Can The Show Still Go On?-1735232

The world’s in a state of despair with many individuals struggling to accept their current circumstances, our worldwide pandemic has changed society as we know it. We no longer have the freedom to physically explore the outside world, limiting our opportunities in a host of different ways. The creative and cultural industries are facing these struggles head on, with many individuals losing significant revenue as a result of unemployment. Despite this, creatives are still discovering ways to be innovative from the comfort of their own home; demonstrating the power of positivity, grit and desire.

Image: Pexels

The theatre industry is spiralling out of control

Enforced closure has taken a negative toll on many of the creative industries including music, cinema and art. Moreover, it’s a measure that’s caused the theatre industry to suffer a great deal, ‘many fear they will not be able to properly operate until 2021.’ With hundreds of productions forced to cancel, the fate of the theatre industry is rapidly deteriorating. The catastrophic economic crisis engulfing the globe is having a devastating affect upon actors, set designers and crew members, all of whom have lost their conventional income.

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It’s a cruel irony that theatres are no longer available to the public during these unexpected times, as it provides an environment that helps bring people together, creating a sense of unity through the influence of music and entertainment. The West End has an annual revenue of £800 million, despite this, ‘the sector operates on thin profit margins which do not allow for such extreme circumstances.’ Due to the lack of commercial and ticket sales, the National Theatre has suffered an estimated 75% loss of income. In addition, the Old Vic was forced to postpone countless productions including the remainder of Endgame, a major theatrical hit featuring global icon Daniel Radcliffe.

Image: Creative Commons

The rise in digital technology and cultural change

This unforeseen global catastrophe, has greatly impaired the British Arts scene. However, the rise in digital technology has allowed members of the public to watch theatre performances without moving from their sofas. Culture is changing, as people discover new ways of engaging with online content from social media broadcasts to streamed online performances. Theatres ranging from the Royal Shakespeare Company, to smaller independent production companies are reaching out to their audience in a new way. As a result almost 20% of adults are now using online platforms to access digital performances including dance, music and theatre. Andrew Lloyd Webber, a world renowned composer, has teamed up with Universal to launch a YouTube channel for theatre fans to indulge in their favourite West End productions. These productions are free to stream on his channel for 48 hours, yet viewers are encouraged to make any donations they can afford to charities like the Actors Benevolent Fund, helping to support out of work actors during these challenging times.

West End Stars have been embracing lockdown by moving their theatrical talents to online platforms, such as YouTube; thus awakening a growing sense of community, while helping achieve high morale for fans, through a shared up lifting experience. Steffan Hughes, a Welsh West End performer set up a channel ‘The Welsh of the West End’, combining individual videos of West End stars performing an array of well-known songs. His latest post featured a performance of the song ‘You Will Be Found’, a touching tribute to the NHS which managed to receive 71, 541 views and 1.6K likes on YouTube. 

Video: Steffan Hughes YouTube

Our global pandemic has restricted people from being able to watch face to face theatrical performances. However, it’s failed to destroy people’s hunger for creativity, with many individuals engaging in different forms of non-traditional online content. You can currently watch a live performance of The Sound of Music, available until 2pm on Sunday the 24th of May. Do your bit to keep the magic of theatre alive and subscribe to the YouTube channel below for weekly updates.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdmPjhKMaXNNeCr1FjuMvag?sub_confirmation=1

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – The peaceful escape from a turbulent reality. – 1621417

As the entire wold has been forced to slow down and stay at home, it was unsurprising that each and every individual would be spending their free time in many different ways. Some focussing on exercise, learning to play an instrument, even organising that messy cupboard they’ve been putting off for months. Or, like myself, playing games. 

Since Nintendo teased the release of a new Animal Crossing title in June 2019, the internet boomed with excitement and the patient (or not so patient in my case) wait began.  Since last playing the Animal Crossing: City Folk game in 2008, it was no surprise that the 10 -year-old girl inside of me, filled with nostalgia, was desperate to get her hands on the game. Eventually, in what seemed to take a lifetime to get here, March 2020 brought us a new game. A game, which truly couldn’t have arrived at a better time. 

