In several countries of the West, governments have stepped in to support artists and art institutions in the wake of the pandemic.
The artist community, too, has been hit by COVID-19. The lockdown imposed by the government in late March has forced artists and artisans to stay at home without any opportunity to earn. Since social distancing is central to the strategy to contain the pandemic, public perfomances and activities are unlikely to restart soon. This has left thousands of artists and artisans in limbo. In the absence of immediate state intervention, many of them, already surviving precariously, could slip into poverty. They may even be forced to abandon art and craft practices and turn to unskilled work.
In several countries of the West, governments have stepped in to support artists and art institutions in the wake of the pandemic. For instance, Arts Council England announced a 160 million pound emergency response fund to help individuals and organisations address cash flow challenges. Workers in the cultural sector, from performers to stage technicians and conservators, are covered by this fund. In India, individuals have come together to crowd-source funds and help provide monthly aid to needy artists. This is, however, insufficient. There is a compelling need to look beyond individual enterprise and introduce institutional mechanisms to address this crisis.
The production of art needs to be seen in the framework of the cultural economy and artists ought to be recognised as producers/workers in that economy. Art production — from temple artists, traditional and “folk” performers to modern musicians and gallery-supported artists — is an essential part of human existence and necessary for a happy and harmonious society. In an interview to this newspaper, Carnatic musician T M Krishna suggested that the government legislate a welfare programme on the lines of the MGNREGA to provide a safety net for marginalised artists and artisans. The law could guarantee work and income for artists and artisans living below the poverty line. The government could create opportunities for performance, teaching, lecture-demonstrations in schools, colleges and other public spaces. Such assured support would ensure that the less “market-friendly” art forms too can flourish and practitioners can pursue their vocation with dignity and self-respect.