"It's more connecting in some ways, because you get an immediate response or critique while performing," says Rogers. Rogers has run Rooftop Rhythms, an organization that hosts open mic poetry nights in Abu Dhabi, since 2012. When the coronavirus pandemic forced the city to shut down public spaces, he had an idea. "I thought we should go virtual," says Rogers. "I wanted to do it professionally, with a production team that could look into it and see how feasible it was.
In just a few weeks, Rogers and the NYUAD Arts Center sourced the technology needed to create an online performance. He set up two virtual poetry nights on social media, with a line-up that included spoken word artists and musicians from around the world.Before the pandemic, Rooftop Rhythms hosted regular poetry and music events."It's almost a seamless experience," says Rogers. "We were in our own homes, but we pulled off a successful event that felt similar to a physical show."Rooftop Rhythms isn't the only Abu Dhabi initiative to go online. Technology such as virtual reality and 360-degree tours are proving more useful than ever, giving hope to museums, galleries andthemeparks trying to stay afloat.
Keeping tourism alive
In the last few years, Abu Dhabi has expanded its tourism sector, opening the Louvre in 2017 and Warner Bros. World theme park in 2018. Last year, the city welcomed 11.35 million tourists. 
After travel bans brought tourism to a standstill in March, Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) launched interactive hub 'StayCurious' to replicate its attractions online."We wanted to give [people] something that would entertain them and maintain awareness of Abu Dhabi globally … to make them come in the future," says Saeed Rashed Al Saeed, destination marketing director at DCT.
StayCurious allows users to dive into the city's cultural scene with online art exhibitions, meditation sessions and concerts. From a virtual ride in a Formula 1 race car to a 360-degree visit of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, visitors can virtually explore over 15 sites. AccRead More – Source
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