YouTube: Nintendo

The Animal Crossing series has been gaining a close following since its wholesome nature of the game won over the hearts of players when it was first released in Japan in 2001 on Nintendo’s Game Cube. The simulation game has since obtained huge success across the world, with new formats being created for current console updates. A new game had not been created since Animal Crossing: New Leaf was released for the 3DS in 2012. So, there was little surprise that when a new drop for the Nintendo Switch was released, previous fans and curious gamers were eager to get their hands on it. 

Villagers are able to visit each other’s islands and even pose for pictures together.
Image: Nintendo

The game sees your character arrive on a deserted island, where Tom Nook provides you with opportunities to fulfil your wildest ‘private island’ dreams. Through choosing where to place your islander’s houses to terraforming the island to change it’s landscape completely, the game truly allows you to create a completely unique island to become your peaceful paradise.

That doesn’t mean to say that there are no responsibilities which come with representing your new island. From investing in house upgrades, completing an island clean-up, to growing rare hybrid flowers, there are plenty of ways to increase your island’s star rating. While there are responsibilities to fulfil with your time on your island, how you chose to spend your time is completely up to you. With no real pressure to complete tasks in specific orders, the gamer is able to decide what they want to prioritise. 

YouTube: Nintendo Life

While Animal Crossing is a single player game, the wholesome nature of the community amongst the animal villagers on the island, is enough to sweep you away to a blissful existence. However, with online play, gamers are able to invite their friends over to their islands and virtually hang out. Online play allows gamers to exchange gifts and immerse themselves in this virtual stress-free reality. A welcomed feature during these unprecedented times.

A single player game has never felt more social, with a growing online presence and accounts being made across all social media platforms, the need for human interactivity has never been felt so deeply. With the sharing of memes, advice on the game and even sharing ideas as to how to decorate the island, the community surrounding the game has never been so apparent. 

Instagram: Scott Hoying

It’s not only the average gamers who have been reaping the benefits of what Animal Crossing has to offer, as celebrities and online personalities have been expressing their love for the game during quarantine, even to the extent where songs have been written about it.

Even before COVID-19 took the world into a global pandemic, Animal Crossing: New Horizons had already sold over 50 million units of the game. While March 2020 was looking to be a scary month for most people and businesses, Nintendo saw its Switch console sales increase by 63%, outselling the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, while also securing the highest selling game of the month.

Image: Business Insider

With all of that being said, will you continue organising your closet this quarantine? or will you millions playing in their own peaceful paradise?… I know what I will be doing.

London’s West End: From the stage to the small screen. How is the performing arts industry coping during a global pandemic? – 1621417

As the summer approaches, most of us will be patiently waiting to use our tickets for concerts, shows and festivals to see our favourite acts and shows performed in person. However, this year, the world had other plans for us.

With the coronavirus sweeping across the globe and resulting in a great loss of business across a multitude of sectors, the creative and cultural industries have been met with testing times. Including the West End and the performing arts.

London’s West End has been a popular tourist attraction for a great number of years, pulling in visitors from across the world to experience the shows, musicals and plays which are of the highest standard. With shows bringing in a gross revenue of £798,994,920 in 2019, to revenue being brought to a holt during these unprecedented times. It is reasonable to be concerned for the future of the performing arts, which holds such cultural value for London’s West End and the United Kingdom as a whole.

ITV: West End on Lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen theatres across London’s West End close with some of the leading theatre producers, such as Cameron Mackintosh, stating that theatres will be unlikely to open until 2021. This news came as a result of the producer stating that until social distancing is no longer obligatory can theatres begin to employ their cast and workers, which even then, can take up to five months to gather together. 

However, theatre lovers can still get fulfil their musical theatre needs by simply looking at their phones and laptops. As for the time being, West End performers have been coming together during lockdown and making the most of online spaces to bring performances into their online community’s homes. World renowned and multi award winning composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, began to stream his musicals weekly … for free! The segment was created for musical theatre fans across the world to continue to absorb the wonders of musical theatre in their own home, in a segment called – The Shows Must Go On.

AndrewLloydWebber.com

While the streaming of his incredible musical creations are free, viewers are encouraged to leave a donation of any amount if they can, to put towards charities such as, Acting for Others, Broadway Carers and Actors Benevolent Fund. The next performance will be available to stream for free, for 48 hours only, on Friday 15^thMay, with a star-studded performance of Cats. The performance will see the likes of theatre legends such as, Elaine Paige, John Partridge, Jacob Brent, Jason Gardiner and Sir John Mills.

