Covid 19 & The creative industry
We have an inhaled till our lungs are full to the brim, now we exhale very slowly....the Coronavirus has hit Britain. Everyone and everything has slowed down or completely come to a stand still due to the pandemic that is Coronavirus aka Covid 19, for the creative industry it has been a time of extreme uncertainty and anxiety, for some this is already the day to day reality of the creative hustle, from winning projects, generating/making sales or securing funding. With uncertainty comes panic, many of us have seen sales dry up, projects evaporate into thin air or be pushed so far back into oblivion we believe they may never come to life. But we can get through this!
Some we know in the creative arena still balance the world of a nine to five or part time work, with their freelance or creative work, self isolation or the current lock down means they will have some sort of revenue to keep things ticking over to cover bills and essentials. They will also be gifted with something valuable, that can be used in a very positive way to keep the creative energy going, time. Whether it's to just jot down ideas or plan what you intend to do when this period blows over make use of it. Alternatively you could go crazy! Not mentally may I add, but creatively, dive into your text, make magic on a canvas whatever your field, try to use the time to your advantage as much as you can.
On the flip side to this group are those who solely rely on freelance work, the sale of art or a creative service. From lighting and set designers to photographers and sculpture's, the spectrum of those affected is huge. The ‘lockdown’ has seen many lose work, sales, projects and have had contracts put on hold. Frustratingly things are still up in the air regarding financial aid for those who are self employed of which a large majority of creatives are, many are keeping their eyes peeled to the news outlets and HMRC site for answers to financial aid.
The time
The positive vibes and vision I’d like to send your way…….Many are switching off from the news and people will be flicking through social media and crawling the web for other things to occupy there mind to stay motivated, this would be a great opportunity to keep your online presence going let people know your creative journey is still moving in some way or another, whether its going live to share some of your artistic and creative processes, question and answers to help keep you engaged with a wider audience. These are productive ways to keep your work and services on people’s minds, so when these hard times do pass you never know what work, or sales you may pick up from those who have seen your brilliance during the lock down. Keep in communication with your circle of friends and fellow creatives bounce ideas off one another, it is important to not be isolated during such times.
There are some amazing people fighting for artists and creatives, here’s a few links I have come across for those in the creative arena, looking for extra help during such challenging times, these Gofund me pages have been put together by some amazing people who truly fight for amazing people....
West Midlands
Liverpool
Manchester
The anxiety and uncertainty
Use it as a fuel to be creative, if your an artist, pour your soul onto the canvas, a writer, put it into your text. Yes it is can be hard to focus and yes the uncertainty can be terrifying, but one thing I have learned over the past few years with previous projects I have worked on, is that emotional turmoil or times of uncertainty can bring out some of our best work. This has also been cosigned by creatives I have worked with and visited both during and after bad periods. Yes it is easier said than done, but please try and stay positive.
Wishing you all the best through these hard times……
