her life as a performing artist rapidly changed when the global pandemic hit and how she is finding and inspiring us to find, strength and courage through music also surrounded by the incredible Dallas' jazz community of performing artists who are showing nothing but solidarity and resilience during the emergency. Rebecca performs for us a piano adaptation of "No One is Alone" from the musical "Into the Woods", which lyrics have inspired her to keep on believing that art and #creativitywillsaveus. The perfect backdrop to pay homage to all of the wonderful artists that have shared their creative minds and feelings with us during Phase 1 of #CreativityWillSaveUs. Welcome, Phase 2! 

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Episode 10

In this episode:
International Singer-Songwriter & Musician Barbara Eramo shares the video of a 'Ordinary People' a special song inspired by her quarantine experience in Italy. The song is written, produced, and performed by Barbara Eramo and Artist Andrea D’Apolito - Dap. The song anticipates Eramo's upcoming LP "Emisferi".
Sheltered in Houston, Texas, Author, Editor, and Founder of Brighten Press Publishing, Gene Hult recites his poem "Prophet", an excerpt from his poetry book "Render", bringing it to life by counterpointing the words with a vivid video collage. Gene is the author of 125 published books under the pseudonym J.E. Bright (jebright.com), including upcoming hardcover Wonder Woman: The Way of the Amazons. 
Sheltered in Dallas, Texas, Pianist, Composer, and Teacher and Leader of the band Plus One Jazz Group, Rebecca Cordes shares her feelings on how her life as a performing artist rapidly changed when the global pandemic hit and how she is finding and inspiring us to find, strength and courage through music also surrounded by the incredible Dallas' jazz community of performing artists who are showing nothing but solidarity and resilience during the emergency. Rebecca performs for us a piano adaptation of "No One is Alone" from the musical "Into the Woods", which lyrics have inspired her to keep on believing that art and #creativitywillsaveus. The perfect backdrop to pay homage to all of the wonderful artists that have shared their creative minds and feelings with us during Phase 1 of #CreativityWillSaveUs. Welcome, Phase 2! 

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, 10th Reprise

This special episode marks the end of "Phase 1" of the #CreativityWillSaveUs​ project welcoming "Phase 2" by celebrating all of the wonderful artists that have been part of the journey so far. To the tune of a piano adaptation of "No One is Alone" from the musical "Into the Woods" performed by Pianist, Composer, and Teacher and Leader of the band Plus One Jazz Group, Rebecca Cordes, we present you our artists whose creativity, genius, and steadfast resilience literally saved us during these unprecedented times.

#CreativityWillSaveUS Series, Special Pride 2020 Episode

Our series goes rainbow for a special episode celebrating 2020 Pride Month happening in this very unprecedented times of the COVID-19. In this episode, we give voice to some extraordinary artists of the LGBTQ+ community who share with us how they turned to their creative outlets to navigate the lockdown and how are they keep on marching, virtually this year, for a more tolerant, equalitarian, and peaceful society. #AllLivesMatters​.

In this episode:

  • Photographer/Cinematographer and Digital Artist Claudio Napoli, who decided to fill the emptiness of the NYC's streets that this year, for the first time since 1969, will not see their proud LGBTQ+ community marching for its rights, with an inspirational recollection of the last three Pride that he participated in.
  • From David James Parr's play Slap & Tickle, Actress Pooya Mohseni and Actor Sebastian LaCause perform a sweetly ill-fated love affair featuring a gay man and a transgender woman. This piece was recorded in quarantine and is part of the Pride Plays Series 2020 co-produced by Actor Michael Urie. Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxKO4...​
  • Robert Driemeyer, Actor, Producer, and Comedian and now Host of Broadway Barfly - a weekly video-series that pairs theater lore with classic cocktails and historical context. For this special Barfly Rob goes "somewhere over the rainbow" paying homage to Judy Garland and her link with the 1969 riots against police harassment and brutality at Stonewall Inn. Follow Rob's Barfly series on Instagram @RobertDriemeyer
  • Singer-songwriter Erene Mastrangeli shares her inspirational message on the power of art, creativity, and resilience during these very critical times and heals us with an exquisite live version of her song "We Are Treasures" off her new album. For more info on Erene: 
  • Photographer Thomas Cluderay gives us an exclusive peek on the Washington D.C. quarantine, where he lives, through his collection "Stoop Sessions in the COVID Age". For more info on Thomas and the series: http://www.tcluderayphoto.com/stoopse...​
  • From Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Actor Larry Buzzeo performs one of his favorites cheerful tunes, What a Wonderful World, part of his "Quarantine Karaoke". The backdrop for the performance is a beautiful walk on the Fort Lauderdale beach that Larry recorded last summer, wishing for the world to safely reopen its wonders.