Art in the Time Of Pandemic | Gist of Rajya Sabha TV / RSTV (now Sansad TV) - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction:

Beyond the immediate threat to life, the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected livelihoods and the economy. The culture and arts sector has been one of the most affected by COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has forced cancellations and suspensions of some of the biggest cultural events organized all across the nation which serve as a medium for education, promotion platform and transfusion of heritage. There have been delays and cancellations of major national and international festivals as well affecting the movement and livelihood of thousands of artists. Several steps were taken by the govt during the pandemic to help artists and organizations through grant under various scheme components of Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana to conduct events on virtual mode.

Impact:

• The arts are integral to the social, civic, and economic wellbeing and vitality of our nation.
• Arts participation in childhood and youth has been linked to positive academic and social and emotional outcomes later in life.
• There are also positive relationships between art-going and other social and civic activities, such as volunteering in communities.
• The venue-based sectors (such as museums, performing arts, live music, festivals, cinema, etc.) are the hardest hit by social distancing measures.
• The abrupt drop in revenues puts their financial sustainability at risk and has resulted in reduced wage earnings and lay-offs with repercussions for the value chain of their suppliers, from creative and non-creative sectors alike. S
• Some cultural and creative sectors, such as online content platforms, have profited from the increased demand for cultural content streaming during lockdown, but the benefits from this extra demand have largely accrued to the largest firms in the industry.
• The effects of the crisis on distribution channels and the drop in investment by the sector will affect the production of cultural goods and services and their diversity in the months, if not years, to come.
• Over the medium term, the anticipated lower levels of international and domestic tourism, drop in purchasing power, and reductions of public and private funding for arts and culture, especially at the local level, could amplify this negative trend even further.
• In the absence of responsive public support and recovery strategies, the downsizing of cultural and creative sectors will have a negative impact on cities and regions in terms of jobs and revenues, levels of innovation, citizen well-being and the vibrancy and diversity of communities.
• Economically, arts and culture contribute gross domestic product (GDP), an amount larger than the share contributed by some industries.
• Therefore, the sector’s acute vulnerability during the pandemic has potential repercussions for other segments of the economy—many of which rely on creative and cultural workers and industries—and society as a whole.
• Arts and culture have experienced significant economic setbacks from COVID-19.
• Across the spectrum of artistic and creative endeavors, restrictions on gatherings, changes in consumer behavior (voluntary or otherwise), and severe unemployment have taken a devastating toll on the sector.
• The full scope and scale of the impact can be hard to discern, in part because of the size and diversity of the industries and occupations that constitute arts and culture.

Arts and Culture and COVID-19

• By their very nature, many of the constituent parts of the creative economy necessitate the congregation of large groups of unrelated people, often in close proximity.
• Whether the venue is a small local bar, a large outdoor concert venue, or an art museum, many of the protective actions implemented in adherence to the guidance on social distancing forced the closure of businesses and facilities that directly support artistic endeavors.
• Art galleries and museums across the country provide an illustrative example. Nearly all were initially forced to close and, if allowed to reopen, were severely restricted by distancing and capacity requirements.