FEATURE
THE VISUAL ARTS INDUSTRY
Covid ’ s Impact - At a Glance
The arts have been one of the most harshly impacted sectors of industry during the Covid-19 Pandemic . Visual arts in particular have suffered , with 44 % of artists in a recent study having permanently lost work in the last 15 months . Many have suffered due to lack of space in which to work , the inability to access collaborators , and simply not knowing what ’ s in store for the creative industries , leaving 57 % of visual artists worried about their ability to get future work .
But lack of work is not the sole issue . Perhaps even more pressing is the lack of guidance provided by political authorities . The Contemporary Visual Arts Network ( CVAN ) recently completed a study in which 74 % of participants said they were unhappy with the support provided for the arts sector by the British government . In fact , 47 % of artists are still confused as to what support is relevant to their work , including furlough entitlements and requirements for grants .
Statistics such as these give us an insight into the difficulties suffered by creatives during lockdown . But the emotional side of the last year and a half is also key to understanding how life has changed for artists . In a questionnaire created by CVAN , by far the biggest impact of the pandemic was mental health . In fact , this response was over double that of monetary or work worries , and no doubt will mimic the feelings of the population as a whole .
So , with all this confusion and difficulty , has there been any ray of hope for the visual arts industry ? The short answer is yes . Many artists , both professional and amateur , have been using the turmoil of Coronavirus to create wonderful works of art . Despite loss in revenue , lack of Governmental support , and being stuck at home , there has been a steady stream of beautiful things to come out of the pandemic .
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