Ways of hoping: Variegated hope among theatre freelancers during COVID-19

European Journal of Cultural Studies, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 31, 2025

Hope has long been articulated as an intrinsic component of creative work, used to alleviate or justify the challenging precarity and narrow pathways success in this sector. Two key articulations hope have emerged: a deferred economy model which present hardship is endured down-payment on specific future benefits, however ultimately unlikely; more dispersed understanding hoped-for unspecified but affectively felt mobilising present. In article, we draw qualitative data from online survey policy event timeline developed part 18-month research project with UK theatre freelancers during 2020 2021. Our analysis explores different ways hoping among group workers at time when futures hopes were severely inhibited. findings propose that multiple forms co-existed intersected practices care, self mechanisms for navigating interrupted lives. The ‘variegated’ moves away totalising theories helps force resilience within cultural adding existing calls realise its political potential across studies.

Language: Английский

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Career decisions in artistic professions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany—an experimental study

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 11(1)

Published: April 13, 2024

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the professional situation in artistic professions. Repeated lockdowns resulted cancellation of cultural events and exacerbated economic challenges, depriving artists people working culture industry their primary source income. Such drastic conditions could lead to important decisions, including career changes. This study aimed determine factors that influence decisions among professionals during second lockdown period Germany. To examine whether health concerns or financial struggles are more shaping professionals’ change stay profession, vignette experiment was conducted an online survey ( n = 788) winter 2020–2021. In experiment’s 2*3-factorial randomised design, all respondents were asked put themselves role make about changes under different income with prospects. revealed losses related decreased willingness careers, whereas prospects (hypothetical differences vaccine efficacy) did not affect decisions. addition, other variables found explain decisions; female gender signs depressive disorder associated greater for turnover, higher educational level status earning one’s livelihood diminished tendency turnover. latter factor interpreted as kind “don´t give up effect” is particularly observable professionals.

Language: Английский

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Cultivating progressive development in the cultural industries: challenges and support needs identified by the creative workforce in the United Kingdom

Cultural Trends, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 18

Published: July 3, 2023

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in creative and cultural industries have been closely tracked by researchers, professional bodies, arts organisations. In period recovery that has followed, emphasis moved towards building a more inclusive sustainable industry. Yet beyond headline statistics, accounts support needs workers – as identified their own words are less forthcoming. This paper reports on open responses collected during April-May 2021 United Kingdom began to lift lockdown restrictions. Thematic analysis three overarching themes respondents central recovery: (i) Financial Infrastructures; (ii) Artistic communities; (iii) Future-proofed landscapes. findings previous research emphasised need for prioritise supporting individual artists importance freelance voices at all stages policy decision making ensure equitable development future.

Language: Английский

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Care(lessness) in precarious journalism, before and during the pandemic: Freelancers’ work-life experiences and coping strategies

Global Media and China, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 9(2), P. 206 - 220

Published: Jan. 30, 2024

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in care as a potential remedy for variety of issues and crises, such improving global health justice or creating more “caring” educational systems, has increased across academic disciplines. This article contributes to this literature from perspective journalism studies. It explores whether notion captures addresses one facet contemporary news industry crisis, namely precarity journalists. I focus on work-life narratives small group freelance journalists Germany Canada before during pandemic. Applying lens articulates struggles freelancers experience regarding income, social security, housing, childcare result careless states markets. Furthermore, practices use coping strategies merge mutual aid fellow members their local communities with entrepreneurial networking professional survival. However, informal cannot make up structural gaps support. Waged work—outside journalism—in formal labor market, performed by themselves life partners, turned out be important precarity. Overall, pandemic meant continuity than change well examined here. Nevertheless, those residential property, gainfully employed established networks fared best, hinting at crucial role privilege shaping work experiences precarious crises.

