As we say good riddance to 2020, Liz Hill takes a glass-half-full look at progress in the cultural sector this year, and what the year ahead might hold.
Organisations and local authorities say its unfair and uneconomical to place harsher limits on cultural venues than gyms and hairdressers, as they trumpet their benefits to the nation's health.
Research into gender pay gaps and the representation of Britain's female artists shows some measures of equality are moving backwards, while others are "incredibly slow" to change.
While theatres are in lockdown it’s difficult to look ahead. But Andrew Howard sees technological change as driving a new and better customer experience in the future, and that change is almost upon us.
Right now past data is a poor predictor of the future, but understanding the scale and nature of change while responding to issues and initiatives of importance to funders will be vital to future success, say Michelle Wright and Sarah Thelwall.
As the four countries of the UK start to offer financial lifelines to venues wanting to reopen, Priya Patel explains how the Arts Working Group and their Recovery Toolkit can provide support with some of the thornier problems they are now addressing.
“We must use this time to reset values and make our industry and institutions more relevant for the whole of society.” Janet Archer draws together this summer’s Edinburgh Culture Conversations.
ACE has welcomed projections that the sector will recover to pre-Covid levels by 2022. The “bounce back” relies on only the most economically productive organisations surviving.
70% of audiences say they are willing to pay for digital events as full capacity shows remain on ice. But the shift towards user-pays models "will be a challenge," experts warn.
Even if people are willing to pay for digital performances, are they willing to pay enough? Robin Cantrill Fenwick examines the data emerging from the pandemic’s rush to digitise, and where the income opportunities lie.
New horizons
As we say good riddance to 2020, Liz Hill takes a glass-half-full look at progress in the cultural sector this year, and what the year ahead might hold.