The arts and culture sector includes architecture, archives, libraries and museums, artistic crafts, audio-visual tangible and intangible cultural heritage, design, festivals, music, literature, performing arts, publishing, radio and visual arts. This collection of resources investigates the impact of COVID-19 on the sector as a whole, those working in it and its audiences.
Websites, Reports and Radio
- The impact of COVID-19 on arts and cultural charities - NestaThis new research from the Creative Industries Policy & Evidence Centre and Nesta highlights the importance of arts and cultural charities during the COVID-19 crisis and the threat the pandemic poses to them.
- COVID-19’s impact on the arts sector in China - The British CouncilThis is the first in a series of articles charting how different countries have responded to the crisis, beginning with China.
It covers the impact on film-related companies, the publishing industry and the live music sector. It also details different Government measures introduced to alleviate the burdens on business. - Arts and Culture in Lockdown - Views From WithinThis website from Supercool features personal accounts from a variety of people working within the cultural sector, for and with cultural venues, touring companies, museums, galleries and festivals. They share their experiences and discuss how they are navigating the crisis.
- Coronavirus: How COVID-19 hit the comedy industryThe impact of the pandemic on the comedy industry is outlined, as well as ways in which comedians are finding new short-term ways of performing such as through videos on YouTube or drive-in comedy tours. The long-term impact on the industry is also discussed. While some comics have taken to online shows, others fear the comedy scene make not recover.
- How Social Distancing has changed comedyComics voice the fear that without comedy to help experss concerns and work through social issues, the imapct of a pandemic could be more keenly felt.
- The Lit & Phil : It’s virtual concert season!This website is one example of the many cultural venues that are offering virtual concerts, both live and after they have been broadcast.
- The conversation : Theatre companies are pushing storytelling boundaries with online audiences amid COVID-19This website outlines how theatre makers have responded creatively to the pandemic, and discusses how this has raised questions about what it means to be a theatre audience member.
- BFI reveals impact of Covid pandemic on film and TV viewing in the UKThe British Film Institute reports on the increased in audiovisual media consumption within the UK.
- The Audience Agency - Covid-19 insightsA range of research and evidence about the impact of COVID-19 on arts, culture and heritage
- House of Commons report on impact of Covid-19 on arts and cultureThis provides a quick summary of the impact on theatre, music, engagement work and the digital arts.
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Cultural and Creative SectorThis report has been prepared by KEA, represented by Philippe Kern for the Council of Europe. The report aims to provide a first analysis on the tremendous impact on the cultural and creative sector including architecture, archives, libraries and museums, artistic crafts, audio-visual tangible and intangible cultural heritage, design, festivals, music, literature, performing arts, publishing, radio and visual arts.
The report covers three main areas;
Economic and Social Impact of COVID-19
Support Measures to Mitigate the Impact of the Pandemic Crisis on CCS
Conclusions – What is next ?
- Crystallised – Does Culture Matter ReportThis report by marketing company Crystalised set out to understand how audience relationships with arts and culture are changing as a result of the pandemic.
Over 1,000 self-selecting respondents answered weekly questions between 23 March and 20 July 2020, about their views on, and relationship with, arts, culture and entertainment.
- Coronavirus: Third of freelancers considering leaving industry – Report by The StageThis report focusses on the impact of COVID-19 on freelances in the performing arts industry. The statistics came from the Big Freelancers Survey, conducted by Stage Directors UK, Freelancers Make Theatre Work and Curtain Call in June 2020.
- The impact of COVID-19 on arts and cultural charities : NestaThis new research from the Creative Industries Policy & Evidence Centre and Nesta highlights the importance of arts and cultural charities during the COVID-19 crisis and the threat the pandemic poses to them.
- COVID-19’s impact on the arts sector in China : The British CouncilThis is the first in a series of articles charting how different countries have responded to the crisis, beginning with China.
It covers the impact on film-related companies, the publishing industry and the live music sector. It also details different Government measures introduced to alleviate the burdens on business.
- Front Row BBC Radio 4 7:15pm weekdaysThis live magazine programme on the worlds of arts, literature, film, media and music regularly reports on the effect of Covid-19 on arts and culture.
As galleries in London re-open amid a pandemic, this episode looks at what the new normal looks like for the art world
As cultural institutions across the world are faced with deciding if and when to re-open, this episode investigates two extremes: the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, one of the first museums in the US to re-open and London’s Southbank Centre who announced that it’s at risk of closure until April 2021
This episode examines how museums in different parts of the world have been changed by the coronavirus and asks what’s their future
This episode questions how safe museums are from theft now when they are closed and cities are under lockdown due to the coronavirus
The episode discusses the present and future of the art market.
This episode explores the devastating effects of the coronavirus (Covid-19) on art communities, and particularly the wealth of self-employed workers in the art world..
This episode investigates experiences of lockdown, the response of museums and galleries and the effect on the art community in two epicentres of the Covid-19 pandemic thus far: Italy and China.
In this episode Pascale Aebischer talks to Professor Josie Billington (University of Liverpool), Lucy Geddes (Liverpool Philharmonic) and Helen Wilson (The Reader) about the impact that restricted access to arts and culture during Covid-19 has had on mental health. Professor Billington speaks about the work that her AHRC project “COVID-19 CARE: Culture and the Arts, from Restriction to Enhancement: Protecting Mental Health in the Liverpool City Region” is undertaking to understand the relationship between access to culture and mental health in the Liverpool region, with Lucy Geddes and Helen Wilson speaking about their experiences of providing arts to communities within Liverpool during the pandemic.
Realities and Dreams: Culture under Covid, is a series of podcasts examining the impact of Covid-19 on the UK creative economy.
In each episode a researcher from University of Warwick Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies talks to a creative practitioner about how their work has been affected and about their hopes for the future.
‘Culture Matters’ is a series of panel events looking look at how different creative industries have navigated, and will bounce back from, the lockdown.
The first event explores ‘Galleries’, the essential spaces that connect artists with audiences, which have been largely closed across the UK since the pandemic began. The State of the Arts enlisted three leading figures working with galleries, museums and exhibitions in the North to feature on the panel…
Alistair Hudson – Director of the Manchester Art Gallery and the Whitworth.
Courtney Spencer – Director of the Leeds Summer Group Show and former director of Left Bank Leeds.
Nicola Triscott – Director/CEO of FACT Liverpool.
From new ideas on the role of institutions, to the changing behaviours of audiences, to the impact of the pandemic on regional culture, there’s plenty to unpack in this hour long chat.