2020 has been a real piece of work.

Before COVID-19 arrived on the scene, some of my greatest joy came from going to plays, museums, concerts, and movies. And restaurants, of course—the culinary arts are a thing, too! Each event took me to a different place and time. Some experiences were calm and refreshing, others abstract and chaotic, some energizing and empowering. Others made my pants tighter.

In late February and early March, as the coronavirus pandemic grabbed art venues by the throat and wrestled them to the ground, I felt a huge sense of loss.

Thankfully, my feeling of detachment from creative minds—and escape from current events—didn’t last too long. Arts organizations retooled faster and with more precision than many other organizations and industries.

Here’s a tiny sample of moments with the arts that have helped me move from one calendar page to the next over the course of one truly doleful year. (The song, For Now, from the Avenue Q cast reunion makes me smile. I hope it makes you happy, too.)

For The Actors Fund
Judy Collins, Live with Carnegie Hall
Make Me Down, from The Public Theatre
SAG AFTRA Foundation, Orlando Bloom, Conversations at Home
Sotheby’s, Rembrandt to Richter

If you’re able, please consider supporting your local arts organizations, as they continue to support us.

Here’s to a warm, welcoming New Year. Cheers, all!