tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/uk-arts-sector-84226/articlesUK arts sector – The Conversation2020-07-10T15:52:22Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1421002020-07-10T15:52:22Z2020-07-10T15:52:22ZArts rescue package: by all means protect Britain’s ‘jewels’ – but don’t forget the rest of the crown<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/346878/original/file-20200710-54-34j8bn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C12%2C4229%2C3005&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, one of the 'crown jewels' of UK arts.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Willy Barton via Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As far as the UK government is concerned, its announcement of a “rescue package” for the arts couldn’t have been better timed. On July 6, more than 500 buildings around the UK glowed crimson, part of the #LightItInRed campaign to highlight the desperate plight of the cultural sector, which has seen half-a-million livelihoods at risk thanks to COVID-19. The same evening, the government announced its <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/157-billion-investment-to-protect-britains-world-class-cultural-arts-and-heritage-institutions">£1.57 billion rescue package</a> for the arts.</p>
<p>But the initial flood of relief preceded a trickle of worry about how far the money might stretch. Funds must be spread over a <a href="https://advisor.museumsandheritage.com/news/arts-council-report-says-culture-contributes-agriculture-uk-economy/">huge range of organisations</a>, including museums, galleries, theatres, independent cinemas, heritage sites and music venues. How will they be allocated? At this stage, all we know is that institutions will apply through industry bodies and have to prove their contribution to the UK’s economic growth.</p>
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<p>Will £1.57 billion be enough? Here culture secretary Oliver Dowden gave a blunter answer. It won’t. “Sadly, not everyone is going to be able to survive and not every job is going to be protected,” <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53302415">Dowden said</a>. “I will have to be honest with you, of course we will see further redundancies.”</p>
<p>So the £1.57 billion-pound question is this: which organisations are likely to be thrown a lifeline and which ones will be left to sink?</p>
<h2>Preserving the ‘crown jewels’</h2>
<p>Dowden’s <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53302415">statement</a> confirmed that funding decisions will prioritise “those institutions that need it most, starting with the crown jewels of our national life – you know, the Royal Albert Halls and so on of this world”, while also “making sure it reaches every part of the United Kingdom, the Leeds Playhouse or wherever else”.</p>
<p>This suggests that the nation’s cultural jewels are found in London, while regional organisations matter only to regional audiences and the local economy. Dowden may therefore be surprised to hear that the first UK arts organisation to receive long-term public subsidy for the arts was, in fact, <a href="https://bristololdvic.org.uk/">Bristol’s Theatre Royal</a>.</p>
<p>Taken over in the 1940s by London’s Old Vic and the Arts Council, and since renamed Bristol Old Vic, this self-described “oldest continuously working theatre in the English-speaking world” has needed to balance its role as an irreplaceable asset drawing national attention to the city, with the need to avoid sucking the oxygen out of the ecosystem for smaller institutions. Its history offers an ideal focal point for understanding the impact of “crown-jewel thinking” on the cultural sector today.</p>
<h2>Buildings over people?</h2>
<p>Dowden’s announcement raised concerns that the bulk of the money may go to organisations housed in historic venues rather than those without an illustrious bricks-and-mortar base. Bristol Old Vic’s history shows these fears are not unfounded.</p>
<p>The first chairman of the <a href="https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/our-organisation/our-history">Arts Council of Great Britain</a> (then CEMA, the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts) was John Maynard Keynes. In March 1943, Keynes <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-1-349-01939-7">defended his decision</a> to use Treasury funding to lease the Bristol theatre from the trust that owned it, writing in The Times that his priority was to redress the “disastrous” lack of arts buildings following the second world war.</p>
<p>If the government prioritises the biggest institutions over smaller, community-engaged organisations, this would be consistent with the UK’s history of cultural funding, which was built on Keynes’ foundation of using prominent buildings and high-profile companies to secure Britain’s international reputation as “world leading” in the arts.</p>
<h2>All jewel, no crown</h2>
<p>The use of the “crown jewel” metaphor also has a long history. CEMA’s 1940s decision to save Bristol Old Vic from ruin was the result of a decade of campaigning by arts critic Herbert Farjeon. In <a href="http://www.calmview2.eu/BristolTheatreArchive/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=HF">archival documents</a> in the University of Bristol Theatre Collection, Farjeon called it “a precious and neglected heirloom without a parallel anywhere else in the British Isles”.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/346859/original/file-20200710-22-1ha6t7e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4973%2C2788&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/346859/original/file-20200710-22-1ha6t7e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/346859/original/file-20200710-22-1ha6t7e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/346859/original/file-20200710-22-1ha6t7e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/346859/original/file-20200710-22-1ha6t7e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/346859/original/file-20200710-22-1ha6t7e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/346859/original/file-20200710-22-1ha6t7e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Bristol’s Old Vic: first publicly funded theatre in the UK.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Robyn of Exeter via Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>My <a href="https://ojs.deakin.edu.au/index.php/ps/article/view/915">research into audience responses today</a> has captured similar kinds of praise. Some call Bristol Old Vic “a jewel box of theatrical history”, others “a gem of an historic theatre”.</p>
