Sustaining the arts in this brave new world

Lock-down Day 33 (a.k.a Lockdown 2.0)

The world, as we know it, has changed forever.

Maybe this the 500th time you're reading this statement on somebody's blog. Why? Because an event of such reach and ramifications is unprecedented for the present generation. Calling it overwhelming would probably be the understatement of the year.
    As the weeks roll by, the people of the world seem to be doing what they've done best - persevere, adapt & evolve. The "normal" of last month, is the "taboo" of today. "Social distancing" is a brand new phrase that everyone has quickly learned to accept. Many years ago, on a short vacation to Singapore, I had noticed a few people wear face masks in public and I was laughing at them inside my head - today, life has come full circle for me when I find myself dreading to step out of my house, without wearing one.
    There are many threads of our social fabric that seem to have snapped thanks to this pandemic and one of them is the performing arts. We may end up taming the COVID-19 statistic one day soon, but nobody knows for sure, when the good old days of a LIVE entertainment program would return. When would people would feel safe enough to attend a program and focus on the actual event rather than constantly worrying about catching "the bug". It sure seems to be a long way to go. But we are humans, and like I observed earlier, we persevere, adapt & evolve all the time. If the pandemic has snatched the stage away from us, the internet has come to the rescue. In a way, it has also been a great leveler. Everyone from renowned artist as well as the total amateur are now performing on the same stage - a.k.a the internet. It is indeed heartening to see multiple online LIVE broadcasts happening on Facebook & Instagram. Social media has actually helped in bridging the accessibility gap once existed. It is that much easier to pose a question or a comment or share a compliment, directly to one's favorite icon compared to the not so distant past.
    While this is a very convenient arrangement, the glaring question, that is being ignored and remains unanswered is one around the livelihood of the performing artist. How will the artist get paid? Especially if said artist entirely depended on these LIVE shows as their source of sustenance. At the moment, "ONLINE" is translating to "FREE" but this model cannot sustain forever. Eventually this must also evolve (just like us humans) into a subscription model where a patron willing to watch an artist LIVE, must also be willing to pay to watch. Of course, the  amount may not necessarily be on par with a physical LIVE show, taking into account the changed dynamics of the various costs involved. But it also shouldn't be FREE. I am already witnessing a few popular names in the entertainment field, experimenting with charging for the LIVE broadcast shows which is a great step in the right direction.

THE WAY FORWARD:
    I believe the root of this situation lies in the fact that artists (with the exception of painters, sculptors, etc. who create something physical) create and provide an experience which is an intangible, hence extremely difficult to quantify in terms of value. This is also one of the prime reasons, it is expected to be provided FREE. Many fail to realize, the performer has invested a big part of themselves, their blood, their sweat & tears, to attain the perfection that is so appreciated by their audience. Apart from appreciating them, they must also be supported and nurtured so that they continue their pursuit of excellence, unhindered by the worries of their basic needs being fulfilled. The time has arrived for everyone to spare a moment of consideration for the artist whose livelihood depends on the patronage of their fans. They can sustain their creativity and continue to spread happiness in their own ways only when the do not have to worry about paying their bills. Their art is in fact their 'full time occupation'. Platforms like Patreon and Gigsy have emerged today to help find a meaningful solution to this very situation. They perform an important task in helping the artist connect with their target audience and become their patrons.
    In the end, it is going to be the people who enjoy these artists' performances who'll have to be willing to pay the artist. It is a mindset shift for sure but now's a good time to make that shift because almost every other norm that we've taken for granted over the years, is being shaken and churned eventually making way for a new normal. One thing is for sure - when all this eventually settles down, the world as we knew it, will cease to exist and all of us will be living by a different set of rules. I hope, consistently supporting the performing arts community also becomes part of the 'new normal'.
It is a brave new world.

Thank you for reading.
Warm Regards,
Anand HS
(www.taalmagic.com)