USPS Publication Number 16300
T h i s C om mu n it y Ne w s p a p e r i s a p u bl i c a t ion of E s c a m b i a-S a nt a Ro s a B a r A s s o c i a t ion
Se r v i ng t he Fi r st Jud icia l Ci rcu it Section A, Page 1
Vol. 21, No. 12
V isit T he S ummation W eekly O nline : SummationWeekly.com
March 24, 2021
1 Section, 8 Pages
THE ART COMMUNITY NEEDS A PAL : L OC A L P R OJ E C T S P OT L I G H T S ARTISTS by Fiama Mastrangelo
Performance venues have remained closed throughout the duration of the pandemic, but artists haven’t stopped making music. Since nationwide lockdowns in March 2020, musicians and performance artists have taken to livestreaming their art through platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Many local artists have seen their community come together to support them through Bandcamp campaigns and buying merch from cancelled tours. Despite these grassroots efforts, one Pensacola film company saw an opportunity to further help musicians and artists thrive in a period where safe gigs are few and far between. Enter Pensacola Artists Live, or PAL for short. Calliope Films is a local film and production company owned by Chris Jadallah. Jadallah is heavily involved in the local arts community and was enthusiastic to support local artists who were relying on livestreaming services to promote music and connect with fans. “I saw a bunch of folks doing livestreams on Facebook and YouTube [at the start of] the pandemic, and I thought it was super cool,” Jadallah said. “They had a tip button at the bottom of the screen and people could donate to them… [It was] awesome to see folks coming out to support, but you couldn’t really hear it or see it well. So, I asked, ‘Well is there a way I can better represent these artists with what I can do?’—which is video and sound.” PAL’s mission is to keep live music safe. Headlines throughout the duration of
the pandemic have raised some alarm bells, as “super-spreader” events have increased positivity rates in affected communities. Even small local shows have the potential to endanger attendees, artists and essential workers that come into contact with them throughout the incubation period for Covid-19. Jadallah emphasized the safety of the artists and the fans. “I want it to feel as much like a live show as it can, while keeping it as safe as possible for the artists,” Jadallah said.
For now, this is just about giving artists a platform to perform.”
“All the crew are wearing masks, only the crew is in there and no crowds or anything like that.” In addition to keeping the artists and crew safe, Jadallah explained how PAL will operate as well. Portions of the tips are distributed amongst the team pulling the livestreams together. The artists will receive the biggest percentage of the tips with the rest going toward the volunteer camera crew and the Indie Arts Council—which is an organization that aims to provide pay for working artists in Pensacola. “I’m not getting a dime, Calliope’s not getting a dime, and for now, this is just about giving artists a platform to perform,” Jadallah said. “Of course, trying to get live shows and giving the artists a platform to perform is important, but… I always like to give people money for [the work] they’re doing,” Jadallah continued. “That’s what’s going to keep the arts in
Pensacola. It’s not going to be ‘Hey good job,’ it’s going to be ‘Hey good job, I’m gonna pay you for what you do.’ That’s how you keep artists in Pensacola.” The type of artists that will be performing for PAL will vary significantly as this project continues to grow. Local band, Faux/ Fox kicked off the series in February, and Poppy Garcia, a local artist, will be doing a live paint-along for the month of March. Jadallah explained the paintalong as “a Bob-Ross styled thing” with the camera closely following the steps. The sky is the limit with this series, as Jadallah explained: “Any art that we can stream is fair game.” While the emphasis on earlier shows may gravitate toward musical acts, local artists of all disciplines will be considered as PAL events progress. As vaccinations continue to roll out in Northwest Florida, Jadallah added: “Once it’s cool to have events again, I’m gonna
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keep doing this stream and selling tickets to it as well.” The ultimate hope for this project is that viewers might gain a deeper appreciation for local artists in the Pensacola arts scene. When events resume in the not-too-distant future, Jadallah hopes that people who have attended the virtual events will be more inclined to support live events as well. For the time being, you can support local artists by tipping during PAL’s live performance series. More viewership means that it is more likely for PAL to gain sponsors, which will lead to more shows, more artists and more fun. While we wait for “business as usual” to resume, we can still make the best out of this intermission by gathering virtually to support the arts scene in Pensacola. You can view the artist lineup, view livestreams and connect with PAL through its Facebook page. PAL is also on Instagram @pensacolaartistslive.
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