I decided in about week three of the pandemic reaching the UK that I would limit how much I read the news; that I would only check once a day, and only from certain sources.
That has obviously changed since then. It feels like every day I am trying to personally navigate the balance of the right intake of information that can lead to action, while also looking after my mental well being.
But, at the time, switching off felt like the right thing to do. It wasn’t just about how sad I felt reading the daily death tolls, the statistics of Black communities disproportionately affected, the politics surrounding our NHS, or the prime minister’s speeches.
It was also to avoid the news around the industry that I work in: the arts, particularly theatre.
Like many industries right now, coronavirus has affected the arts’ economy and ability to sustain itself completely. There is so much uncertainty about how it will continue or return.
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Hearing about this, in addition to coronavirus’ ability to rip apart families, people’s health and put distance between friends was too much to read about all the time.
Still, this once a day update proved too much, so I adjusted, and started reading about my industry once a week.
Soon, my ‘news source’ (which is just my mate leaving me a long voice note on all that happened that week in the arts) became a bit too sad to listen to the whole way through.
Nuffield Southampton Theatre goes into administration; a quote from Sonia Friedman in The Telegraph noting ‘theatre is on the brink of collapse’; Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum announcing a hibernation; The Royal Vauxhall Tavern setting up a GoFundMe to keep it alive; a similar campaign around one of the most iconic theatres, Shakespeare’s Globe.
The list, unfortunately, could go on. The last time I had checked, the future of my industry was uncertain. Now, without immediate action it seemed like there was no hope for the arts to truly get back to what it once was. The situation was potentially dire.
I’ve always known the arts is populated by innovators, or ‘do-ers’, so it wasn’t surprising to see that fundraisers in their plenty were set up. There were funds made by artists supporting other artists. There was emergency meeting upon emergency meeting, trying to keep building lights on for another day, and the artists that make those buildings shine.
True generosity of spirit.
The government support scheme for self-employed people is not only about to run out, but it failed to account for so many types of workers in the first place
Yet it didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t help but wonder why the onus was on us to bail us out of our own impending closure. Where was the government? Arts, culture and entertainment not only boosts the UK economy, but undoubtedly adds so much emotionally to the fabric of our society.
I’m not sure many of us could imagine this lockdown without Netflix, or the radio, or our books, or the live streamed theatre shows.
Ultimately, creativity and our arts consistently give us so many of our most joyous memories. That’s all about those on the viewing end, it goes without saying that many of those working in the industry will suffer if nothing is done to keep the arts afloat.
It’s not just those of us on stage that are losing out, but those in every aspect of production. So many of our British film and screenwriters come from the institution of theatre. And so many from theatre come from the world of clubs, bars and cabaret basements, with those buildings such as The RVT also facing risk of closure.
So why are we being left to fund and fend for ourselves? The government has extended the support scheme for self-employed people, but it still fails to account for so many types of workers in the first place.
Furlough schemes are beyond insufficient in keeping the mass overheads venues have, and in an industry as complex and as wide as the arts, there are so many different kinds of people qualified to do jobs that simply cannot be done at the minute.
Look, I am not suggesting I fully understand government budgets or the economy, but I do know that when they want to invest in something’s survival we have seen the money appear.
I also know that it is about what governments see as important enough to save. In a world that favours capitalism, rigidness and output – often the work of an artist and creativity can be pushed aside as flimsy, unessential and not needed. Yet I know and believe in what the arts, creativity and entertainment can bring to individuals and communities.
It has brought me out of depressions, it has given me countless new friends, it has helped me share political viewpoints, and ultimately – made me feel like I have purpose.
What I am saying is: our performing arts future is worth being invested in. Not just economically, but more important to me, socially.
I know that my life would be very different if I did not get to experience what going on a stage at the RVT or acting in a play would feel like. And I know so many audience members who have met lovers, friends, changed stubborn views all because of sharing space in a performing venue.
When a new-normal appears from this moment, while our world deals with grief and hardship and hangovers from this crisis, we will want to see art.
We will want to connect over a play, or a drink at a cabaret bar, or a dance show: and therefore we need a government to invest in the reality of those buildings and artists still being there, so that we can then fill it with life.
In European countries where arts are being invested in more via government support, we have seen far less scare of permanent closures. Many theatres in the Netherlands, where the arts is publicly invested in more heavily, have already seen buildings restructured to accompany social distancing laws.
When ticket sales and the purchasing power of the audience are not the driving force in choices, safer decisions can be made. Where the value of the building is covered by the government, not the audience, so we can invest in the value of the art instead.
This is about where or what we choose to place our value in, and in recognising that it is less of a ‘bail out’ and more ensuring our future can be one that the arts continues to enrich.
Sonia Freeman said that without a government rescue package, the loss to theatre would be ‘irrecoverable’. That terrifies me.
It makes me sad to think of all the people having to consider a career change, or all the doors being closed and pathways shut off to those aspiring to be part of the industry.
We need our government to step up in keeping them open.
Do you have a story that you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/12/the-arts-pandemic-12817107/
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