Creating in a time of upheaval
This is a poignant time in history where we know the world will never be the same again. The Covid-19 virus has delivered wave after wave of aftershock and it might not be an earthquake but the landscape is certainly shifting on a daily basis. Traditionally, those in the creative industries weather the storms better than most other industries with higher than average productivity and employment growth. Not so this time. The arts and creative industries have been devastated in a way that no one has ever seen before, on a global scale. It is peak time of year for the music industry and performing arts across Australasia. Last week, it was reported that more than 10,000 gigs had been cancelled in Australia. Here in Aotearoa, the NZ Music Industry Commission reports that more than half of the music industry's employment in live music is immediately affected with $3.2 million noted in lost revenue (only an initial figure). That's 'not only musicians and songwriters, but cr