The Artists Surviving the Unknown
These are uncertain times indeed. It is not often that people across the world are universally plunged into the same state of crisis. The Artists of the music industry are no different.
I can only speak in regards to the music industry, but the ripples of the virus are far reaching. Of course there’s the general impact of the virus itself. The huge strain on the health service; supermarket panic buying causing widespread erratic behaviour. Not to mention the lives lost which increases daily.
But it’s also the measures put in place to try to minimise the spread that have caused so much disruption.
Across the world, live music venues, restaurants, cafes and bars have all shut down, cancelling all gigs until further notice. Festivals throughout the summer have been postponed or cancelled. In fact any public event involving gatherings of people are off the table for the foreseeable. In a matter of hours, months of income for millions of people was wiped away. Musicians have lost an estimated £13.9 million in earnings due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Musicians’ Union (MU).
The impact on small businesses is untold. As social distancing is implemented and public spaces closing down, countless numbers of artists and musicians are facing difficult times. So many operate on slim margins, in an industry that is difficult to predict. Financial savings and buffers are hard to build up due to the randomness of the work. Often, extended quiet work periods use up any extra resources you managed to save.
Pulling Together
In situations like this it’s crucial to remember each other. We are all in these unchartered waters TOGETHER and need to remember to help each other where we can. With so many resigned to their homes for the forthcoming weeks, people are turning to the arts in their droves.
It’s easy to forget how much we rely on the arts for our escape or augmentation of the real world. Music provides so much for so many, and at these times the artists themselves are the ones hit the hardest. Many have turned to performing online gigs, bringing free entertainment to the masses on platforms such as Twitch.
Do Your Bit
Now’s the time to show the arts how much you appreciate it by supporting the artists you love. Many have releases on sites like Bandcamp, Spotify and Soundcloud, which you can stream. You can order physical copies and have them delivered to you safely. Buying cd’s, vinyl, and other merchandise like t-shirts hats and badges all make a difference to artists who depend on the sales at their live shows.
This injection of continued support helps us all carry on the process of writing and recording music so you can continue to be uplifted throughout this time of crisis and beyond.