Why Have The Arts Been Neglected During The Pandemic?

I love books.

No, that’s an understatement.

My whole life revolves around books. The theatre. The arts. The museums. The poetry. The exhibitions.
Over the past 12 months, I have been the Arts and Culture Editor for Lancaster University’s student newspaper, a position which only encouraged my love of the arts more.

I am a student of Lancaster University and so the Dukes was such a lifeline for not only myself as an Editor, but for the student and wider community.

So, if the Dukes, like so many theatres around the country, are the lifeblood of these towns and cities and a way to draw communities together, then why have they been so neglected during this pandemic?

The government has just announced a £1.57bn support package for the arts industry, although to some this may be a welcome relief after months of lobbying for support, for others, many are awaiting with caution to see how this money will be distributed and whether it will be enough to stop theatres going under.

It was only recently (3rd July) that the reputable National Theatre announced that 400 of their casual staff, including Front of House staff and backstage teams would be losing their jobs as a result of changes to the government’s Job Retention Scheme.

Why is the arts and culture world being sacrificed when it is to there that many of us have sought solace in the past few months?

The Covid-19 Crisis has shown how adaptable the arts can be where many businesses and sectors cannot. In the past few months, many local and national arts institutions have created online resources and archives to keep us entertained during this lockdown.

I myself have thoroughly enjoyed watching the National Theatre at Home productions, Frankenstein and Hamlet amongst some of my favourites.

There have been many online exhibitions, including the Tate Modern, The Royal Academy and the Natural History Museum.

Finally, a new interest of mine that I would not have fostered had I not been in lockdown, is Booktube. Booktube involves Youtube vloggers talking about books, but many of these individuals have taken it upon themselves to organise virtual readathons to keep us all occupied in isolation.

Whilst this support package may be a step in the right direction, for many involved with the arts who have already lost their jobs or freelancers who bring the art world to life, this announcement may come too late or make no difference at all.

The arts bring glorious technicolour to any city so I hope we hear about the allocation of the new government grant soon to see how this cash infusion will benefit the arts sector.