With full show performances are being released for streaming online, it comes as little surprise that the stars of the stage have also been coming together to provide entertainment for their supporters on social media platforms. A popular platform being YouTube.

Steffan Hughes, a welsh west end performer created the “Welsh of the West End” on YouTube which united the Welsh talent of the West End to come together and sing well known musical numbers. With each individual singing from their own homes and careful editing of the stars singing together, an emotional rendition was created with the true feel of a full chorus, with appearances of successful Welsh West End stars such as Craig Gallivan, Lauren Drew and Jade Davies.

Taking on this approach, Arun Blair-Mangat, West End performer, created the musical alphabet as he stated: “I wanted to create a place for theatre fans and the community to continue to get their theatre fix and stay uplifted amidst this uncertainty”. The letter S was to represent no other than SIX the musical which was performed by Arun Blair-Mangat, Layton Williams, Oliver Ormson, Jordan Luke Gage, Marcus Collins and Rob Houchen. The video saw the leading men of the West End take perform “Ex-Wives”.

While the world faces a huge uncertainty as to when, and even if, things will return to normal again. The loyal fanbase has proven to be the driving force to keep the singers singing and the dancers dancing, to bring the wonderful world of theatre into our homes. A perfect way of using positivity and shared love of music and talent, to bring people together through the small screen.

Creativity Vs Constraint

As we head into another 3 weeks of lockdown the effects of Covid-19 are becoming increasingly apparent. Maybe you’ve been polishing up your sourdough making skills, shaved your hair off, or you know, just binge-watched Netflix attempting not to be consumed by crippling fear.

via GIPHY

But on a serious note, life has truly been turned upside down by the virus, especially for the creative and cultural industries. Covid-19 has devastated our music community as concerts and festivals have been cancelled worldwide, theatres and museums have closed their doors until further notice, and restauranteur’s have no idea when they’ll next have a house full of hungry customers. Companies that rely on visitors or audiences have had their livelihood interrupted by the pandemic, leaving thousands of creatives with uncertain futures.

However, not even a global pandemic can stop the creatives of the world. The creative and cultural industry might even be perfectly suited to tackle the pandemic.

“Constraints focus the mind and provide fertile ground for creativity”

via hainguyenrp : Pixabay

Lockdown is an opportunity to channel our creative energy and demonstrate how valuable culture and creativity is within society for mental health and well-being. What we value, however, might have shifted as the terms user-creativity and prosumer are becoming ever more significant.

Digital disruption is at play as thousands of individuals are utilising social media as a convenient and effective replacement for creative platforms. Covid-19 has generated digital transformations across the creative population as increased tech awareness has led people to satisfy their creative needs from the comfort of their own home.

Music

Times are hard, you might have even had to endure your dad attempting to play Wonderwall after one too many gin and tonics. Luckily, many musicians are here to save the day by live-streaming mini-concerts online for all to enjoy. 

James Blake is one of the many musicians that has had to cancel tours. Instead, he continues to bless our ears with live performances to virtual audiences of over 25,000 on Instagram. He even said, “This might be the biggest gig I’ve ever done”. 

But how are musicians earning any money during the pandemic? Fortunately, Bandcamp and Spotify are finding ways of ensuring money distribution directly into artists’ pockets. Financial relief is offered to those in the music community through the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project, by matching any public donation. Additionally, on the first Friday of every month, Bandcamp will be waiving it’s revenue for 24 hours to support struggling musicians.

Art

Due to museum and gallery closures, artists have taken matters into their own hands. Many are capturing the reality we’re all living through animation, an aspect of art that is currently thriving. Interest has peaked due to our new-found reliance on technology. Flatten the Curve, an animated compilation video created by Kathrin Steinbacher and Emily Downe puts a positive twist on self-isolation by combining 90 clips from various animators across the world to remind us of the advantages of staying at home. 

What next?

