There’s no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has hit some sectors harder than others and the world of the arts is one that’s been particularly negatively affected by lockdown and the social distancing rules that are now in place.
An article for the Sudbury Mercury recently spoke to several artists as well as gallery owners about how 2020 has impacted them and their work.
Peter Rumsey, of Mill Tye Gallery in Great Cornard, Sudbury, told the news provider that the pandemic has made it much harder for young artists to earn a living.
“They need platforms for their work. Without the opportunity to exhibit and sell their work, they have no future,” Mr Rumsey stated. He noted that being able to sell online is, of course, important. However, he added there is “nothing like showcasing your work in the right setting”.
Owen Berry, who owns MF Gallery and Framing in Ipswich, echoed Mr Rumsey’s sentiments, commenting that “seeing the artwork on screen was not the same as seeing them in person”.
However, he also revealed that lockdown gave many people who aren’t artists an opportunity to explore their creative side, which has been great for his gallery since it was able to reopen following the lockdown.
Young artists may want to look at their online presence and whether using print on demand services could help them to make and sell prints of their artwork without the high upfront costs of paying for a larger print run.
The Northern Echo recently highlighted a project created by Teesside University student Suzie Devey, who brought local artists together virtually during lockdown to help create a sense of community and enable them to create collaborative works.
Positive Space now has 40 artists from the local area involved, with at least three artists involved in creating each piece that’s part of the collection. All the pieces were inspired by the artists’ daily walks during lockdown.