Can the Art World Overcome the Challenges Brought by 2020?
CORE installation by 1024 Architecture, soundtrack by Lauren Garnier. Photograph by Sarah McDermott Brown
2020 started off as any other year, has but due to Covid-19, it quickly descended into a turbulent and scary time. It has been a trying year for people all around the world, with the effects of Coronavirus being felt in every aspect of life. Months of lockdown in the U.K., in which people could not leave their homes for anything other than the essentials, have taken a toll on the economy. It left many industries struggling financially, including the arts sector. During lockdown theatres, art galleries, heritage sites, and museum visitors waited at home to return to their favourite venues while the UK government’s “furlough” scheme was keeping them afloat. The scheme allowed for these arts venues to keep their staff on, with the government paying eighty percent of salaries. However, while this was a much needed lifeline, many of these venues still face uncertain futures.
From the 4th July 2020, arts venues were given permission to reopen, and since then, gradually more and more have opened their doors to the public. The viewing experience is very different to pre-Covid times with social distancing in place, one way routes, face masks, hand sanitiser stations, all of which are very necessary precautions to limit the risk when attending arts venues. The positive news that many arts institutions are reopening is exciting for many, yet it has been somewhat tainted by the amount of venues struggling financially. Many theatres have decided not to reopen until 2021, and one of London’s longest running musicals, the Phantom of the Opera, has been forced to close permanently on the West End after 34 years. The decision from Disney+ to upload a filmed version of Hamilton featuring the original Broadway cast was praised by fans that were able to watch it from home, before it returns to the Victoria Palace Theatre in London in 2021.
Museum and art venues have also been struggling significantly. Arts Council England issued £33 million in emergency grants to various approved institutions across the UK. However, these funds have not saved all venues with York Museums Trust beginning redundancy consultancies, despite receiving ACE emergency funds keeping them afloat until the end of September. Birmingham Museums Trust has also been forced to begin redundancy consultations, and the decision not to give them ACE emergency funds has been criticised by many. They are a high profile trust that oversees several venues, including Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and provides important services to England’s second largest city. It is saddening to see because BMAG is a progressive organisation that caters to Birmingham’s diverse arts audience, and this news will certainly have a negative effect on the city’s lively arts scene. At the end of July, the government announced plans for its £1.5 billion funding package for the arts and culture sector. Institutions will be able to apply for funding which will be phased out, and while this is much needed support, there is concern that it will be too late for many struggling organisations. Protesting has taken place outside well known art and culture venues such as the Tate Modern and the Southbank Centre, which includes The Hayward Gallery, in London over job cuts which are seen to disproportionately affect the lowest paid and most diverse staff members. It appears that these job cuts will disproportionately affect BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) staff members working in front of house roles. Therefore, calls have been made for the organisations to do more to retain and help these staff at risk of losing their jobs, particularly after such institutions pledged to do more in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.
2020 has been a year of challenges for the arts and culture sector, but could it also be one of renewal and radical change? While many organisations face uncertainty and financial struggle, it is possible that now is the time for such institutions to uphold the promises and pledges they made on social media during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement. The arts industry is changing due to Covid-19, so perhaps now is the time for long overdue radical change that will leave a safer, more inclusive space for everyone.
While the future of the arts sector is uncertain due to Covid-19 complications, and there is room for significant and radical changes highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement, art organisations are beginning to reopen to the public. There is a long way to go before the sector bounces back, but there are glimpses of positivity during these trying times. The exhibition Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers at The Design Museum has proven popular with diverse audiences and critics due to its immersive nature. It explores how cities across the world developed types of electronic music, while evoking the experience of club nights with technology, loud music, and light displays. It immerses the visitor into an experience that has been missed throughout lockdown. It is a great example of an exhibition that is fun, immersive, and focuses on visitor experience, something that after months of hardship and quarantine we all need to experience again.
Sarah McDermott Brown is a graduate of the University of Birmingham with a BA degree in History of Art and a MA degree in History of Art and Curating.