Participating in culture and creativity is now as simple as clicking on Instagram. Music and art are just some of the many sectors of creativity that we now know technology can handle. During our post-pandemic future, this increased reliance on digital platforms can’t simply disappear overnight, can it? Even if we do eventually return to the normality of 2019, we’ll be tech-dependent for the long haul. User-creativity and digital disruption could have a lasting effect on the creative and cultural industries and interest in visiting galleries, theatres, or concerts might dwindle. 

However, if lockdown has made me realize anything, it’s how much cultural and creative activities were taken for granted. Longing for shared experiences and feel-good content could spark new-found respect and value for the industry within our society. Life after lockdown currently feels inconceivable, but one thing is for certain, 2020 will be a defining moment for the creative and cultural industries. 

Creative Covid? The Creative Industries in Lockdown and Beyond

The covid-19 induced lockdown has profoundly affected all industries in some way, but as the invisible virus cancels our festivals and forces us to keep our distance, the future for industries that rely on shared experiences, intimate venues and close proximity such as live music and theatre, things look particularly bleak.

The creative industries have simultaneously been acknowledged as more important than ever to our wellbeing during lockdown whilst swathes of creatives have had their usual sources of income disappear completely.

Digital disruption has been transforming the music industry for some time now with many accusing services such as Spotify of killing the music industry and physical sales. This has created a dependence on ticket sales, but as live shows are cancelled as a result of social distancing measures, digital interconnectivity has been a lifeline for musicians to make up for the sudden and drastic drop in income. Patreon, the subscription platform for content creators saw 30,000 creators join their platform in march.

Social distancing measures cancels live performances. Photo by John Matychuk
for Unsplash

Speaking in an article for the Guardian, Adelekan outlines the financial implications of a cancelled summer festival circuit, that “it’s highlighted quite a glaring thing that is missing in our society: a safety net for people who work in the creative industry”.

One way Adelekan has dealt with the lockdown crisis is to offer online tutorials through Instagram on music production, evidencing a new community of “prosumers” being encouraged through the covid crisis.

National Theatre Live’s theatre performances have been adapted for home viewing via YouTube, but for live west-end theatre the future seems less certain. Theatres are unlikely to reopen until 2021 according to producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh. Additionally, Rufus Norris recently told the Guardian that some theatres were mere days away from going out of business without aggressive government support, following James Graham’s stark warning that without it, theatre will only become more elitist and less accessible.

The goal for many is to identify alternative ways to subsidise lost income. But can things ever fully return to “normal”? A virus contained by distancing sets a scary precedent for those whose value lies in intimate experiences. The success of events such as Sofar Sounds bringing “the magic” back to music by holding live performances in small, intimate venues demonstrate the pre-covid19 world’s hunger for human connection and shared experiences, but these are precisely what the post-covid-19 world will be increasingly wary of. One opinion piece by Rafel Behr claims “the lockdown in our minds will be the last restriction to be lifted”, warning of a trauma that will affect our ability to enjoy close proximity as we once did.

But what about the process itself? How are creatives finding both the inspiration and the energy to create whilst indoors? Prosumer activity has been heavily encouraged by many creative professionals to ease the stresses of lockdown, including Leena’s Creative Lock-In, through which video/podcast producer and social media influencer Leena Norms set up daily 2 hour live streams in which viewers were encouraged to work on their own creative projects. As producer and consumer create in tandem, all creators are treated with the same respect and the misconception of “prosumers” as amateurs is deconstructed as everybody is invited and all share the creative space equally.

As many turn to creative activities as prosumers to ease lockdown boredom, could we see a rush of new creative professionals borne out of this crisis? Covid-19 has highlighted the importance of the creative industries at the same time as an economic crisis that could transform the way they operate forever.

What will this mean for the creative industries going forwards? Only time will tell. If one thing is for certain, it’s that a safety net for creatives must be considered to maintain the creative industries into the future.

Music in Times of Pandemic: Business as usual?

Image 1: After years of rising sales for records, numbers are low again. Picture by Kevin McCutcheon

It is no secret that the music industry is at a crisis in the internet age, specially for artists, but also for venue and shop owners. Spotify pays a marginal amount to most artists in its platform, with only big artists being able to make a living out of it. Even smaller artists signed to labels have historically made little to no money from their craft. Record shops and venues are in a similar boat: even successful ones make just enough to stay afloat, relying on events such as Record Store Day. Now, during a pandemic and lockdown, this condition has only worsened, following a similar pattern.