<p>But in using the “jewel in the crown” metaphor, Dowden should remember not to focus only on the lustre of the jewel, but on the value of the crown as a whole. In my 2018 survey of regional practitioners, soon to be published, several respondents acknowledged the balancing act Bristol Old Vic must manage: to “know its place in the ecology and respect it, help lead and facilitate it, but not overshadow it”. </p>
<p>This challenge goes all the way back to the 1940s, when the theatre company’s first director, Hugh Hunt, <a href="http://www.calmview2.eu/bristoltheatrearchive/calmview/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=BOV%2fMIN%2f1&pos=3">hoped</a> “other companies should regard Bristol as an elder brother to whom they could come for advice and assistance”.</p>
<h2>The lifeblood of the arts</h2>
<p>The director of Bristol Old Vic’s <a href="https://bristololdvic.org.uk/blog/bristol-old-vic-announces-new-ferment-producer-1#:%7E:text=18%20Jul%202018-,Bristol%20Old%20Vic%20announces%20new%20Ferment%20Producer,producer%20Emma%20Bettridge%20moves%20on.&text=Ben%20Atterbury%20was%20a%20founding,in%20making%20brave%2C%20bold%20theatre.">“Ferment” artist development programme</a>, Ben Atterbury, told me the rescue package was a “welcome investment”, but added that it wouldn’t mean anything “unless we find urgent mechanisms to protect the independent and self-employed workforce”.</p>
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<p>They are the lifeblood of our sector and valuable stakeholders in our own work, so we’ve been consulting with our networks throughout this crisis to understand how best to support them. As things are, we face an unprecedented drain of representation from a sector that still had a huge amount of work to do.</p>
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<p>It is in times of crisis that the true value of high-profile arts institutions is tested. High-profile regional arts organisations have always needed to encourage “crown-jewel thinking” in order to compete with London for attention on the national stage – with a theatre like Leeds Playhouse or Bristol Old Vic just as much of a national treasure as the Royal Albert Hall. The challenge now is to fight for their own survival while ensuring the local ecosystem they rely on does not collapse.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/arts-rescue-package-dont-forget-small-venues-theyre-where-big-stars-learned-their-trade-142096">Arts rescue package: don't forget small venues – they're where big stars learned their trade</a>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kirsty Sedgman receives funding from the British Academy's postdoctoral research fellowship scheme.</span></em></p>The government has announced a ‘rescue package’ for the arts sector. But it must make sure that the funds are allocated fairly.Kirsty Sedgman, Lecturer in Theatre, University of BristolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1414012020-06-24T15:30:22Z2020-06-24T15:30:22ZCoronavirus: how museums and galleries are preparing for the ‘new normal’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343770/original/file-20200624-132972-1x5xc8l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5917%2C3938&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Institutions such as the Natural History Museum in London are preparing to open their doors to the public once again. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">elRoce via Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The announcement by UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, that a range of public spaces in England, including museums and art galleries, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/jun/22/museums-galleries-and-cinemas-to-reopen-in-england-from-4-july">will be allowed to open on July 4</a> has everyone in the cultural sector working furiously to create a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment to entice people back in. </p>
<p>But they face many challenges. On top of the swingeing <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/libraries-museums-arts-galleries-funding-recourses-county-council-network-cnn-social-care-a8741271.html">cuts to arts funding across the nations</a> against which cultural providers have battled for decades, there is now the imperative to provide more inclusive and stimulating content to persuade audiences to return. </p>
<p>We’re lucky in Scotland in that we have a <a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-framework-decision-making-scotlands-route-map-through-out-crisis-phase-2-update">bit longer to work on this</a> than our counterparts in England, but the issues remain the same. How can we make spaces as safe as possible while maintaining a welcoming atmosphere? And who is going to pay for these adjustments? How can we maintain the quality of our offerings and create content that is so compelling and engaging and inclusive that people will flock to see it despite the inconvenience of safety restrictions?</p>
<p>Social media has been vital to the way many people are navigating their way through lockdown, and the cultural sector – populated as it is with innovative and creative people – has risen to the occasion. One of the most successful and widely emulated initiatives was the <a href="https://mymodernmet.com/recreate-art-history-challenge/">Getty Museum’s online challenge</a> to people to create their own copy of an artwork using easily reached objects and members of their household. </p>
