BIG ARTS is pleased to announce the Talking Points series for the upcoming 2021 season which can be accessed online for the same per-session charge as in-person attendance. The sessions will take place on Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. beginning January 28 and will offer an exciting range of topics including school and gun safety, how to detect fake news, internet privacy, race relations in Southwest Florida, reducing your “carbon footprint,” and cooking at home (something we are all doing much more of these days)!

PLEASE NOTE that due to Covid precautions, all of this season’s Talking Points speakers (with the exception of Kinfay Moroti on February 25) will be making virtual appearances via online connection and will not be physically present in the hall. Talking Points is designed to get you “talking,” so we hope to see many of you get comfortable at home, grab a snack and a drink of your choice, and log in!

You can live stream all the Talking Points sessions from home.  During or following the talk, you will be able to text your questions and comments to the speaker. The program and remote login and participation instructions will be sent one week in advance of each session.  For more information and to purchase tickets, call the box office at 239-395-0900.

 

THE SPEAKERS:

January 28

FROM GRIEVING FATHER TO GUN SAFETY ADVOCATE

Fred Guttenberg, public safety advocate and founder of the foundation “Orange Ribbons for Jaime.”

On February 14, 2018, Fred Guttenberg’s 14-year-old daughter Jamie was gunned down at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. In his talk, Fred will describe his experience after the shooting, finding purpose by advocating for safer schools and communities, and by writing about his recovery from unimaginable loss.

February 4

FAKE NEWS: HOW TO TELL FACT FROM FICTION

Lyn Millner, M.F.A., professor of journalism, Florida Gulf Coast University.

Lyn Millner studies misinformation, filter bubbles, cults and conspiracy theories. Join us as she discusses the phenomenon of fake news: what it is, where it originates, and how to be an intelligent current-events consumer in these unreliable times.

February 11

IS INTERNET PRIVACY EVEN POSSIBLE? 

Ian Sherr, Editor at Large for CNET News, a division of CBS.

As we’ve long suspected, the internet has made privacy a thing of the past. Companies like Google and Facebook create profiles of everything from our shopping habits to our voting preferences.  After a series of high-profile privacy breaches, however, efforts are finally underway to reform the industry. Ian Sherr will discuss what changes are being made, as well as ways we, as individuals, may be able to stay under the Big Brother radar.

February 25

RACE RELATIONS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA:  A PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY

Kinfay Moroti, documentary journalist and photographer at The News-Press

Experience the intimate images and passionate storytelling of photojournalist Kinfay Moroti. His stunning and powerful photographs capture the richness and complexity of both black and white lives in Southwest Florida. His work showcases the triumphs and struggles of a community working toward racial equality.

March 4

HOW TO REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

Katharine Hayhoe, atmospheric scientist and professor at Texas Tech University.

Climate expert Katharine Hayhoe, co-director of the Climate Center at Texas Tech University, has been named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People and Fortune’s 50 Greatest Leaders. Katharine will provide us with the latest research on global warming, as well as steps we can all take to reduce our carbon footprint and help protect the environment for future generations.

March 11

YOU DON’T NEED A RECIPE: COOKING DURING COVID WITH SAM SIFTON OF THE NEW YORK TIMES

Sam Sifton is an assistant managing editor of the New York Times, responsible for culture and lifestyle coverage, and the founding editor of NYT Cooking, its digital recipe collection. Formerly the Times’ food editor, national news editor, chief restaurant critic and culture news editor, he is also the author of See You on Sunday: A Cookbook for Family and Friends and Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well.

In the time of Covid, many of us have been cooking more than we ever have before. Sam will talk about the joys and frustrations of cooking for ourselves and others in the midst of a global pandemic and about his new book, No-Recipe Recipes, out this March from Ten Speed Press.

ABOUT BIG ARTS

BIG ARTS, established in 1979, is a nonprofit organization devoted to providing quality artistic, cultural and educational experiences to Sanibel and Captiva residents and visitors. Visit www.BIGARTS.org to learn more about our upcoming 2021 Season, and don’t forget to visit us on   Facebook!

BIG ARTS is practicing the highest standards of safety during this challenging time. All visitors are required to wear masks throughout the facility. Please be sure to put on your mask before entering the building. We ask that you are mindful of physical distancing. With physical distancing precautions in mind, BIG ARTS is selling only 50% of the seats in Christensen Performance Hall. Until further notice, only 200 seats will be available for any event in the Hall, and a maximum of 25 people will be allowed in the gallery at any given time. BIG ARTS has enhanced its air filtration system, all surfaces are wiped down between use, a professional sanitation fogger is being used after each gathering, and there are hand sanitation “stations” throughout the ground floor.