In the last few years, the creative economy steps into the spotlight among unprecedented disruption generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The cultural and innovative industries at the heart of the inventive economy have never been at such a crossroads. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ruin, wide-spread closures of borders, venues and physical distancing measures are impacting whole segments of the innovative economy. Many people working in the art industry have lost their jobs. Live performance and venue-based industries have been impacted majorly, impacting livelihoods, artist potency, market access and artistic freedom, together with broader effect for the value chain of suppliers and service providers. The crafts sector is a major employment provider for many countries that has experienced a massive downfall. The crisis has expedited pre-existing trends, in particular digitalization, and it has exposed the pre-existing inequalities and precarities of the innovative economy in most of the countries around the world, also in the countries where public support schemes for the creative sector are in place.
Since the outburst of the Coronavirus pandemic, the arts and culture sector has been witnessing a paradoxical situation. While the demand for cultural and inventive content has escalate throughout the lockdown period––and digital access has now become more critical than ever before economic indicators assume that the cultural sector will be one of the most affected one, also one of the slowest to recover. Beyond short-term initiatives such as surveys or data collection aiming to provide artists and intermediaries with financial and logistical support, both academics and practitioners must engage in joined-up thinking on the future of art expenditure, especially from a consumer’s point of view. The demand for cultural and innovative content has been intensified throughout the lockdown period, with digital access having become more crucial than ever before. Despite the crucial role played by culture in times of quarantine and resiliency, economic analyst predict that the cultural sector will be one of the most affected one, and probably one of the newest to recover from the pandemic and its consequences.
Many players in the local art industry have shifted to contactless and digital ordering. Other adaptive strategies have included frequent COVID-19 testing of artists and staff and regular consultation of medical experts to inform any reopening plans. Seen that many non-profit arts organizations already will lose revenue because of restrictions and also because more people are staying at home—these additional costs pose further challenges to an already-drowned sector. The increased desire to supplement or replace in-person services with virtual arts experiences also adds to expenditures for arts organisations. In some situations, online platforms have allowed artists and arts groups to reach a larger audience during the epidemic than would have been possible otherwise.
While virtual platforms have become one of the most popular adaptations for arts organisations and artists, they are not without their drawbacks. Many artists and arts groups were forced to invest in new equipment and systems, develop new skills, and figure out how to sell their work in a virtual world. At the same time, viewers’ ability to fully adapt to a virtual culture is not assured.
The pandemic has brought to the disorganised Local art industry and its artist community some improvements —collaboration to create new works, higher online visibility, and the ability to reach audiences and consumers differently. The Indian creative sector is seeing togetherness. But whether the community stands for sustained advocacy with the government and private sector for recognition and support remains to be seen.
Governments are becoming increasingly interested in controlling internet creative expression. However, they must concentrate on narrowing the existing wide gap between the rich and the impoverished in the art world. While certain art forms will transition to the digital sphere, it is impossible to present street/festival performances online. To guarantee that subsidies and other programmes reach the intended recipients, governments should maintain a public registry of artists. It’s vital to recognise gig workers in this industry, as well as enhance legislation that protect cultural assets.
Not all forms of art are financially self-sustaining. The loss of employment and earnings in the creative industry will have a severe impact on innovation, citizen well-being, and community vibrancy and diversity. The respect and value for an artist’s work must be built from appreciation for art’s significance in presenting society with a sense of normalcy during these lonely times. Otherwise, we shall be collectively accountable for the extinction of our cultural heritage.
Local artisans, organisations and institutions around the world have met the challenges posed by the pandemic with agility. For many, the pandemic accelerated the transition to the digital medium; the act of self-preservation often led to innovation. The Internet provided unprecedented chances for artists and institutions to communicate with one another in a variety of ways, resulting in new partnerships and channels for the arts. We’ve merely scratched the surface of what a digital platform can provide in terms of entertainment, education, and participation. Geographical boundaries may have vanished thanks to the digital media, but it is not without its drawbacks: global rivalry, shorter attention spans, and digital weariness.
The pandemic has not only strengthened ties inside the art field, but it has also improved worldwide coordination. Virtual collaboration and support of one another, not only domestically but worldwide, is the way to go in order to maintain and grow stronger roots. Virtual cooperation will go a long way toward helping individuals stay connected in a world when physical travel is limited.
The authors are co-founders of Kutchi Bazaar (https://kutchibazaar.com/), India’s leading e-commerce platform created with a mission to provide platform for exclusive craft products prepared with care by the local skillful artisans of the Kutch Region.
