How are the arts doing in your area during this time of COVID-19?

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How are the arts doing in your area during this time of COVID-19?

The following is the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming schedule:

16 & 17 October, 2020  CANCELLED: Rachmaninoff and Roman Festivals

22, 23 & 24 October, 2020  CANCELLED: Debussy and Prokofiev

28, 29, 30 & 31 October, 2020  CANCELLED: Beethoven and Schumann

4 & 5 November, 2020  CANCELLED: Casablanca in Concert

6 & 7 November, 2020  CANCELLED: Raiders of the Lost Ark in Concert

12, 13, 14 & 17 November, 2020  CANCELLED: Susanna Mälkki, Branford Marsalis, and Adams

19, 20 & 21 November, 2020  CANCELLED: Mozart, Brahms, and Dvořák

25, 27 & 28 November, 2020  CANCELLED: Bronfman, Beethoven, and Bruckner

And in fact, The New York Philharmonic has canceled all of its concerts through June – its entire 2020 – 2021 season. And along with the cancellations is the loss of a significant part of the orchestra’s revenue stream and its ability to pay its performers and staff.

It is now time to support the arts financially if you can and/or with IT expertise.

An example of how IT professionals can help is the work being done by The Public Theater (a New York nonprofit) and its All-Star Virtual Event on Tuesday, October 20 at 8 PM EST.  At that time, they have scheduled an event called – FORWARD. TOGETHER.

The online event  https://publictheater.org/support-us/events-benefits/virtual-event-2020/virtualevent2020/  will be a star-studded evening of songs and stories.

I addition, they recently ran a celebrity-filled online auction with items that were available for bidding.

FORWARD. TOGETHER is free and open to all; however, viewers are encouraged to RSVP and donate to help The Public Theater move forward and build a brighter future for the preforming arts in NYC.

You can also help the arts in your community by providing financial support or contributing your IT skills to help with revenue generation.

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Elly, Lars220

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As far as I know, all live performances with an audience have been cancelled or postponed until some future date. There are some performances where artists sing or play their instruments from home and can be seen doing it together in Zoom sessions. Recording sessions of solo or small group performances may still be taking place in studios with only the artists and technical personnel present and the usual precautions to ward off COVID-19 contagion.

The local scene is exemplified by the contents of this Web page of the Kennedy Center:

https://www.kennedy-center.org/news-room/closure-update/

The link says it all.

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cesmart4125

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Here in the USA it may or may not help performers directly, but supporting the local PBS stations that are dedicated to some of the performing arts, such as classical music, country, jazz, is one thing we all can do and it’s always worthwhile. For example:

https://www.wqxr.org/

 

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Elly, cesmart4125

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OscarCP wrote:

Here in the USA it may or may not help performers directly, but supporting the local PBS stations that are dedicated to some of the performing arts, such as classical music, country, jazz, is one thing we all can do and it’s always worthwhile

Supporting your local PBS station most definitely gives back to the performers directly through exposure. All around it’s a great way to share in the world of performing arts.

MacOS iPadOS and sometimes SOS

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While PBS does give performers exposure it does not put bread on the performers table nor does it support financially those organizations that employee performance, stage crews, ushers, etc.

Again, I encourage all to support those organizations that employ performers either directly through financial contributions or indirectly by volunteering and providing IT support.

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Elly

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Our local Northern Cali performing arts center has posted this on their website …

“There is no timetable for the reopening of the Center and it is our goal to reopen as soon as possible, but we expect it will be at least a year before we are in a position to confidently welcome patrons back to the Center safely. To be clear, even though we don’t know when, the Harris Center for the Arts will reopen.”

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I am even more worried about the (publicly) non-performing arts, as most cinemas are now shuttered and have been so for months. After this pandemic has receded to occasional and limited returns, much as happens with the flu, thanks to population-wide vaccination and naturally acquired immunity, as well as with effective drugs finally proven and available for treating serious cases, would still there be even cinema theaters for people to go back to watch movies the way they are meant to be watched?

They were already nearing critical conditions due to the competition from streaming services even before COVID-19 showed up:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/regal-covid-19-forces-amc-090904626.html

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Unfortunately this nightmare will not end soon, but eventually shall, because of the things I have mentioned acting together.

