Stay well, supported and creative: our new microsite for Covid-19 updates

As the cultural sector faces an uncertain future, the resilience and creativity seen in its responses to the coronavirus crisis have been heartening.

In the past week we’ve seen numerous campaigns set up to support cultural workers – from crowdfunding efforts to support freelance performers to petitions calling on the Government to take action.

And there’s already a huge range of imaginative initiatives to support creativity in this period of isolation including ‘The Show Must Go Online’ – a Shakespeare play-reading group – and the Social Distancing Festival, helping artists share their creative work at a time when many shows have been cancelled and interactions moved online. The Facebook page ‘Insufferably Intolerant Science Nerd’ has compiled a list of ebooks on every imaginable subject to keep you busy at home.

There are also a growing number of initiatives to support general wellbeing. The MARCH network has listed a host of ways you can use creativity to stay well during self-isolation, while others in the arts are helping compile resources for specific groups such as people with autism. Some organisations are setting an example by making clear commitments on how they’ll support their colleagues and collaborators during the crisis.

The speed with which these projects have arisen illustrates the determination and generosity the arts sector draws on. In the current situation, this tenacity and cohesion underlines how community matters more than ever. 

At ArtsProfessional we want to do everything we can to support wellbeing, career resilience and creative purpose during the pandemic. That’s why we’re bringing together as many of these resources as we can to create an information super-source, a virtual forum to help arts and cultural sectors do what they do best – support our communities.

We’re also changing the way we bring you ArtsProfessional. We’ll be providing a round-up of news, ideas, resources and news from the sector on our new dedicated microsite. We’ll be using it to share ideas and resources on health and wellbeing, helping to publicise local and national campaigns, and pointing our readers towards innovative and exciting projects that are helping people sustain creative careers and communities. 

We hope to make uncertain times more tolerable through sharing news, ideas and resources to support each other’s creative and economic resilience.

Our weekly emails will continue as normal, including highlights of activity by creative communities across the UK. Don’t forget to check the hashtag #CovidCulture and add your own initiatives. 

Check out the CovidCulture microsite.