Enforced vacation for artists-- What you can do, and how you can help.

This Corona Virus isolation is really hurting freelancers and artists- people that already don't have a safety net.   People might not get the disease itself, but the business devastation surrounding it could ruin their lives.

Image via the BBC website.

I know a number of people who had 30 or 40 school shows for the next month just plain cancel-- which means that they will lose a month or more of income, and have no easy way to replace it.  Most of those gigs aren't going to come back, or the school will no longer have the money.

I also know that there are a number of non-profits that are going to have to cope with something that they could never have planned for in their budgets-- two or more weeks of complete emptiness.

I'd like to encourage my readers to do a couple of things to help out.

IF YOU ARE A LOVER OF THE ARTS

• Now's your chance to step up.  If you have a ticket for an event that is canceled, DON'T ASK FOR A REFUND.  Consider it a donation to that non-profit, and to the lifeblood of that organization.  They are going to need it.

• If you don't have a ticket for an event but are a big fan of an organization-- write them a check or send them a donation.  For many organizations, they are going to have to scrape by on fumes for a while.

It's time to become a PATRON in the old sense of the world.

By the way, if you like this blog and want to send me a donation, feel free!

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/adamgertsacov

I will write you a letter of appreciation  (and if it's a lot of moolah, I will write a  blogpost or poem for you on your choice of topic! )  

IF YOU ARE AN ARTIST :

• Consider applying for this gofund me:  They are looking to raise money in general for theatre artists and create an environment where freelance theatre artists can ask for help.  It's not a sin to ask for help if you need it.  There are probably others for different kind of artists as well.

• Now is a good time to re-do your marketing materials, to re-work your video, to fix that thing on your website that you've been meaning to do, and even to fix or repair your props that need repair.  Don't get sucked into Netflix or depression.  Do the work you need to do and have been putting off.

• This could be an opportunity to see if you could make videos.  Try doing a Livestream or start a Youtube channel.  Think about them not as sources of income but as media and publicity (and yeah, if you have a PayPal account, sure, allow people to donate to it.)  How could you take your artwork and turn it into a Youtube video?  What could you tell people about that you are an expert on?


• Write more.  At a recent conference, I got the advice to write every damned day.   It's advice I didn't want, but I know it's what I should be doing.   You may have noticed that I've had a flurry of postings this month (Since March 1)  Even posting it at 11:25 pm counts.  At least I got it in!

HELPFUL RESOURCES

https://covid19freelanceartistresource.wordpress.com/
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/13/success/freelance-canceled-work-coronavirus/index.html
https://www.wbur.org/artery/2020/03/13/coronavirus-freelancers-arts-feel-the-squeeze
https://www.leapers.co/articles/2020-03-09/freelance-tips-for-coronavirus
https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/03/11/what-freelancers-need-to-know-about-coronavirus/
https://soundgirls.org/educate-and-collaborate-surviving-corona-virus/
https://arts.ny.gov/blog/resources-nys-arts-and-cultural-organizations-re-novel-coronavirus-covid-19

If you have other resources to add to this list, please add them in the comments.

MOST IMPORTANTLY

Take a deep breath.  These are trying times, but they are not the end/times.  We will get through it, just like the world went on after the 1918 Flu Epidemic or any number of other epidemics and terrible events that have occurred through history. 

Keep on washing hands, practice social distancing, and don't touch your face!