Cultural impact of COVID-19
Emblematic of post-industrial development, culture and creative sectors(CCS) play a significant role in urban regeneration, fostering creativity and re-imaging cities. However, an unexpected crisis caused by COVID-19 casts a shadow over cultural development.
Take museums as an example. According to an UNESCO report, nearly nine-tenths of museums have closed their doors and over 10% of museums may never reopen. With the loss of income, layoff comes in the second place. Slightly more than 70% of museums have to minimize cost by ending volunteer programs. A fragile freelancer sector suffers as well with 16.1% of freelance museum employees being dismissed.
Another deep economic shock occurs in tourism which dropped by 22% in the first season and by 65% in the first half of 2020 when compared with the previous year. It is estimated that up to US$ 1.2 trillion revenues would be lost from exporting tourism.
Above scenarios call for urgently new initiatives and policies to tackle the alarming situation in CCS.
How policies react to COVID-19 culture shock
There are worldwide policy measures taken. To clearly classify cultural policies, we organize materials into three categories — production policies, consumption policies and distribution policies.
Production policies focus on the capacity to promote cultural production sustainably and boost innovation. For instance, the European Commission launched a new call(‘partnerships for creativity’) in August 2020, providing €100 million for educational challenges aimed at enhancing creativity and quality to support youth education. In Germany, the federal government establishes a “solidarity fund” allocating EUR 10 billion to directly subsidize small business(eligible for artists).
The second one — consumption policies strives for the prosperity in cultural economy. One obvious cultural revival under COVID-19 is European Capitals of Smart Tourism. Cities who win after being assessed will be awarded a marketing boost such as a year of expert communications and branding support in a way to stand out in tourism destinations.
Finally, the distribution policy works for improving income distribution among creative professionals, like Italy whose government initiated EUR 25 billion package named “Cura Italia”. Workers in cultural industries were given an extension of unemployment benefits and freelancers in performing arts were granted an EUR 600 allowance for March,2020.
However, it is argued that how policy works for CCS is in need of transition. It is claimed that “we can’t go back to normal because normal was the problem”. The unsustainability of old political framework(e.g. exploitation of labour rights, vulnerable employment status and unstable financing systems) urges policy makers to approach experimental and new practices( like an increased combination of creative input with technology and telecommunication, new ways of consumer behavior due to the concern about contagion). Policy frameworks are supposed to be rebuilt under the purpose of sustainability instead of being built back better.
Future perspectives on CCS
To design and upscale new political practices, a research suggests new collaborations: (1)intra-CCS collaboration such as combing public broadcasters with the performing arts sector, and (2)inter-CCS collaboration that cooperates with other sector like health(a good example is Gateshead Libraries in UK who established the manufacture of personal protections responding to the lack of medical equipment). Others advocate substantial public commitment and investment. It is believed that the future development of CCS is expected to embrace new opportunities.