Instead of record sales, musicians are increasingly reliant on performances and merch sales to make a living. With the cancelation of festivals and concerts around the world, that stream of money closed off for artists. At the same time, brick and mortar record shops can’t open their door for consumers, shutting off record sales, which had been rising in recent years. Similarly, many venues, festivals and organisers had to reimburse customers for concert cancellations and will be closed for the foreseeable future.

To try and recoup costs, as well as generating sales, many artists and venues are organising virtual concerts and mini-festivals. One interesting example is the UnCancelled Festival, organised by StageIt. With artists and venues from all over the world participating, its aim is to help musicians that have lost their income, with a “pay how much you want system” (ibid.).

Image 2: Shops such as Spillers Records in Cardiff have had to close for the duration of the pandemic. Picture from Vinyl Factory

Interestingly, many popular artists recognise that the coronavirus pandemic has worsened the situation for independent artists, record shops, venues and crews, but they don’t seem to be taking action. Such is the case of Ben Gibbard, singer-guitarist for Death Cab For Cutie, who said in an interview: “When I look at my industry, people like me who have some money in the bank can wait this out. But the guy who owns the club can’t. And the guy who’s driving the gear and the guitar tech can’t” (Doyle, 2020). The artist has been doing livestreams for various charities since lockdown started, which is fantastic, but none that aid “his” industry (ibid.). That is the case for most big artists that have migrated to virtual concerts.

Another example of the lack of action towards their own industry from popular artists can be seen in the recent One World: Together At Home concert, curated by Lady Gaga, which had as its main objective raising money for healthcare workers. The concert was split into two: one six-hour pre-concert with “smaller” artists (such as Christine and the Queens, The Killers, Luis Fonsi) and a two-hour main concert, with the “big acts” (like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Maluma).

Image 3: Lady Gaga’s participation in the “One World” concert

In terms of download sales, the main concert’s acts sold around 12,000, while the pre-show numbers at the 6,000 mark. Considering the size of the artists playing (Lady Gaga, for example, has 33 million monthly listeners on Spotify), as well as the audience numbers (it was streamed worldwide, as well as being on TV in many countries), this number is not that impressive. This showcases how difficult it is to make money with album releases and songs in the internet age, even in a charity setting. Said that, streaming numbers for the songs and bands that participated did rise, but as described before this does not translate into money for artists in general.

In as top-heavy industry an industry as the music one (94% of UK musicians are freelance, for example), the lack of action from popular artists, brands and governments is troubling. Without any intervention, it is safe to say that things won’t get better once restrictions relax. It raises questions of what will happen to the bands of tomorrow, where will they play? Who will sell their records? How will they survive?

How is free content released during the pandemic affecting the creative industry? (1713480)

The Covid-19 pandemic might have forced cinemas and museums to close their doors to the public, but it keeps inspiring artists and organizations to grant free access to their creative output online. Now we can stream performances of Shakespeare’s plays at the Globe Theatre and will even be able to attend an international film festival from the comfort of our homes. But why are members of the creative industries temporarily releasing their intellectual property on the Internet? And how will this practice affect the producers and consumers of art in the long term?

The Creative Industries + the Internet: A Love/Hate Relationship

The Internet’s capacity to enable the rapid global distribution of content hasn’t always been perceived as a benefit to the creative sector. In 2012, the British consultancy Oxera warned about the network’s potential to facilitate the illegal sharing and downloading of creative output and thus endanger the industry’s revenue. In spite of this, a global PwC study from 2017 concluded that the Internet has contributed to an increase in the consumption of creative products as well as the economic value of the sector. Today, 88% of cultural organizations surveyed by UK innovation foundation Nesta report that digital technology is essential for their marketing strategies, while half of the respondents considered the network crucial for the distribution and exhibition of their output. These results indicate that the Internet will only continue to grow in importance for the survival of the sector and perhaps allow free online content initiatives to become more common in the future.

Free Online Content: Good For The Public, Good For The Industry?

Industry insiders interviewed by Variety claim that their decision to make their streaming services open to everyone is founded upon their concern for the quarantined public and their desire to do ‘the right thing’. Other initiatives such as Global Citizen’s ‘Together at Home’ concerts aim to encourage viewers to stay indoors while raising resources to support the World Health Organization’s response to the pandemic.