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<p>When the lockdown started, many museums, galleries and theatres moved quickly to get huge swaths of activity online. The <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org">Metropolitan Museum of Art</a> in New York, for example, has really <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2020/coronavirus-response-president-director">finessed its online offering</a>. At my university in Dundee, the world-renowned <a href="https://www.dundee.ac.uk/cooper-gallery/aboutus/cooper-gallery/">Cooper Gallery</a> at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design had programmed a cutting-edge exhibition project with <a href="https://www.anothergaze.com/suddenly-woman-spectator-conversation-interview-feminism-laura-mulvey/">Laura Mulvey</a>. The plan was to examine
her work with her collaborator, the <a href="https://www.dundee.ac.uk/cooper-gallery/exhibitions/aisforavant-gardezisforzerolauramulveypeterwollen/?utm_content=buffer4ed5d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer">avant-garde filmmaker Peter Wollen</a>, who passed away in December 2019 at the age of 81. We were unable to open the exhibition because of lockdown. Principal curator <a href="https://www.dundee.ac.uk/people/sophia-hao">Sophia Hao</a> developed an <a href="https://sites.dundee.ac.uk/cooper-gallery-inbetween/">online programme of events</a> that has explored the work in an immersive and participatory way including live-streamed talks and writing projects.</p>
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<h2>Engaging in the virtual space</h2>
<p>Online access to vast collections of artworks and magnificent performances has been a genuine joy to many people for whom the loss of access to culture would otherwise have been depressing. The fact that this work is now available to a much wider audience than can actually physically go to the galleries has meant that many non-traditional audiences are now able to engage with work that they would otherwise never have come across. I hope that this taster has encouraged many more people to really explore a new range of artistic and cultural offerings that they previously considered not to be for them.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343801/original/file-20200624-132982-td0o42.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/343801/original/file-20200624-132982-td0o42.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343801/original/file-20200624-132982-td0o42.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343801/original/file-20200624-132982-td0o42.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343801/original/file-20200624-132982-td0o42.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343801/original/file-20200624-132982-td0o42.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/343801/original/file-20200624-132982-td0o42.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">‘Whistler’s Aubergine’ : a new take on the classic painting Whistler’s Mother.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Cate Newton</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Of course, those without access to fast broadband and up-to-date technology are still out in the cold. Access to free, inclusive, location-based engagement projects that are such an important part of the work of all museums and galleries has been cut off.</p>
<h2>Safe – and sound</h2>
<p>At the top of everyone’s agenda is of course safety. Maintaining physical restrictions with clear, accessible signage outlining lanes and one-way systems should be simple enough for creative exhibition designers. But it’s going to take a lot more to earn audience confidence. </p>
<p>In Dundee, the main players in the cultural sector including V&A Dundee, Dundee Contemporary Arts, both universities and the city council are working collaboratively to create strategic plans for the reopening of venues.</p>
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<span class="caption">The V&A in Dundee is working with other institutions in the city on a post-lockdown strategy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">DigitalNatureScotland via Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>As well as developing clear messages about the value of culture to society and the economy as well as public health and communities, we are working on practical solutions to some of the issues. For example, building on a University of Dundee initiative to engage the local crafting community to create <a href="https://www.dundee.ac.uk/stories/stitch-time-saves-ninewells">scrubs and masks for NHS workers</a> a project is in development to commission local craft makers and small businesses to make masks for the cultural and tourist venues in the city. This will not only support self-employed practitioners to earn, but it will hopefully normalise the wearing of masks and facilitate a caring and community focused atmosphere in arts spaces.</p>
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<span class="caption">The ‘Scrubs Project’ has engaged local crafters to create masks and safety equipment for NHS workers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Helen Healy</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Building audience confidence is a huge part of the equation, but it must be complemented by a renewed and innovative sense of purpose among curators and producers. There is an imperative to <a href="https://theconversation.com/director-of-science-at-kew-its-time-to-decolonise-botanical-collections-141070">decolonise</a> the way we display museum collections and programme exhibitions and theatrical productions and we must focus far more on accessibility, inclusion, equality and diversity. Alongside this, there is a need to create genuinely engaging content that will be strong, exciting and relevant enough to make it worthwhile coming out of lockdown bubbles.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/director-of-science-at-kew-its-time-to-decolonise-botanical-collections-141070">Director of science at Kew: it's time to decolonise botanical collections</a>
