Access and diversity in the arts

National Theatre will stream a production every Thursday throughout April under their new National Theatre At Home programme.

Sadler's Wells presents a programme of full-length dance performances and workshops online, to keep you entertained and connected through dance, wherever you are in the world while its live stages are dark.

The programme launches on World Theatre Day, Friday 27 March, with an exclusive online screening of Deluxe by BalletBoyz at 7.30pm GMT available to watch on the Sadler's Wells Facebook page as the first in its weekly series of Sadler’s Wells Facebook Premieres.

Despite cultural organisations around the world closing their doors as a precaution to reduce the spread of coronavirus, access to history, art and culture is arguably now more important than ever, offering some much-needed respite during these anxious and uncertain times. From virtual tours and exhibitions to YouTube films and online audio guides, there are a number of ways to enjoy the architecture, interiors and collections at Waddesdon, the Rothschild House & Gardens in Buckinghamshire, from your home.

The BFI and The Film and TV Charity have partnered to create a new Covid-19 Film and TV Emergency Relief Fund to help support the creative community. More information on how to register soon (page will be updated once registrations are live).

With a £1m donation from Netflix, the fund will be administered by The Film and TV Charity with support from the BFI, and will provide emergency short-term relief to the thousands of active workers and freelancers who have been directly affected by the closure of productions across the UK.

Training programme June 2020 to December 2021 

The BBC has announced its intention to "keep arts alive in people's homes" through it's regular programming and in collaboration and consultation with cultural organisations and funding bodies like Arts Council England. The activity, named Culture In Quarantine, will use BBC's high-profile platforms including television, radio and online.

British Council is giving advice on how to create using digital tools. These are practical tips on what programmes to use and how best to apply them.

This includes advice on:

• creative writing
• image editing
• video editing
• graphics
• illustration
• design
• music editing.

For the full rundown of their advice on tools and applying them to your art, click here.

Image: Nicole Harrington

A number of performing arts organisations, artists and practitioners have conducted live streams, posted recorded shows or are creating new work for the online space. These are available to anyone with an internet connection and the list below represents what the Culture Diary team has found or been notified about. This is an ongoing list.

Please send suggestions to info@theculturediary.com for us to consider and add to this list.

Google Art and Culture have virtual tours of around 2,500 museums and their collections from around the world, including the British Museum, ready for you to explore while at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Discover the collections on offer on Google Arts and Culture here.

Do you have any initiatives to help support or open up culture to everyone during the coronavirus crisis? Please share them with us at info@theculturediary.com.

Female pan-African supergroup, Les Amazones D'Afrique, Ghanian highlife stars, Santrofi, and Cameroonian songstress Valerie Ekoume will all take to the Liverpool Sefton Park stage for Africa Oyé 2020 when the festival returns on 20–21 June 2020.