Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has found a series of ways to deal with and adapt with the situation, one of which includes social distancing and several months of lockdown and border restrictions. However, at the height of the pandemic, Cardboard Stage, a global collaborative arts platform launched its #6ftapart campaign through which artists and creatives from all over the world were brought together to perform and keep the world entertained.
In 2020, the dance and art world suffered. Unable to collaborate face-to-face, dancers turned out their performances on their smartphones in open-air spaces. Cardboard Stage emerged during this period, offering an alternative avenue where artists could be creative without being confined by location, which has become increasingly rare today given how much technology impacts our lives nowadays.
Dasha Schwartz, the founder of Cardboard Stage and an artist herself, mobilizes the power of creativity in a time where society is divided. She began her campaign at 6ftapart, which has since evolved into collaboration more than ever before during this pandemic outbreak by connecting artists globally and encouraging them to create outside what they think are limitations or boundaries.
“We challenged our community,” said Ms. Darshana, “to think creatively within these constraints. We encouraged people not just look up but down too—out beyond their feet, if only metaphorically speaking” (DW16). During a time when the term “six feet apart” was used to separate society and prevent the spread of illness, Schwartz hoped to rework the term to inspire artists during a dark time.
Furthermore, in the early stages of the pandemic, Cardboard Stage created their #6ftapart campaign, which emphasized the company’s motto of connecting, collaborating, and creating more than ever before. Coming at a time when the world was isolated, Dasha Schwartz singlehandedly pushed an initiative that mobilized the power of the arts while leveraging the internet to connect artists and creatives globally.
The campaign invited dancers and creators worldwide to create original art within tight parameters. From garden dance improvisations, theatrical monologues, or DJ sets that are tailored for each individual’s creative vision; this was a unique outlet that allowed creatives to showcase their talents on stage at large-scale events like festivals!
“We got over 100 submissions from artists all around the world using these parameters to create such beautiful pieces. In a time where those 6 feet were used to socially distance people, this campaign used that space to bring the community together,” Schwartz noted.
As the world slowly recovers from the effects of the pandemic and the lockdown, Cardboard Stage has hopes of enacting more collaborative and interactive campaigns for the arts community in the coming months.Learn more about the Cardboard Stage by visiting its website. Learn more about the #6ftapart campaign by visiting this website.