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<p>Let’s just hope that funding is allocated to make this transition possible and that the multifaceted benefits of engagement with the arts are recognised as the essential element of the human experience that we know it to be. If anyone can come up with innovative designs to deal with these issues, it’s a sector that is populated by some of the most creative people in the country.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/141401/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Janice Aitken is a trustee of Dundee Women's Aid, Tin Roof Artists collective, the Duncan of Jordanstone Centenary Trust.</span></em></p>Cultural institutions are puzzling out to to make their buildings exciting and safe at the same time.Janice Aitken, Reader in Art and Design, University of DundeeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1339612020-03-20T09:02:43Z2020-03-20T09:02:43ZCoronavirus: for performers in lockdown, online is becoming the new live<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/321576/original/file-20200319-22602-1x4x21b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4583%2C3009&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Closed for the duration: the Royal Opera House, London.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Willy Barton via Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There’s still a great deal of uncertainty as to what impact the <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/covid-19-82431">coronavirus pandemic</a> will have on the UK’s cultural life. More and more people are now choosing to self-isolate and theatres, cinemas, clubs and concert halls are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/mar/13/coronavirus-culture-arts-films-gigs-festivals-cancellations">closing down for the duration</a> with talk that an enforced lockdown is ever more imminent. </p>
<p>While initially presented as voluntary, cancellations of performances, conferences and other events were formalised on March 16 by the UK’s prime minister, Boris Johnson. Johnson <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-on-coronavirus-16-march-2020">advised citizens</a> to “avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues” as part of a larger strategy to suppress the spread of coronavirus. People working in the arts sector are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/mar/17/leading-arts-figures-demand-clarity-over-compensation-for-coronavirus-closures">understandably concerned</a> about what this might mean for the UK’s <a href="http://uklivemusiccensus.org">diverse community</a> of artists and performers – as well as all those in the sector who support those performers. </p>
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<p>The government has introduced some measures that aim to support the arts sector, both at a <a href="https://twitter.com/ChloeLaversuch/status/1239965135348752385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22">local</a> and a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-employees-employers-and-businesses">national level</a>. But a number of artists are trying to find ways to work from home by livestreaming their performances online. Such a shift forces artists to consider technological, economic and aesthetic issues – and may signal the dawning of a new era in live performance.</p>
<h2>Have broadband, will perform</h2>
<p>The livestreaming of artistic performances is not new – but until now the practice has not been a significant alternative to the live music economy at large. Perhaps the most common form of livestreaming has been through videos taken at gigs or festivals by audience members who want to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1468797619885954">share their experience</a> of the live performance via footage shot on their smartphones. </p>
<p>But there have also been concentrated efforts by venues and artists to reach online audiences. A number of well-established organisations such as the <a href="https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/watch-listen/live-stream">Wigmore Hall</a> and <a href="https://www.rsc.org.uk/news/archive/summer-shakespeares-coming-to-cinemas">the Royal Shakespeare Company</a> regularly complement existing performance series with livestreaming to reach wider audiences or as educational outreach.</p>
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<p>Independent artists such as bass guitarist <a href="https://www.stevelawson.net">Steve Lawson</a>, on the other hand, include livestreaming as part of a portfolio of online activity – which also include delivering lessons or masterclasses via video or the now-commonplace selling of albums online.</p>
<h2>Virtual gigs</h2>
<p>The vast amount of livestreaming that takes place in the arts sector is in parallel with (or contingent upon) face-to-face performance. There are signs that this is already changing as social restrictions around the coronavirus pandemic become more widespread. </p>
<p>In the US, <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/coronavirus-livestreaming-concerts-967169/">Rolling Stone magazine</a> has highlighted how larger bands and venues are working to quickly provide online alternatives to gigs and tours that have now been cancelled due to lockdowns. </p>
<p>The move towards online live performance is even attracting artists who might not be thought of as natural users of digital technology. As many New York City venues <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/mar/12/broadway-shuts-down-coronavirus">were closed</a> in the week preceding St Patrick’s Day, musicians involved in the Irish trad scene formed <a href="https://tune.supply">Tune Supply</a> – a platform by which they could provide “customised traditional music and dance performance and instruction delivered digitally for the socially distanced world”. </p>
