Italian art institutions pivot to online webinars during COVID-19

During the coronavirus lockdown, Italian cultural institutions have launched free webinar series to continue education and engagement. Radici Associazione di Promozione Sociale offers 'WebinLIS – Radici in SEGNO' and 'Ascolta prima di toccare' every Wednesday and Sunday at 6 PM via Zoom, featuring art historians and archaeologists discussing Rome's history and art, with Italian Sign Language interpretation for the deaf and audio-sensory tracks for the blind via WhatsApp. The Fondazione Scuola dei beni e delle attività culturali, in agreement with MiBACT's DG-ERIC, provides distance training for MiBACT staff and cultural professionals, starting live webinars on April 14 and technical-scientific cycles on April 20, led by figures like Christian Greco, Massimo Osanna, and Salvatore Settis. Manifattura Tabacchi in Florence launched 'Social District,' a project offering free social media marketing webinars for local micro-entrepreneurs in Novoli, San Iacopino, and Isolotto, with applications due by April 19 and sessions over three weeks. These initiatives aim to maintain cultural accessibility and professional development during the pandemic.