The best COVID-19 support for the arts around the world

Governments around the world are trying to keep their arts, screen and cultural sectors alive through a variety of measures. Many have introduced unemployment benefits for artists; invested in economic stimulus packages for the sector; and channeled funding into digital delivery of arts and cultural content.

Early on in the COVID-19 crisis, I identified the following aspects of ‘good practice’ in governmental support for the arts and cultural industries. In this article I offer my top picks of government recovery responses, based on their:

- Responsiveness: how flexible governments are in terms of meeting the needs of artists as they have become apparent during the crisis

- Straight-forwardness: how complicated it is to access government support

- Innovation: how governments have used their leverage to support artists and the public in clever ways

- Empathy: how governments use their support to show artists that they are valued, and to help the public feel less alone

DIGITAL PROJECTS WHICH GO BEYOND UPLOADING CONTENT

Loads of governments have introduced digital arts and cultural content projects, both for creation and distribution. This was a tough one to narrow down as there are many initiatives which show governments really trying to make sure their publics can still experience shared arts and culture. I have picked my top five based on their particular innovativeness and support for artists and vulnerable sectors of the population.

Read more: https://www.artshub.com.au/…/the-best-covid-19-support-for-…