Best Of CLE: Virtual Events

These virtual events from Cleveland Museum of Art, Screw Factory Artists Lofts and musician Ben Gage make social distancing a breeze.

Ben Gage
Thanks to Cleveland singer-songwriter Ben Gage’s Live with Gage House Sessions, we still feel like we’ve got a good beat on the city’s music scene. Throughout the year, he’s teamed up with the likes of Brent Kirby and Shelby Olive for periodic Facebook Live, YouTube, Twitch and Periscope concerts with interactive chats on music and Q&A sessions during the show. “I think people are starting to realize just how amazing our music scene is. The level of craftsmanship that we have right here [is] pretty inspiring,” Gage says. “Musicians are getting new fans. Fans are getting new favorite music and songs.” facebook.com/gagehousesessions

Cleveland Museum of Art
The museum has kept us inspired with its online collection and virtual versions of its Mix events. The Close Looking at a Distance series takes a look at the stories behind certain works such as “The 1920s … The Migrants Arrive and Cast Their Ballots” by Jacob Lawrence. “[The series is] about closeness, which implies intimacy and care, but also with each other and the conversation,” says Key Jo Lee, CMA’s assistant director of academic affairs. 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland, 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org

Screw Factory Artists Lofts
It’s all about the journey for the near-weekly Artists Go-Live Facebook Live demos organized by Screw Factory founders Melissa Hale and Matthew Richards. Viewers get the chance to watch as Screw Factory artists-in-residence, such as sculptor Rob Durr or jeweler Eva Sherman create a work of art in their own spaces. “To actually see what goes into physically making a plate or painting a picture or making a perfume, it gives people maybe a different perspective,” Hale says. 13000 Athens Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-0088, facebook.com/sfacreativestudios