Making the imagination viral
The currently coronavirus pandemic and the resulting lockdowns, quarantines and restrictions to curb the disease have heavily affected the arts and culture sector. Many artists and cultural workers, especially in the performing arts, have lost sources of income and are facing unemployment.
At the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) alone, its vice president and artistic director Chris Millado revealed that the institution canceled at least 800 events, lost about 800,000 audiences or participants and lost at least P90 million in revenues. He added that at least 3,000 artists, cultural workers and other kinds of workers have been affected.
Despite the dire situation, artists and cultural workers continue to create, to entertain, to impart insights, to provoke and stimulate, to inspire. Contrary to what many people think, arts and culture have become vital during the lockdown, as people turned to books, films, music and other forms to ameliorate the deadening ennui of lockdowns, to allay fears and to generally feel alive, because the arts make life more meaningful, a flower blossoming in the darkness.
During the lockdown, many artists turned to cyberspace to share their works and interact with their audiences mainly in their social media accounts. Taking this cue, cultural institutions and companies, arts organizations and culture-related groups have taken the online route, creating virtual events such as online galleries, webinars and talks, film showings, workshops and tutorials, live-streamed musical shows and even presentations of recorded theatrical and dance performances.
Even as the lockdown has been relaxed, mass gatherings are still prohibited, thus there will be no plays and concerts. Even museums, galleries and libraries are still closed even as malls and stores are now opening. This trend may go on for the rest of the year and perhaps even longer until a vaccine can be formulated and made available to the public. Thus, the so-called “new normal” for cultural events will mostly be the online activities.
The CCP leads in this “new normal” way of engaging the people through the arts with its realigned and multi-pronged program, mining their archives and investing in digital technology.
The next challenge of the sector is how to monetize these efforts so that artists and cultural workers can still earn and live from their invaluable works.
These online activities testify to the fact that arts and culture are very much alive, and are now enriching the cyber landscape.
These online activities testify to the fact that arts and culture are very much alive, and are now enriching the cyber landscape.