But philanthropy is just one of the many positive effects the current trend will have on both the sector and the public. Since audiences are likely to try consuming new types of art to fight boredom during lockdown, the release of free content serves as an excellent advertisement which would enable the artist or institution to increase their worldwide exposure. The practice will also contribute to the good reputation of the creative person or organization, thus helping them gain more support for their projects in the long term. Streaming platforms which have granted access to their output or extended their trial periods might also gain more subscribers, while galleries and museums which have digitalized their collections could attract future visitors from all over the world.

As demonstrated by a 2012 Norwegian study, the consumption of creative content can also contribute to the psychological well-being and life satisfaction of audiences as well as alleviate the anxiety and depression they might be experiencing during the pandemic. Open access to art will also enable the cultural participation of people from poorer economic backgrounds, who will need only an Internet connection to access traditionally elitist creative experiences.

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels

However, the current trend has been criticized by the United Nations as threatening the livelihoods of creators because of its potential violation of copyright law. Further, British artist Mark Gubb told me he hasn’t attempted to increase the exposure of his art by sharing it online during the pandemic because he feels the proliferation of recently released content could hinder his chances of becoming more visible. Free access initiatives might also not be enough to permanently alter audiences’ consumption habits, as I personally listened to a few concerts by the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra after their release, but my interest in its online platform lasted only for a couple of days.

What kinds of free content have you accessed during the pandemic? How has your art consumption changed? Let me know in the comments down below!

 

Watching Captain Fantastic in Lockdown

Sundances’ first screening of Captain Fantastic was over four years ago, but only now is it starting to feel relevant. 

The inherently Indie motion picture centres around a nomadic family living in absence of modern technology and societies forced ideals. Amongst the harrowing tall pines of Oregon’s vast mountain ranges, Ben Cash and his budding band of 6 children thrive in a natural paradise; hunting for food, practicing bush craft, and debating advanced literature that’s way beyond their years.

The opening scenes romanticise off-grid living in a way that makes me want to grow facial hair, buy a bowie knife, and change my name to something a little more ‘woodstock’. But the rest of the film follows a far more unsettling narrative – a constant tying and untying of my hiking boots as I struggle to decipher who the crazy ones are.

The real storyline and relevance only get going when the family’s hospitalised mother commits suicide, and the tribe embarks on a cross country road trip to her funeral. The little miss sunshine-Esque migration through mainstream America offers an unfiltered insight into what our western culture looks like through the uncorrupted lens of the family’s collective eye.

The witness of Captain Fantastic is a blurred line: One side play with the idea that sticking it to the man, and living outside the conforms of modern life is the only righteous path. The other hints that we all need a big reality check, and that ‘real life’ will catch up with us all.

I watched this film shortly after its release. It made me laugh; it made me think, it made me question, and many a revisit later I am no closer to any answers.

Captain Fantastic has flown under the radar of many a screen, which is a shame because I see it as an important watch for the countless people now living in a boat of uncertainty. The screenplay is a blatant depiction of life choices, society, and consumerism – but looking beyond face value, it is also an exploration of the modern way of life we are all blindly funnelled into and unintentionally stuck too.

Packing up your bags to live in the woods might be at the far end of the spectrum, but there is a whole load of in between that we are never exposed to when sticking to the braille path.

I wouldn’t go as far as saying that the youth of Britain needs to learn how to skin deer and pickle woodland roots for the winter months, but something other than workplace preparation would be a refreshing place to start.

The Captain Fantastic family follows a bare-bones way of life that puts into perspective how far out of touch most of us are in regard to skills other than those that lead to money. As the UK (and the world) panic buys toilet paper, flour, and disinfectant as a way to prepare for isolation, I can’t help but wonder how prepared anybody actually is, should the current situation get any worse. 

The culture of mainstream life is to get educated, work, earn, rinse and repeat. But when problems arise such as an international pandemic, the people that sit comfortably inside of this cookie-cutter economy are evidently the ones worse for wear. 

There is a profound charm to how oblivious the children of Captain Fantastic are to this world we call normal. On the contrary, our obliviousness surrounding how to get by when society takes an unforeseen and sudden shift, is it is anything but.