Written by Natalia Knowlton
This is a very devastating period for everyone right now, especially for freelancers and people that work in the theatre industry. Things are changing at a rapid rate, which makes this blog post difficult to write.
I had another post written for DIY Artist this month but of course that went out the window with all the COVID-19-related news and announcements. The one that has hit us the hardest is Boris Johnson’s advice to avoid theatres, pubs and restaurants.
In less than twenty-four hours I’ve seen closing announcements from virtually every theatre, museum and arts venue in London. So many tweets and messages from friends, artists and companies that are left wondering what they’re supposed to do now that their shows have been cancelled and their freelance work is all gone.
The uncertainty is still there and it doesn’t feel like it’ll go away anytime soon. My heart goes out to everyone who is struggling financially and mentally. I know the theatre community always sticks together in times of need but there’s only so much we can do. I want to see our government take responsibility and look after its people and vulnerable communities. I want to see every industry look after its people as well, the same way that most theatres are trying their hardest to look after their artists and freelance staff.
Times like these make us realise how fragile our industry is. Times like these are when we see how easily it can all crumble down. But these are also the times that show us how important community and connection are.
If you’ve been following us on social media, you know that DIY Artist is a new Crossline Theatre project. We created this blog to share our knowledge with other artists. This is still new to us and we’re still figuring out the best content to create for artists during this difficult time.
At this point it feels like the most useful thing we can do is to create a page of resources for artists. We’ll update this page as best as we can.
Last Updated: June 17, 2020
Artist Resources
Artist Opportunities
Coronavirus Theatre Club - looking for theatre artists to write, perform, and live stream content.
Virtual Variety Fest - A digital/online platform for artists to showcase their performances.
Broccoli Arts Seed Commissions - £2500 plus mentoring for new pieces
For actors, agents and casting directors: follow #CastingCrushesCorona on Twitter.
Sending everyone our love and support. Take care out there!
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