The creatives and the lockdown

THE world is experiencing the second wave of Covid-19 and lockdown.

The first lockdown was no doubt an eye-opener for a lot of creatives – in particular, poets, writers, musicians, and artists, who must have discovered new ways of giving expression to their art and act.

The total shutdown may have spurred some to discover their hidden talents; or to learn how to better utilise the free time they had.

The first lockdown birthed numerous creative works with many  artistes venturing into creating new works, and showing same through new outlets. From performing live poetry readings on their social media platforms to singing covers, or doing any other creative things so they could express themselves daily and feed a hungry online audience ready for the distraction to take their minds off reality even for a short while.

With most event centers, art galleries, clubhouses, libraries, museums, as well as events such as literary and theatrical performances, concerts, and arts festival across the world closed or their services curtailed, postponed indefinitely or canceled, digital platforms rose to the occasion. The lockdown led to a lot of people losing their employments or source of income.

Like other professionals, many artists saw their finances dwindling with each passing day the lockdown lasted.  They are still searching for a means of survival or how to go back on track.  

With the beginning of the second wave, a lot of creatives must be wondering how they would survive; in doubt or scared. Even with the digital platforms that now offer opportunities, and with many discovering the power of social media in reaching a wider audience, they are still not sure they are ready for a second lockdown.

In what way can the government help artists find a balance before these times crush their piece of arts, you may ask. It is by creating funded structures and platforms that would aid the expression of the creatives’ acts.

Tragedy takes more than it gives, but with the right infrastructure, maybe everyone would be able to find a balance even with a third lockdown (hopefully, there wouldn’t be a need for a third.)

For now, regardless of what is in store, we as artists should try to tell our stories as they unfurl with each day and also get acquainted with the virtual tools that are now the support system to drive our works across the board.