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Impacts of the corona pandemic on artistic work have been significant or even devastating

According to preliminary information from the latest Arts and Culture Barometer, the impacts of the corona pandemic on the arts and culture sector have been significant and even devastating. As many as 76 percent of artists responded that the corona crisis had impacted their work. The majority of these impacts have been negative.
Published

Altogether 1080 artists and 160 municipalities responded to the Arts and Culture Barometer in September-October 2020. The full results will be published at the beginning of April. 

Three out of four artists who responded to the survey indicated that the corona crisis has impacted their artistic work, while approximately one third of the municipalities had taken measures to alleviate the situation of professional artists during the pandemic. Support has been provided mainly by cities, where the number of professional artists and the need for support has been the greatest.

According to the survey, many artists have considered a career change. Among artists working in the fields of circus, theatre and dance, which have been particularly hard hit by the corona crisis, 22-32 percent have at least considered changing professions.

According to Musikcentrum Riks, an organisation that represents independent Swedish music, one in three musicians in Sweden plans to leave the industry due to the corona situation. Based on the results obtained from our survey, the corresponding figure in the field of music in Finland is 22 percent. In addition to musicians, this figure also includes music creators and composers.

The life of an artist is tough even just in terms of making a living. Corona took from me essentially all my work opportunities. Now I have to build up everything all over again. (Arts and Culture Barometer)

Among those who have considered a career change, young artists under the age of 34 and freelance artists also stand out. Female artists indicated that the corona crisis has impacted their artistic work slightly more than male artists.

A small proportion of respondents felt that the corona crisis has had positive impacts.

[I have gained a] better command of working digitally. (Arts and Culture Barometer)

New ways of presenting my works have appeared. (Arts and Culture Barometer)

Another positive aspect was the increased equality among regions due to remote meetings and seminars.

The barometer is conducted by the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) together with the Foundation for Cultural Policy Research (Cupore). Arts and Culture Barometer 2020: Artists and Artistic Work in Local Municipalities will be published on the Cupore website at the beginning of April.

A forum will be held to discuss the results. Taike & Cupore talks: Artists and Artistic Work in Local Municipalities will take place on Thursday 15 April 2021 as a livestream from the Vantaa Art Museum Artsi. The programme will be published at the beginning of April on Taike’s event calendar. 

Link to preliminary results of the Arts and Culture Barometer 2020 related to the corona crisis (pdf, in Finnish)

Further information

Minna Ruusuvirta
Senior Researcher
Foundation for Cultural Policy Research (Cupore)
[email protected]
t. +358 50 326 8014

Kaija Rensujeff
Special Advisor
Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike)
[email protected]
t. +358 295 330 721