The new AP microsite presents a round-up of the most relevant, interesting and quirky developments as the lockdown starts to bite. Harvey Parker gives the highlights.
Throughout the coronavirus crisis we’re planning to post regular updates to our CovidCulture microsite. The site will bring you the latest resources, news, ideas and information to help sustain creative careers, and support creative workers through these difficult times. Highlights from this week include:
Health and Wellbeing: Social isolation requires a high level of mental resilience – having limited social interaction is a challenge that few of us find easy. Resources to help manage your mental health range from the mental health charity MIND’s checklist for planning to stay indoors, to the Mental Health Foundation’s tips for sustaining your mental wellbeing during enforced home stay.
Money Matters: To combat the financial shockwave, people are responding with crowdfunding, new grant schemes, advice on welfare benefits and collaborative efforts, like Ticketsolve and Spektrix’s collaboration to create a Ticket Exchange tool that helps customers donate the value of their unused ticket to venues.
Creatives at Work: News and commentary to help arts professionals weather the storm covers legal advice on insurance contracts, safeguarding for self-employed teachers working online, virtual support groups that meet for morning coffee and a blueprint for switching an event into an online event.
Creative Communities: Creative initiatives are taking place online for people to use their downtime to keep active, make connections, join in, collaborate and have fun. These include livestream read-throughs of Shakespeare's complete works, a Treasure Jam using objects found in an online museum or gallery, and a template for a sew-your-own face mask!
Campaigns and Advocacy: A lot of people are making a lot of noise about the plight of the sector. Work Notes has created a template letter for sending to write MPs, petitions are demanding support for the self-employed, and demands for a universal basic income are growing.
Keep checking CovidCulture for updates.
Harvey Parker is a student volunteer supporting ArtsProfessional.