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<p>Similarly, Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys <a href="http://www.dropkickmurphys.com/2020/03/14/streaming-up-from-boston-free-st-patricks-day-live-stream/">livestreamed a concert from Boston</a> on March 17 to make up for the first time in the band’s history that it hasn’t played on St Patrick’s Day.</p>
<p>As livestreaming concerts has historically been used to <a href="https://www.musictank.co.uk/product/the-live-music-industry-in-the-digital-environment-transcript/">complement or advertise</a> existing live events, the void left by the cancellation or indefinite postponement of these events forces online alternatives into greater importance. This shift in performance practice has logistical, financial, and artistic implications.</p>
<h2>We have the technology</h2>
<p>The infrastructure needed to livestream performances is readily available through consumer-level products. Modern smartphones are <a href="https://momofilmfest.com/best-smartphone-for-video-recording-filmmaking-2019/">more than capable of generating high-definition videos</a>, and the software needed to record and edit sound – something that was once the preserve of professional recording studios – has become relatively commonplace.</p>
<p>There’s obviously something of a learning curve involved in using this software adeptly, but there is a wealth of online resources for musicians to become more proficient producers. But beyond actually organising the performance, artists need to be able to ensure they have adequate bandwidth to transmit that performance to audiences. With <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-50865443">increasing access to high-speed internet</a>, the stage is set for potential viewers to access content with minimal lag and disruption.</p>
<h2>Who’s making all the money?</h2>
<p>Financially, artists will have to determine how they monetise these performances. Several models already exist to do so, each with unique features. Platforms such as <a href="https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72857">YouTube</a> allow artists to livestream performances and upload other videos, with income being generated through ad revenue. The amount of profit relies heavily on the amount of advertising and number of viewers – videos under ten minutes make, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-creator-doubled-ad-money-by-making-longer-videos-2020-1?r=US&IR=T">on average</a>, about US$2.00 (£1.70) for every 1,000 views.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/p/partners/">Twitch</a>, on the other hand, works on a subscription basis – audiences pay set fees to access broadcasts of events. At the moment, this platform caters more towards <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/1369118X.2017.1386229?casa_token=Mc7q9_3X5yUAAAAA:vOeM2mWSPbodK3xYuPupRVbyrc3X-KtySKYjZ9L5GscC7Kcz9WnKM_dPc33o6OkOF4inZz5Mcv76bQ">professional online gaming</a>, but there are also communities around the performing arts as well. <a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/music">Patreon</a> also works on a subscription basis, but is more closely tied to crowdfunding. Generating work through the financial support of their audiences, artists often benefit from establishing <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10824-020-09381-5">positive relationships with them</a>.</p>
<h2>That ‘live’ feeling</h2>
<p>Beyond the technological and financial logistics of livestreaming performances is a greater aesthetic issue. Livestreaming technically provides all of the ingredients to allow live music to persist in an era of social distancing. Artists can still provide high-quality audio and visual experiences to their audiences and audiences can still enjoy new music or their favourite hits, all without leaving their comfort of their own homes. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/321634/original/file-20200319-22618-61dheg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/321634/original/file-20200319-22618-61dheg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321634/original/file-20200319-22618-61dheg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321634/original/file-20200319-22618-61dheg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321634/original/file-20200319-22618-61dheg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321634/original/file-20200319-22618-61dheg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321634/original/file-20200319-22618-61dheg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Glastonbury Festival has been cancelled, despite it being the 50th year.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">marietta peros via Shutterstock.</span></span>
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<p>What may be harder to replicate is that electric vibe of being with other people in that moment. The audience can make or break a gig – not necessarily through sheer numbers, but in terms of what the relationship between them, the artist, and the music is like. For performers, reproducing that “live” feeling out of context can be a significant challenge. </p>
<p>As increasing numbers of musicians and audiences adopt this way of making and enjoying music together, I suspect all participants will develop a new set of expectations around where aesthetic value is placed in the performance. </p>
<p>This unprecedented global crisis provides an opportunity for artists to develop new ways of working with audiences and content to replicate that sense of “liveness” and connectivity found in a concert hall. Who knows? This might become an enduring part of a new reality.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133961/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>J Murphy McCaleb does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Will a coronavirus lockdown prompt a permanent change in the way we experience live performance?J Murphy McCaleb, Senior Lecturer of Music, York St John UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.