Language: Английский

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The impacts of Covid-19 lockdowns on professional and personal lives of freelance creative collaborative musicians

Research Studies in Music Education, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 46(1), P. 149 - 163

Published: July 21, 2023

The global pandemic has severely disrupted the performing arts sector, with research documenting economic, professional, and health impacts on musicians. psychological effects of lockdowns have been recognized, but little is known regarding their impact freelance creative collaborative artists. This qualitative case study uses a resilience lens to report perspectives musicians from city Melbourne, Australian which experienced greatest period lockdown in country. Three main themes were identified: professional (loss work, loss artistic identity, coping strategies), personal (lockdown stressors, strategies, relationships), future outlook (developing new skills directions, positive negative outlooks). findings demonstrate these musicians’ spite difficult circumstances, resulting adaptations growth.

Language: Английский

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Online ‘chats’: fostering communitas and psychosocial support for people working across arts and play for health and wellbeing

Frontiers in Psychology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 14

Published: July 24, 2023

Loss of work, furlough, and increased social isolation were prevalent for many working in the broad context cultural community engagement health wellbeing. This study set out to explore if how regular online group interactions may foster cohesion provide support these individuals during critical time COVID-19 global pandemic. It was conducted 'social chat' series led by a network called Arts Play Health Community which initiated response pandemic as way bring those or connected arts, play together times isolation. Two qualitative focus groups with creative, participatory components artists, researchers, evaluators, arts/play managers (

Language: Английский

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Modelling arts professionals’ wellbeing and career intentions within the context of COVID-19

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 18(10), P. e0292722 - e0292722

Published: Oct. 25, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial effect on the creative and cultural industries in United Kingdom (UK), as seen our first snapshot of HEartS Professional Survey (April-June 2020, Phase 1, N = 358). By analysing data collected one year later (April-May 2021, 2, 685), aims current study are to trace contributors (1) arts professionals' mental social wellbeing (2) their expectations staying arts. Findings show that artists continued experience challenges terms finances, wellbeing. Over half respondents reported financial hardship (59%), over two thirds being lonelier (64%) having increased anxiety (71%) than before pandemic. Hierarchical multiple linear regression models, using Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Social Connectedness Three-Item Loneliness Scale outcome variables, indicate perceived be associated with higher depression loneliness scores. As study, more physical activity lockdown was connectedness scores, self-rated health scores were lower Similarly, increases during lockdown, well older age, still An ordinal logistic model indicated three artists' professional remaining arts: greater proportion income from pre-pandemic, maintenance skills, freelance work. results suggest patterns observed at start remained consistent on. They point possible strategies support underline importance finances professions.

Language: Английский

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And now everything is supposed to be normal again – just like that?!

Sociologisk Forskning, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 61(2), P. 193 - 214

Published: July 9, 2024

The global pandemic of Covid-19 has had massive effects on many levels. For sectors, the restrictions are gone but normalcy is not fully restored. performing arts, for example, have been especially vulnerable to sharp restrictions, with audiences staying at home. aim this article explore what it means freelance musicians in art/classical music genre re-establish their careers after pandemic. empirical data consists interviews Swedish from 2021 and 2022. concludes that its aftermath present freelancers substantial practical challenges emotional dilemmas. Some able performer identities, while others still struggling get back into loop. started processes change, which now negotiated relation going ‘normal’.

Language: Английский

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A fRAmework of the DetermInants of Arts aNd Cultural Engagement (RADIANCE): integrated insights from ecological, behavioural and complex adaptive systems theories

Wellcome Open Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 9, P. 356 - 356

Published: July 5, 2024

Arts and cultural engagement (ACEng) is ubiquitous across every human culture since palaeolithic times, but in contemporary society, ACEng unevenly distributed, demographically, socio-economically, geographically politically. But what are the "determinants" of (i.e., facilitators or barriers to people's engagement) how can they be optimised? Despite a large body theory evidence on individual determinants, this work has largely occurred disciplinary silos, which led variously contrasting discourses approaches, criticism, inconsistent findings. What we lack rigorous comprehensive understanding these determinants (both those already theorised that have been little recognised as date) goes beyond descriptively showing inequalities, instead explaining why inequalities exist overcome. This paper explores currently ACEng, existing theoretical approaches determinants.

Language: Английский

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The HEartS Professional Model: A conceptual model for arts professionals' work and wellbeing

Social Sciences & Humanities Open, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 10, P. 101092 - 101092

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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