8 Cultural Workers and Institutions at Risk
Evidence-based Policy for Recovery during COVID-19
A project led by Dr. Mary Blackstone,
University of Regina and Saskatchewan Arts Alliance
The Covid-19 pandemic has had major impacts on arts organizations and their ability to provide programming and in person services. Dr. Mary Blackstone, a university professor, fine arts expert, and lifelong art community member, reflected on the unfortunate impacts the Covid-19 pandemic had on the arts community in Saskatchewan. The arts community, like many other circles, was not prepared for the pandemic. Dr. Blackstone described how Covid-19 arrived in the middle of performance season, devastating summer arts programs that rely on in-person involvement. The arts were already in a very vulnerable position as artists and organisations had spent money on the performance season overhead and could not recuperate those funds.
Dr. Blackstone said that, “[g]enerally, here in Saskatchewan, the prairie provinces, and generally in Canada, we have been very good at developing and supporting programs that create artists and provide them with the skills and the general view and methodological approaches that allow them to create new work[…]”. Dr. Blackstone goes on to say that there needs to be more awareness and education around the business of art and artistic practices. It is clear that this connection relates to living heritage. Dr. Blackstone explained, “[living heritage] you […] remake that heritage so that it goes on, but changed, but different than before and you remake it for the next generation- so that is the process of what the artist is doing in living heritage.” The pandemic gave way to a greater need in the arts community.
Dr. Mary Blackstone noted that it was necessary to find out exactly what the impact of the pandemic was on the arts community in order to lobby for and support the arts through the crisis. A survey was designed, and at its core was a community engaged project. Dr. Blackstone was the chair of the research committee for the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance who worked with the research officer to develop the surveys. There were two surveys created in order to better assess the impacts of Covid-19 on the arts community in Saskatchewan. One survey was created for the artists, another for arts organizations.
The resulting reports were then fed into the government lobbying efforts of the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance. The push was for the government to consider how to aid in the recovery of the arts that were devastated by the unforeseen pandemic. The arts were one of the first sectors to be affected by the pandemic and Blackstone predicts they will also be one of the last to recover. The surveys also incorporated suggestions for both short and long term solutions for recovery.
The Covid-19 situation has increased people’s awareness of the arts, culture, and living heritage programs that were taken away due to the pandemic. Blacktsone described these institutions as the “air we breathe.” Though they are generally not thought about on a daily basis by the larger population, they are necessary for society’s survival. The hope for this project is to generate awareness of the importance of arts and culture programs, initiatives, and innovations within the community in an effort to safeguard them. Without practicing these traditions, they are sometimes lost. It is Blackstone’s hope that by creating awareness, these practices will not be abandoned. She outlined that some new artists and arts organisations may not be able to withstand the impacts of Covid-19. Those without secure funding need help to survive and thrive. Public engagement in the arts will be determined by the ability of arts organisations and artists to withstand the impacts of Covid-19. Awareness needs to be brought to the arts community for a more public understanding of its importance to living heritage and Saskatchewan culture.
The results of the study can be found through the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance.