Whether that will be soon enough to save the neighborhood theater is not a question that has a likely happy answer. The same when it comes to everything else that requires a continuous paying public’s attendance to survive such as those Kathy Stevens has pointed out. This is a catastrophe world-wide that will have a durable effect, with permanent breaks in some of what has long been and integral part of our culture, our way of life. From what I have seen of this crisis, I doubt there is a way to go back to what used to be considered  a “normal” way of life: we are going to have to redefine “normal” first.

Nevertheless, there are things that can be done to mitigate the losses, but it requires a desire to act, even in small ways, to help out. Some of those things have been pointed out here already. As have the indications that the severe effect the crisis is already having, for example on the performing arts, is only too real:

https://www.vulture.com/2020/10/events-cancelled-coronavirus.html

 

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I live in Augusta, Georgia.  Georgia has largely opened up, and things are getting back to normal.  Events such as symphony concerts, large choral performances, etc. are still not held, although there is a great deal of informal performance going on privately in small groups.

As you can imagine, the cancellations of large musical events have considerably impacted the incomes of professional musicians.  Visual artists (painters, etc.) are back in business, and galleries are open.

Artists of many genres have used the past several months to hone their skills.  They are not vegetating.

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Myst

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kstephens43: “Artists of many genres have used the past several months to hone their skills. They are not vegetating.”

Quite true. But neither are they earning. Streaming videos of their solo or group performances might help them sell DVDs, if they have DVDs to sell, but there is nothing much else they can do by themselves. One thing that should be done in the USA is to increase the National Endowment for the Arts funding (our own tax money) so it can give more grants to our now more struggling artists. Or else it is back to the 19th Century of garrets and a “La Bohème” real life stories.

https://laist.com/2020/04/24/not_a_pretty_picture_artists_struggling_during_pandemic.php

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I do work for a couple community theaters. One has cancelled all shows until next year. The other decided to try streaming shows this year. Performers are local area only and are tested, masked (when possible) and separated by plexiglass enclosures. I believe they also put in a new filtration and ventilation system in the theater.

Just completed their first show and it sounds as though it was a great success. Very positive feedback so far. They even deliver gift packages to their higher level contributors prior to the streamed show and have a zoom after-party event. It’s a lot more work for them but they wanted to give their patrons something until they could re-open.

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Elly, OscarCP, Myst

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cyberSAR wrote:

Performers are local area only and are tested, masked (when possible) and separated by plexiglass enclosures. I believe they also put in a new filtration and ventilation system in the theater.

Just completed their first show and it sounds as though it was a great success. Very positive feedback so far.

Hats off to your local arts for going the extra mile to stay connected to the community and for the energy it gives back to the performers.

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“Don’t have money to spare? You can still elevate artists and the organizations that fund them by spreading the word about opportunities to support them.”

5 simple ways to help support performing artists during the pandemic

“The following organizations are providing frequently updated news and resources for artists and arts organizations.”

COVID-19 Resources for Artists and Arts Organizations

Thanks Kathy, every little bit helps.

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OscarCP

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Maybe go to Iowa or South Dakota ?? They are a little more ‘free and easy’.

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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Wavy, There are places, for example Atlanta Georgia, as pointed out further up #2304943  that allow public performances. If there are venues in those places that are appropriate to them, some artists might try to arrange to perform there. But not everyone will be prepared to risk getting COVID-19 whether while traveling there and back, or performing with live audiences. This illness can result in a very nasty death, or even if cured, it may have long-term physically debilitating and painful effects. Not worth tempting fate in the opinion of many, including some who also happen to be performing artists. That is why both direct support from the public, whether with money, for example by paying to see and hear online performances, or in other ways, as well as greater government support for the arts are both necessary —  now.

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Charlie

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Oscar my some what sarcastic comment was directed at Kathy’s lament over cancelled shows. Not directed AT Kathy but towards those who think cancelled events are an affront to their ‘constitutional’ rights and should go on no matter what the havoc it might engender like the bikers that went to Sturgis and spread the virus through the Dakotas and onward.
Certainly a frustrating time for most of us, pay per listen stream concerts are at least bit of help for the more well known artists.

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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Wavy, I am not too sure that a big bicker’s get together is an artistic event, but your point is taken. What I am sure of is that unless we personally and the government as well do not help the now, and who knows for still how long, non-earning artists, we might be back to the time of often fickle, deep-pocket private mecenas for some, garrets and “La Bohème”-like true stories for others, except for those who are already independently wealthy.

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